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.

How Shane Knows

It is the small and simple things that make such a difference and bring much joy in this life. I recount a simple experience at the age of 11 or 12 years of age. I was sitting on the cold floor of our garage working diligently on my first real job as a young man, newspapers, when an important thought of an assignment that I had yet to complete, came to mind. At that same moment my mother popped out the door and quickly asked me a question. In that fleeting moment, my thoughts were quickly scattered, and I forgot entirely the previous task for which I was pondering upon. Such a frustrating moment. Nevertheless, I returned to my task of folding newspapers. In my moments of frustration and discouragement, I had a thought to attempt to recall the assignment by saying a little prayer. I did so. Just at the conclusion of my prayer, my mother again popped open the door and asked if I needed money or paperwork for school photos the following day. This was the exact task that needed to be accomplished that had burdened my mind. Such a simple thing of no great importance, but it weighed heavy on my mind that I had forgotten the responsibility.

God absolutely cares for his children. This experience was of no coincidence.  Something that I have learned of the relationship between God and his children, us, is that there is little in the way of difference between that relationship and that of our own relationships between father and son or grandchild and grandfather.

How Kaylee Knows

 

I know I have recently written, but a few weeks ago we had an experience that everyone suggested I should share.   

I bought this picture two years ago when we moved into our home with the intent of putting it up in our living room, but it didn't fit the niche, so it ended up in the game room.  It is a rather large picture and the only one in the entire room.  It has a scripture on the wall right next to it that reads, "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Matthew 6:21.  Upon placing the picture there I felt there was great purpose in its placement as I knew this would be the place of playing with toys, watching TV, and ultimately where family time would take place.

This afternoon I walked into the game room and upon entering I found my daughter Kaylee, who is 5 years old, staring at this picture on our wall.  She was gazing so deeply she didn't move when I first sat by her.  I interrupted her gaze by gently asking, "Kaylee, what are you doing?" She responded quietly, without breaking her intent thinking and said, "Mom. I miss him."  Quite taken back I said, "You mean you remember Him?"  She said, "Yes, he looks just like that."  Trying not to disturb her thoughts I sat back and watched her look, stare and long for him.  She then said, "I love him and I want him to come back."

It is moments like these that I can only wonder, Why? How? can one not believe.  Children are such a integral part of this amazing plan.  They teach and they KNOW. They know because they REMEMBER.  I don't think the knowledge of the spirit world is taken from them in one moment at birth, but gradually, and every once in a while we get to have these beautiful moments of their remembrance.  Not only to remind them, but to remind US.  He is real.  He is there and He WILL COME.


Kaylee Hart 5 years old

How Buddy Knows

John 7:17 says, "If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself."

To me, this is the foundation of deep, real knowledge. I don't know what Jesus really said that day, but I have felt to infer that a knowledge of God can be gained only through a completely sincere effort at doing his will.

His will is that I love him. That's all. Just love him.

Because of my weakness and fallen nature, I need it broken down a bit more. God has obliged.

I love God when I follow his guidelines exactly. I love him when I love others. I love him when I serve others. I love him when I demonstrate dedication, integrity, and optimism. I love him when I give him credit and when I am humble.

As a direct result of my sincere efforts in doing the above (at some times much better than other times), I have confirmed personally that the blessings promised in the scriptures are real. I have had moments of pure knowledge whose transcendent power and reality I can never forget or deny. God has lighted my soul with a sure witness greater than all else: He lives. He knows and loves me such that he sent his Son to suffer all for me, that I might live, know, and love.

I have proven his will. I know that the doctrine embodied in the life of an otherwise undistinguished Galilean mortal many hundreds of years ago came from the most supreme of beings--the real, Eternal Father of my spirit.

How Ali Knows

I loved living in Alabama.  Although we lived there only 11 months, what happened there changed all of us forever.   I remember sitting in the family room with everyone.  I remember Mom and Dad telling us they felt there was someone else in our family waiting to come, so we were going to pursue adoption since Mom couldn’t have any more children herself.  I was 9, turning 10 and this was SO COOL.  It was exciting!  We couldn’t wait to see who would come to join the family.  I remember a couple of times coming together again as a family and talking about options the social services offered us in different children.  Did we feel like we could all come together to do what we could to bring another into our family?

Then we moved back to Virginia.  After school one day, the phone rang.  We were always racing each other to the phone, and I won that time, although I don’t remember if anyone else was home.  The lady on the phone explained she was from LDS family services and asked for Mom or Dad.  “They’re not home,” I said.  Here is the interesting part that I only now realize is so interesting—she proceeded anyway to tell me, a girl of 11 years old, the most important information.  She didn’t just say “Please have your Mother call me back as soon as she can.  It is important!”  Could she sense this was most precious, exciting information that would change not only our family, but ME, forever??

          She continued, “Well, we think we have found the little girl for your family!”  She was born yesterday…  A little girl with no ears…  “Can you tell your Mother or Father to call me back when they can?”

I said “sure!” and hung up the phone, excited as could be.  I think the curiosity flashed through my mind for a brief second when she said the baby had no ears, but I hardly cared to think about that more.  For ringing through my mind was the thought, “A NEW LITTLE BABY SISTER!”  

          Hearing the car pull up in the driveway, I ran to the front door and onto the porch and YELLED to Mom, “Mom, the lady called and they have a little girl for us!”  I didn’t wait for her reaction, I ran back inside.

          The rest is a blur.  I know Dad got word while at work, and we all felt it: We had found her.

          While Mom and Dad traveled to Georgia to pick up our new bundle, we all stayed at friends’ houses.  I was at the Call’s.  We didn’t know exactly when baby Katie, Mom, and Dad would be back.  I remember driving home from school after Sister Call picked me and Caitlin up and asking to pass our house to see if the Buick was in the driveway.  I was disappointed when it was not.  But then, probably later that day, we got a call.  SHE WAS HOME!  I was instantly so nervous.  I got shaky and couldn’t wait to meet her.  The Calls took me home, and I RAN inside.  I was confused, because the Buick wasn’t in the driveway again.  I passed other sisters on the way and after inquiring, found out that Dad had gone to fill the car with gas.  I turned the corner from the front hall and passed the kitchen.  Then, I look to my left to the family room and there it was, the baby carrier with a blanket over the top, covering the sleeping baby inside.  It’s like slow motion in my mind…walking towards the carrier, heart beating so loudly, about to meet my littlest sister.  I slowly took off the blanket to reveal tiny Katilyn.  As soon as my eyes met her tiny face, I immediately loved her.  Not one second of hesitation.  The Lord poured a bucket of love over my head and I felt tears coming to my eyes.  She was perfect!  I wish I could express that pure love and strong Spirit in words, but it was real.  As I write this it comes back into my heart, and the tears of truth spring back to my eyes.  It is a moment I have never forgotten, for then I felt so close to heaven that I knew it was real.  I knew God was aware of me, the 11 year old on a suburban Virginia street, and was teaching me of where love comes from; from Him.  This experience has become a foundation on which I have built my faith and love of our Heavenly Father who loves us and knows us personally.

 Me & Kate, 1999

How Pam Knows

The Answer

I was alone.  Usually Tamra and I both walked to church together, but not this morning.  We were always together, but I guess Tamra must have been sick.  I walked past Longhurst’s home.  It used to be a basement home, but they had added the top part.  Then there was the scary old lady’s house.  It was half a house, a basement house with black tar paper for a roof on it. It was a house not grown-up yet, just a bit of it above the ground, with stairs down to the front door.  That house was waiting for the upstairs to be built.  The lady that lived in that house was OLD, and the only time I saw her was on Halloween when we trick or treated.  She seemed really grumpy, but she gave out delicious homemade cookies and apples.  So, even though she was grouchy and a little frightening to me, we trick or treated there anyway.  You see, we were only allowed to trick or treat to people we knew, only along our side of the block. 

It must have been summer, I wasn’t very old, but I can’t say exactly how old I was, maybe eight years old, possibly, 1959-ish.  Terry, my little brother, was still too young to walk with us to church.  In those days Mother sent us to Sunday School in the morning to walk the three blocks to the seventeenth ward building by ourselves.  She stayed home to make dinner.  Sunday Dinner was our best meal of the week.  Mother often cooked a roast, I didn’t like meat very much, but, it was still a special meal.  I liked the care Mom put into it.  She was great! 

But today, I was walking by myself.  I was a deep thinker, even though I was young.  It was Mother I was thinking about.  How could she know He was there?  That morning I heard her talking to someone.  I wondered who could be in her bedroom?  Dad was already gone to work, who was she talking to?  I paused in the doorway, Oh, what a feeling, thick and sweet and sacred, coming out of Mom’s room.  There, I saw Mother on her knees, she was praying, but her praying wasn’t like mine.  She prayed out loud.  I couldn’t do that, my thoughts were so private, I could not speak them, only, think-pray.  I marveled that she could speak her thoughts vocally, wish I could do that.  And most amazing of all, she spoke like He was right there.  Just, how did she know that?  How did she know that He could hear her? 

I stopped walking and hung on the silver bar-barrier-guard that lined the side walk over the canal that flowed swiftly beneath me.  The water was rippling, dancing, moving so fast.  It looked clear, but brown, that was because the bottom had brown weeds and mud. 

My thoughts flitted back to this morning, to the feeling, to the picture in my mind of Mum kneeling, praying.  How can He know how to answer prayers?  How can he understand Me?  He lived so long ago, it’s not like today.  It’s so different now, we have cars, and black and white TV’s, and toasters, and lots of electrical stuff.  And for Pete’s sake, I’m a girl.  I was very aware, even at that young age, of the difference between boys and girls.  Boys certainly didn’t think the same as I did, that alone made me wonder how He could actually understand how I felt.  How could He know exactly what my life was like? 

….It came as a complete thought, a paragraph answer, a surprising bolt of knowledge, complete and tidy, shot from heaven right into my mind, while I stood on the sidewalk bridge, looking down at the brown water rushing away.  There were No words, just a pure ray of warm, peaceful knowledge.  I knew immediately that somehow, even though we lived ages, even eons apart, that He experienced generically, things I had experienced.  Wow! He knew how I felt!,… that was incredible!  My heart-whispered, think-prayers were heard and understood after all.  Maybe someday,……. I could learn to trust Him and pray like my Mum did. 

This answer was foundational, much like the basement house, waiting for the upper level to be built.  This bit of knowledge given to a young girl thinking and walking to church would be the beginning, the foundation, of a deep faith in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.  A faith that would take her through trials and pain, yet she would know that HE IS THERE, waiting to help, waiting for her to come to Him and ask for guidance and strength to travel through whatever circumstance she faced.