2 May 2020
Dear Family (and I mean that),
These are interesting times. Now, more than ever, it is important that we each share what has shaped us. I humbly share what I have written in a spirit of love. I realize that we are all on different journeys in life. I recognize that we are all on different paths. I feel duty-bound to God and to you as my family to share what I have experienced.
Jesus is my Savior and Redeemer. He suffered for my suffering. He has paid the price for all of my transgressions. He knows me better than I know myself! He is intimately acquainted with me and with all of my needs, challenges, trials, troubles, and afflictions. He has often rescued me! He knows me! He knows my weaknesses and struggles!
Under our Father in Heaven's direction, He created and organized this beautiful earth. This world was created as an abode for God's children--a place where we could live. He paid intimate attention to detail. As the pre-mortal Jehovah, He knows the end from the beginning! He is the Only Begotten of the Father in the flesh. Born of a mortal mother and an immortal Father, He inherited unique capacities. As a mortal, He could suffer. As a sinless God, He could atone for the sins and suffering of all humankind. I know that He lives. On the third day, He rose from the tomb, forever shattering the chains of death! As a resurrected being, He appeared to multitudes, both in the Holy Land, and in the Americas. The Book of Mormon is a new witness of His Resurrection and that He has set His hand again to gather scattered Israel. The Book of Mormon witnesses of His divinity. The book's very existence is a testimony that Christ is moving in His majesty and power.
I know that He will come again. Before long, He will reign as King of kings and Lord of lords. His benevolent reign will be the culmination of human history. At that day, there will be peace, for He will wipe away all tears. He is The Great Healer. He is the King Immanuel. I love Him and I want to serve Him.
I know that Jesus Christ is the living, resurrected Son of the Living God. He is the God of all creation. In the beginning, He was with God. He is our Elder Brother. He is our Advocate with the Father. He suffered for all of the trials, troubles, and afflictions of His people. All pain was experienced by Him. All suffering is known by Him. All loneliness is His firsthand knowledge. On this Eastertide, I share my witness with you. I am the humblest and the most imperfect of His servants.
I know that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is true. His Way is the way of happiness. His Way is the way of peace.
I was taught these things in my youth. My parents taught me to pray. They taught me to tithe, and they taught me to worship. At eight years old, I chose to be baptized. I was specifically asked by Bishop Larry Banks why I wanted to be baptized, whether it were for social reasons, to please my parents or my teachers. I responded that I wanted to be baptized to follow Jesus Christ. After that ordinance, I remember receiving the Holy Ghost. Given the option of being confirmed immediately after my baptism or waiting to be confirmed the next day in sacrament meeting, I opted to be confirmed immediately. I wanted to receive the marvelous Gift of the Holy Ghost I had been taught about. I still remember what I felt during that confirmation as hands were laid upon my head and words were spoken to confirm me a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
In time I realized that I had not had what I thought was a spiritual experience confirming to me the truth of the Church and of the Book of Mormon (I had heard and read many stories and testimonies of such experiences). I could not honestly say that I had had any such experience--not that I recognized (I later realized, in Book of Mormon terms, that over time I was baptized by fire and by the Holy Ghost, “and knew it not”).
I knew that I was going to serve a mission. Because of this fact, I knew that I needed to have the spiritual experience I had heard about. However, this experience did not come “on demand” (few things with God do). When my personal repentance (motivated by the Holy Ghost that I didn’t realize at the time was guiding me) combined with sincere desire and a resolve to worship in simple and sincere ways, things began to change. My repentance was real. My simple resolve before God was that I believed the things I had been taught. I would simply do my best to live the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I trusted that God would give me an answer to my question. I only asked that He would help me to recognize my answer when it came. Meanwhile, imperceptibly, I changed. My friends noticed that I was different. My conversation was different. My interests were different. My friends wondered what had happened.
My simple pattern was to sincerely pray to God every day, morning and evening. I was also naturally drawn to the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ. (In retrospect, I cannot say as to why--just that I started. It felt comfortable.) I don’t claim that I understood everything I read. I do remember a day when I didn’t read after having been in the habit of reading. It felt off. I was missing something. There was a void in my heart.
I continued living life, doing my best, serving in the Church, and personally worshipping. About seven months later, something remarkable happened. After that experience, I knew and I knew that I knew, and I knew that God knew that I knew. The spiritual experience I had hoped for came in a quiet but unexpected moment. At the time, it seemed like a sudden rush of revelation. In retrospect, I see that it was the fruit of a lengthy process.
I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true. It is the Restoration of the same organization that existed in the primitive Church. It is a work in progress. The Church will continue to change and evolve. The Church is here to prepare a people for the return of its head, even Jesus Christ
I know that Joseph Smith is a prophet. My doubt on this subject has been removed. Joseph Smith is a righteous, virtuous, chaste, and honest individual. In the pre-mortal councils, he was foreordained as the Prophet of the Restoration.
I know that the Book of Mormon is true. My doubt on this subject has been removed. It is an authentic record of a fallen people. From its title page, it declares itself to be an ancient record, translated by God's power, and brought forth to convince all people "that Jesus Christ is the Eternal God, manifesting Himself unto all nations," (see Title Page, The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ.)
I know that Joseph Smith was visited by angels--messengers sent from God’s presence. Moroni, John the Baptist, Peter, James and John, the Lord’s apostles, Moses, Elias, and Elijah all appeared and conferred keys, power, and authority upon Joseph Smith.
The keys that were bestowed upon Joseph Smith were conferred upon the modern apostles. Those keys continue with the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The Church today is led by ordinary men and women. None of them asked to be called. Of them, the saying of Jesus is true, “ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you and ordained you.” In ways that we do not understand, before we came here, many of us made promises about what we would do on earth. Before the foundations of this world, the Lord foreordained apostles and prophets. The office of their calling is to bear witness of Truth.
Great judgements are coming on the earth with famine, sword, and pestilence. After the testimony of the elders of Israel “cometh wrath and indignation upon the people. . . earthquakes, that shall cause groanings in the midst of her, and men shall fall upon the ground and shall not be able to stand. And also cometh the testimony of the voice of thunderings, and the voice of lightnings, and the voice of tempests, and the voice of the waves of the sea heaving themselves beyond their bounds. And all things shall be in commotion.” These things will surely come to pass. In mercy, Jesus stretches out His arms to us to save us from certain danger, both temporally and spiritually. His arm is stretched out still (2 Nephi 19). He desires to gather us to spiritual and temporal safety. I invite you to come, seek this Jesus. I only know the smallest part. I want to know Him completely. I invite you to walk in His ways with me.
