How Ryan Knows

As a prelude to this post, I (Ali) just wanted to add some information that may help those unfamiliar with the Mormon faith understand better Ryan's words.  We believe the gift of God to bless (blessings for the sick and afflicted) and perform ordinances (baptism, gift of the Holy Ghost, and more) has been passed down through the prophets from Christ when He was on the earth and is available to worthy males today.  As Moses laid his hands upon Joshua and gave a charge, so we use the laying on of hands for these things today.  (See Numbers 27:18-23 and Hebrews 5:10) End prelude.

 

As I sat and thought about a specific story that helped me know the truth, many different stories came to mind. Many of them are small examples and some of them are major things that have happened in my life. 

 

Even as a kid I remember feeling good when I was learning about Heavenly Father and Jesus. I enjoyed going to church groing up. There have been many instances in my life when the Holy Ghost has prompted me to do something and I have done it and seen a benefit from doing it. I could probably write many different stories and go on forever about how I know. I won't do that, but here is a small sample of my life experiences and how I know.

 

Being a worthy holder of the Melchezidek Priesthood I have had the opportunity to give many blessings to people that have asked for my help. I remember one time I was participating in a blessing that Benji and I were giving to another family member. Benji and I have given many blessings together over the years, but this one was particularly special. As Benji was acting as the voice of the blessing I was standing with him with my hands on the head of the person whom was receiving the blessing. I was being given the words to the blessing in my mind and seconds later Benji said the exact words that were coming to my mind. I could feel the spirit was with us and I knew that those words were coming from our Heavenly Father. I also caught glimpses in my mind's eye of Heavenly Father standing where Benji was and Jesus Christ standing where I was. I am not saying that we are taking their place or that we are more holy than anybody else. I am just giving an example of a special experience that confirmed my knowledge of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

 

Many many other things have happened in my life to help me learn the truth. I think this is due, in part, to the fact that I do not deny the inspirations that come to me from the Holy Ghost. I embrace those special feelings and keep myself open to the fact that I can be a tool in Heavenly Father's plan and help him in any way I can. I am willing to share any other experiences that may help any of you who read this. If you are struggling, pray for help. If you are like me and trying to grow stronger everyday, stay on the path and be strong.

 

How Glenn Knows

Song to go with my testimony: DEAREST CHILDREN

I have always loved children. Maybe it has something to do with growing up as #2 of 9 siblings. Their bright faces make me smile, and their innocence and pure countenances shine with a bright light. It is hard for me to see them in pain or suffering. The clear, sonorous giggle of a youngster makes me smile inside, as I remember the pure joy associated with the unobstructed happiness of childhood.

As I grew into adulthood, I had many questions about God. I had no doubt that a great Creator established the universe, for I knew it was too complicated, too beautiful, too perfect, for it to have happened by chance. I read the scriptures, and found many references to His existence that made perfect sense. But my concept of Him was as of something untouchable – the Great Oz of literature, who stood behind a giant curtain of mystery, unwilling to be found out because His power and dominion were too grand for humans to comprehend.

I saw two Godly characteristics in the Holy Bible that seemed contradictory: in the Old Testament was a vengeful God, who wrought havoc and destruction on those who would not obey Him. I read of great floods, mighty tempests, destructive earthquakes and fires. I was terrified of that God, and my obedience to His laws was out of fear – I didn’t want to upset Him. Yet, in the New Testament, I saw a wholly different God, one who taught of peace, compassion and pure love. He went around healing the sick, raising the dead, causing the blind to see and the lame to walk. I liked this God, and even felt of His love on occasion. But I wondered: what happened to Him between the Old and New Testaments to change His character, and turn Him from a merciless God to such a loving One? Which was His true and more accurate nature, and why did He express Himself in such different ways at different times?

One day, I found out. I got to peek behind the curtain of Oz, and meet the living, breathing Man behind the mask. It was on a beautiful Fall day in 1974. I had been in the Language Training Mission (LTM), forerunner to the Missionary Training Center (MTC), for a few weeks. I was engaged in an intensive learning environment in preparation to go out to the world to teach the restored truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I was convinced that this Jesus Christ whom I was to represent was the God of both the Old and New Testaments, and my obedience to Him had matured away from a motive of fear, to that of faith – knowing that He gave no commandment that was not for our own good. But I had a greater lesson to learn that day. I was to take another grand step forward in my understanding of Who He was and is. And He used my love of children to mold me that day.

As I stood in the lunch line, I read in scripture about a very personal visit this Great God made to Ancient America after His resurrection. I was in awe as I imagined being there and watching these marvelous events unfold. As He descended from heaven to make Himself known to these ancient people, He was, indeed, that Great Oz of my earlier comprehension – His voice penetrating every soul, though it was not a loud voice. His brilliance cut through the recent unfathomable darkness they had experienced.  Destruction was all around these people, because His Old Testament powers had just been unleashed on their neighbors who would not accept the love He was now to offer. (I later learned that the destruction itself was out of love, but that’s another story!)

Then, as I read, the Great Oz came out from behind His mask, and I knew Him, because, in this small way, He was like me, and I like Him. For He took their little children, one by one, and blessed them, and prayed unto the Father for them. And when He had done this, He wept…And he spake unto the multitude, and said unto them: Behold your little ones. And as they looked to behold they cast their eyes towards heaven, and they saw the heavens open, and they saw angels descending out of heaven as it were in the midst of fire; and they came down and encircled those little ones about with fire; and the angels did minister unto them.

I read that no tongue can speak, neither can there be written by any man, neither can the hearts of men  conceive so great and marvelous things as we both saw and heard Jesus speak; and no one can conceive of the joy which filled our souls at the time we heard Him pray for us unto the Father.

Tears flowed uncontrollably as I tried to stem them, as I was in a public place and did not want to appear
unmanly. But the Spirit was unrestrained, and in that moment, I was transformed from a believing follower of Christ out of awe, to a knowing disciple of Him whose love is boundless. I felt, I saw, I understood the true nature of this God whom I had long sought. He was approachable, for He knew how to weep, and He loved these same children to whom I had always felt such an affinity. It was at that moment that I KNEW! And that loving God of both Old, New and Restored Testaments, was there to advocate for ME, a child lowly in spiritual maturity, with wounds, faults and impurities which I needed His healing hand to affect.

Since then, I have always known that Jesus is the Christ, the Great Jehovah, the Eternal Healer. That fact will one day be made clear to all mankind, and every childish knee will bow in recognition of His Great and Eternal Sacrifice that saves all His children. May we do all in our power until that great day to extend His very real love to everyone around us, that we may minister in love as does He, our Great Exemplar.

Glenn R. Whicker, 11 November 2012

How Cami Knows

As I have pondered over the last several weeks the almost overwhelming question of “why I believe”, I have retouched many, many experiences of my life of thirty-two years. At first, due to my physical fatigue and daunting everyday (and night) tasks, I literally drew a blank. Immediately, I felt my heart race as I worried, there must be SOMETHING! Within that split-second moment I prayed to remember, and within that same split-second memories began to overflow my meager mind. That tiny moment instantly taught me, it is easy to forget. It is vitally important that we document our experiences for that very reason.

Many pieces make up the foundation of my testimony of God’s existence and His love. Little things, from the small, tiny promptings of the Holy Ghost entering my mind, to a remarkable experience as an eight year old little girl, build the foundation of my testimony. I do not share these things to boast but with do so with sincere humility. And I do so with a little hesitancy because of the sacredness some of these experiences have to me.

One of those small and simple promptings happened last year. I went to visit a lady in our small congregation that had not attended church in years. We talked, we shared, we read scriptures, and we prayed. It was a very nice visit. I went home. The visit did not seem remarkable. Later, many months later, she said that she had been contemplating suicide that very day. She said that the small visit interceded her thoughts and changed her desires. This lady realized her value as a daughter of God. That change in someone’s life is hard to claim as a chance encounter. A seemingly miniscule thought may only seem miniscule to our finite minds.

Another time, many years earlier I am in the sacred place of an LDS temple. As a sixteen year old, I did not realize the vastness of this beautiful place. My youngest sister, Katie was to be sealed to our family for time and eternity, a covenant to bind our family together even after death. As my sisters and I waited in the waiting area of the temple, my parents were preparing for the ceremony upstairs. Soon, it was time to join our parents upstairs. I don’t recall if it was before or after the ceremony, but as we were walking the hallowed halls, Katie, as a 12 month old little baby, began to use sign language (as she did not speak, or make many noises at all at that time)…her tiny hands signed the symbol for Jesus Christ as if she was trying to tell us something. He is real. He lives.

Lastly, I have mulled over sharing this experience so publicly because it is so special to me. As an eight year old girl, soon to be baptized, my father gave a family night challenge- to ask our Heavenly Father if the scriptures were His word. I’m sure I was challenged before to do that very thing, but this time I took it to heart. I recall after going to bed, I decided to kneel in prayer. I knelt next to my trundle bed, amidst the duck wall paper surrounding my small bedroom in our British home. There was a helium balloon tied to my open bedroom door. I prayed. I don’t remember my exact words, but I do remember asking if the scriptures were true. I laid in my bed.

Then I noticed something very unique. I saw in front of me, next to my brown metal wardrobe, a silhouette. It was a silhouette of a person with light behind him, an eclipse-like silhouette. I couldn’t see any features, just a shadow-figure surrounded by light. The figure was nodding his head. He was answering my question.

This is the experience I have and will remember all my life. This was my first experience receiving an answer from God.  It was powerful. It was real. God IS real. He loves us.

How Sarah Knows

I have been trying to think of one specific moment when the spirit has touched my heart deeply, and one came to mind immediately and every time after when I have thought about it. When I was 20 years old, I was a little lost in life. I didn't have a great job, no school, no friends near by, nothing. I hadn't really thought about it much, just did my day to day things and that was fine. Well, one Sunday, in our Relief Society meeting, a sister announced that her son lived in Boston, MA and owned a company with a lady who was not LDS, but was seeking to find an honest, nice, loving person to be her nanny and care for their soon to be first child. As she announced that, I had an overwhelming feeling of warmth surround me as the thought came to my mind, "That is you!" I looked at my Mom, who was sitting next to me, and she looked at me at the same time, both with tears forming in our eyes. We both had felt that spirit guiding me to look more into this opportunity.

After church, I approached this sister and talked more with her about the details of this job. She let me know what I would be doing, the type of family I would be living with, where they were located in MA, etc. I told her that I might be interested but I needed to think about it and I would get back to her. That same Sunday, I volunteered to help with the Sacrament meeting for the Apple Tree Assisted Living (an old folks home) later that afternoon. While there, we sang the hymn I'll Go Where You Want Me to Go. Once again, I was overwhelmed by the spirit when I sang the words to that song because I knew that this opportunity to move to Boston and be a nanny was created just for ME. This sister announced it for ME and I needed to listen and GO where the Lord needed me to be at that time in my life! After prayer and talking with my parents, I made the decision, and left a few months later. I loved the family, the job, and the area I lived in. I met lots of new friends there and was very happy with the choices I made to listen to and follow the spirit that I felt so strongly. I KNOW I have a Father in Heaven who loves me and knows the paths I should be taking. I know I can ask Him for guidence whenever I need it and He will help me and love me no matter what! I am so grateful for that knowledge and guidence in my life.