11/18/13

11/18/13 Post

Hey Mom! I don't have much time today, but I wanted to wish you a happy anniversary! As unfortunate as it may be, marriage that last as long as yours has and as well as yours has is rarer and rarer in this life. However, it is fortunate that I am able to bask in the glory of your wonderful example! I only have a few thoughts to share with the time I have left, but I would like to share them with you: This week I was really backed to the wall of my testimony of the divinity of the Savior. We as a church claim the singleness of the path that leads to eternal life whereas the politically correct view of the world seeks to distort that truth by claiming that we all have our own paths to God. I agree that in a sense this statement is true, but we cannot deny the fact that although we all have personal paths that lead to God, our only path must converge with the path of Jesus Christ if we are not only to return to God, but to receive all of his blessings. Satan, our damming enemy, seeks for us to be satisfied with what the Atonement gives us freely, but for us seekers of truth and light, happiness and eternal families, mediocrity and satisfactory just doesn't cut it. I was backed to a wall as I said this week with our investigators claiming the multiplicity of the path, and as representatives of Jesus Christ declaring the singleness of it. My testimony when I went to testify felt weak and without power. I came to the realization that I really didn't have the strongest testimony of the personal role Christ plays in my life. In part though, I didn't really understand what it really means to say "I know that Jesus is the Christ." I guess in my mind I pictured flaming testimony that came from a sacred conviction that Jesus is the Christ and that all who heard my testimony would beg to be baptized and follow him as in the days of Peter...but the Lord in his mercy sent me the answer to my questioning: I need to strengthen my testimony through following the counsel given in D&C 19:23 ( read those words and ponder just how all-encompassing they are to come to know Christ) and that I had more faith than I thought. I quote now some excerpts from Elder Holland's moving general conference talk two sessions ago," Lord I believe...BEAR TESTIMONY OFTEN

"The size of your faith is not the issue - is it the integrity you demonstrate toward the faith you do have and the truth you already know."

"Belief was always the first step toward conviction."

"Do not be afraid to ask for help...in response to that kind of importuning God will send help from both sides of the veil to strengthen our belief."

"Sometimes we act as if an honest declaration of doubt is a higher manifestation of moral courage than is an honest declaration of faith. IT IS NOT!"

And when looking at all the blessings we have received in our lives from living the Gospel and following Christ, or exercising faith in other words, Elder Holland puts it perfectly "That cannot be denied."

And last but not least: "Hold the ground you have already won."

Our testimonies always need strengthening, but hold to what you have already received and remember that with all your effort in times of trial. I believe that my Savior Jesus Christ is really who the prophets from Adam till now have said he is: Our Savior and the only way we can achieve all the Father has. My belief is strengthened every day as I learn of him, listen to his Spirit, and walk in the meekness of his way. He is the way. And we can all come to know it for ourselves. Its just starts with belief. 

Elder Claypool