My Testimony

This is a hobby for me. I spend quite a bit of time coming up with topics that I think will benefit not only members of my community, but anyone else who might be interested. Why do I do this? What can I possibly gain from writing these articles? Well, the answer can basically be summed up in one statement. I like to share. If I had a big, full bottle of cool water, and I was out in the field on a hot summer day with another person who was hot and thirsty, I would want to share my water with that person. I feel that being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is a huge blessing; a gift that should be shared. So, I share what I learn, what I know and what I see.

Many, many times in my life, I have been confronted in unfriendly ways about my religion. I have been confronted by atheists who despise organized religion and see it as a tool for people who want to feel self-important to control large masses of people. My own father is one example. I have been confronted by Christians who do not understand that Latter-Day Saints are also Christians, and think that I have been misled by some strange cult. I have been quoted to, insulted and put down, laughed at, and personally threatened by some people over my religion. Why, then, would I continue to cling to it the way I do? I have a deep-rooted testimony that is based on faith, and personal experiences that I cannot deny.

When people testify in court, they place their hand on the bible and swear to tell 'the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.' The statement they give is known as their testimony. My religious testimony is no different. It is what I believe and know to be true, based on my personal knowledge and experiences. Most of my experiences came through acts of service. Since the people who keep our local churches going are volunteers, everyone is given a job to do, or a 'calling'. The Bishop of a ward, for example, spends countless hours serving the members of his ward without receiving a dime in return. He does, however, receive countless blessings. Mankind has recognized that pattern for thousands of years; you can call it karma, quantum physics, what goes around comes around, whatever. The general idea though, is that obedience to the commandments carries with it certain blessings, and we receive blessings according to the commandments which we obey. For example, if you pay an honest ten percent tithing, then maybe when you're struggling to buy groceries,a neighbor who knows nothing of your situation might have extra canned goods and will give them to you. I have actually had that happen to me.

Other experiences I have had are a direct result of prayer. Too many times to count, I have prayed for guidance on what I should do about a certain situation, and received an answer that was not practical or that didn't make sense to me. Because I have learned by experience to listen to the Holy Ghost, I follow the promptings that I get, and things will turn out not only good, but customized to my own personal situation. Some people recognize the promptings of the Holy Ghost as gut instinct, or conscience. Whatever it is, there is no doubt in my mind or heart that it is from God.

As for the people who have harassed me for my religious beliefs, I feel no anger or malice towards them. I actually feel bad for them. My faith in God is what gets me through difficult or stressful situations. We cannot control everything that happens to us in life, or everything that happens to our loved ones. Knowing that Heavenly Father is always watching over us, and knows what's best for us physically and spiritually, gives me comfort to get through difficult situations. I know that He is giving me what I need to grow stronger spiritually. People who do not believe in God do not have that comfort. That is why I share. I want everyone to have that.

When loved ones have passed on, I know where their spirits are. I know that they are not far away, and that the people I miss can still see me. I truly believe that Heavenly Father allows our departed family members to be our guardian angels. (That's not church doctrine, that's just my feeling.) Knowing that I will see them again, and that they are waiting for me to return to heaven with them, helps me to get through the grief that comes with losing someone close to me. People who do not believe in God do not have that comfort. I had a friend who lost a baby shortly after birth due to a brain infection. Her husband was devastated over it, and became angry and bitter over it. He did not believe in God. He said his baby daughter was 'food for the worms', and was convinced that he would never see her again. How terribly sad and hopeless he must have felt. I wished I could just wrap the comfort that I have up in a present and give it to my friends. That's why I share. That's why I do this.

I have been severely ill, and given a priesthood blessing by a person who can trace his priesthood authority back to the Savior. I was made well by that blessing, when all other efforts by doctors had failed. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the only church (due to the fact that it was restored to earth after the apostasy, or dark ages), that has the authority from Heavenly Father to heal as the Savior healed.

I have had my family saved from harm several times by following the promptings I have received from the Holy Ghost. Only God knows what is going to happen in the future, but he has given me instruction time and time again that helped me to save a child, or my family collectively, from serious injury or death. People who do not believe in God do not feel the protection of their Heavenly Father, because they do not recognize those promptings when they get them. They feel that because they paid to go to school for ten years, and that they have a piece of paper that says that they are smart, that they do not need God, and do not need to believe in Him. They feel that they can 'take care of themselves'. How terribly alone they must sometimes feel.

Readers can believe what they want to believe after reading this article. If you choose to believe that I am sadly misled, uneducated and foolish, then so be it. My experiences are mine, and I cannot deny that they have happened. I know that Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost are real. I know that they can guide us in our daily activities. I have experienced it. I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is Jesus' church, restored to the earth. To deny it is to deny everything that has happened to me. I cannot and will not do that. I also feel that my religion is a gift, a blessing, that I must share, or I am guilty of being selfish. That is why I do what I do. I proclaim these truths in the sacred name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.