Proving to the World

To my daughter, 

              Today in Sacrament Meeting we had the opportunity to hear people in our ward bear their testimonies to us about their knowledge of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It really is an incredible opportunity that we have each month to hear others share the feelings of their heart and express what they know to be true through the Spirit of the Lord. I hope that as you participate in Fast and Testimony Meetings, you will take the opportunity to ask yourself what you believe and what you know to be true. Even if you don’t feel ready to stand in front of a congregation and share your feelings, you can take the time to consider how you feel about the gospel of Jesus Christ and determine where you would like to strengthen your testimony. As you get older you will face many questions and those who will challenge your beliefs, and now is the time for you to come to learn for yourself these powerful truths: “The holy scriptures are true, and that God does inspire men and call them to his holy work in this age and generation, as well as in generations of old…. There is a God in heaven, who is infinite and eternal, from everlasting to everlasting the same unchangeable God, the framer of heaven and earth…. The Almighty God gave his Only Begotten Son… He was crucified, died, and rose again the third day; And ascended into heaven, to sit down on the right hand of the Father, to reign with almighty power according to the will of the Father” (Doctrine and Covenants 20:11,17,21-24). These verses come from the section in the Doctrine and Covenants given around the time of the official organization of the Church, and these truths were declared as fundamental to our faith: God lives, His Son atoned for our sins and rose again, and He indeed calls prophets in our day.

                So how can you come to know these things for yourself? How can you increase your testimony that what we have taught you is indeed true? This same revelation in the Doctrine and Covenants I believe gives the key. The beginning verses describe the translation of the Book of Mormon, and says this: “Which contains a record of a fallen people, and the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles and to the Jews also; Which was given by inspiration, and is confirmed to others by the ministering of angels, and is declared unto the world by them—Proving to the world that the holy scriptures are true” (Doctrine and Covenants 20:9-11). The section then proceeds to outline the truths I already quoted; in other words, we know that God lives and that He sent His Son to save us and that prophets have been called in our day because of the Book of Mormon. It is for me the keystone of my testimony of the truths of the gospel. I know that reading and pondering its words each day help me to feel more powerfully that God lives, that Jesus Christ is my Savior, and that Joseph Smith was called of Him. As I read the testimony of Ammon I feel that God truly does know me: “He looketh down upon all the children of men; and he knows all the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Alma 18:32). As I ponder the words of King Benjamin I know that Jesus Christ died for me and lives today: “And lo, he shall suffer temptations, and pain of body, hunger, thirst, and fatigue, even more than man can suffer, except it be unto death; for behold, blood cometh from every pore, so great shall be his anguish for the wickedness and the abominations of his people. And he shall be called Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of heaven and earth, the Creator of all things from the beginning” (Mosiah 3:7-8). And the words of Abinadi bear witness to me of the divine call of prophets in our day and the blessings of following them: “Whosoever has heard the words of the prophets, yea, all the holy prophets who have prophesied concerning the coming of the Lord—I say unto you, that all those who have hearkened unto their words, and believed that the Lord would redeem his people, and have looked forward to that day for a remission of their sins, I say unto you, that these are his seed” (Mosiah 15:11). As I feel the power of these words I know that they were not written by Joseph Smith or some other man in the 19^th century but that they were given by the power of God through ancient prophets. They will be a powerful force to teach you truth and help you strengthen your testimony in our day when so many would tear it down. I urge you to continue to read and ponder the words of the Book of Mormon each day, and ask your Father in Heaven in prayer to help you know that all these things are true. 

Love,

Dad