Congratulations to Elder Christiansen –
One of my Favorite activities in stake leadership is when missionaries come home and report to the Stake Presidency and High Council about their opportunity to serve the Lord as a missionary.
Their spirit – enthusiasm and smiles are contagious as they speak about those individuals with whom they have served, sacrificed for and loved. The Lord allowed them to be His personal and special witness – testifying of the divinity and truthfulness of this wonderful work. All of us that have had the opportunity to serve, and any of us that have been a part of someone’s conversion – know that there is no better feeling than to see the light of the gospel ignited in the soul of someone that they love.
Indeed the Lords words in D&C 18: 15 – have great meaning
And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my father!
These people will be eternally grateful – but perhaps the greatest conversion or the most important person to come unto Christ for our salvation is ourselves.
As a missionary I had the opportunity to see many souls come to knowledge of the truth and enter the waters of baptism – but none had greater manifestations of the spirit and a change of heart more than I did.
Indeed as
Now – before you start thinking that I’m planning to be translated – I like the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians – “have been given thorns in the flesh, the messenger(s) of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.” All of us have bought’s of discouragement, a lack of gratitude, and way too often we feel alone and have to search for the companionship of the Holy Ghost. But, my testimony and knowledge is stronger than any other time in my life. – For which I am grateful.
Not to insinuate that this will happen to Elder Christensen – but, why do some missionaries / or for that matter any faithful member of the church – with responsibilities lose this fire – take a vacation or sabbatical from it’s teachings and the covenants that we have made? Is it a conscience choice – or did it just happens over time – others claim they never really believe it in the first place?
In order to understand our testimonies, we need to know what they are and how we get one. “A testimony is a manifestation of the spirit of the truthfulness of a principle – or doctrine of the gospel – or a manifestation of the existence or reality that God lives and Jesus is the Christ. The receiving of these witnesses or manifestations is revelation.
In our last General Conference, Elder Bednar spoke about the Spirit of Revelation and how it works in each of our lives. He used two examples of light – to explain how revelation can come to each of us.
I quote -
The first experience occurred(s) as we entered a dark room and turned on a light switch. Remember how in an instant a bright flood of illumination fill(s) the room and caused the darkness to disappear. What previously had been unseen and uncertain became clear and recognizable. This experience was characterized by immediate and intense recognition of light.
The second experience (takes) place as we watch night turn into morning. Do you recall the slow and almost imperceptible increase in light on the horizon? In contrast to turning on a light in a dark room, the light from the rising sun (will) not immediately burst forth. Rather, gradually and steadily the intensity of the light increased, and the darkness of night (is) replaced by the radiance of morning. Eventually, the sun did dawn over the skyline. But the visual evidence of the sun’s impending arrival (are) apparent hours before the sun actually appeared over the horizon. This experience was characterized by subtle and gradual discernment of light.
Brothers and sisters - these are common occurrences that happen to us each day. Elder Bednar cont…
Some revelations are received immediately and intensely; some are recognized gradually and subtly. The two experiences with light I described help us to better understand these two basic patterns of revelation.
A light turned on in a dark room is like receiving a message from God quickly, completely, and all at once. Many of us have experienced this pattern of revelation as we have been given answers to sincere prayers or been provided with needed direction or protection, according to God’s will and timing. Descriptions of such immediate and intense manifestations are found in the scriptures, recounted in Church history, and evidenced in our own lives. Indeed, these mighty miracles do occur. However, this pattern of revelation tends to be more rare than common.
The gradual increase of light radiating from the rising sun is like receiving a message from God “line upon line, precept upon precept” (2 Nephi 28:30). Most frequently, revelation comes in small increments over time and is granted according to our desire, worthiness, and preparation. Such communications from Heavenly Father gradually and gently “distil upon [our souls] as the dews from heaven” (D&C 121:45). This pattern of revelation tends to be more common than rare.
Chances are that most of us have had both methods of revelation in our lives. But those moments of intense manifestations will be fleeting if they are not followed up with the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost. Laman and Lemual we’re visited by angels – Cain walked and talked with God. Oliver Cowdrey and Martine Harris both fell away from the church after all they had seen and heard.
The scriptures also tell us that the seeds of truth always perform better when they are planted in fertile ground. That’s one of the blessings of a missionary as they contact someone that has never heard or felt the truths of the gospel. I know Elder Christensen loves to ski – it’s kind of like coming upon fresh power that has never been touched. These feeling are new and make a huge impart on the pure in heart that are seeking the Savior and His will in their lives.
Now lets talk about these wonderful returned missionaries – what have they been doing for the past two years? They have been preparing the soil that the seeds of truth have being planted in – they have been nurturing and watering these truths with selfless service – continual prayer and scripture study - then the greatest tool - love. Each of these acts is like powerful fertilizers that stimulate the soul and testify of the divinity of God and this wonderful work.
One difficulty in the church is that not all new converts continue to be active – this is also the same for some of us old guys – why? Because we forget to continue to fertilize our testimonies, or we take offence with someone or something that we can’t control. No wonder President Hinckley said that all new converts in the church need a friend, a calling and nurturing in the gospel of Christ. Being offended is an interesting event for me – I will admit that I’m sure I’ve offended far more people than have offended me.
What if the Savior wouldn’t have fulfilled his assignment because someone had treated Him unfairly?
Revisiting Elder Bednar’s analogy of light – I believe those that lose their testimonies most of the time do it the same way that they received it small pieces at a time. At first imperceptible degrees of change – They set their heart on the things of the world and the honors of men. They stop sincere prayer and searching the scriptures. These are replaced with repetitive quick prayers – have you ever said a prayer and right after not remembered what you just said. Our study becomes casual and at the last minute in order to be ready for the class we are assigned to teach. I couldn’t count the number of time I has seen individual preparing their lesson during sacrament meeting. Good thing we have sacrament meeting first. We allow the filth of the world to creep in through the Internet – movies – and television; they start out slow and can become addictions.
These and countless other examples are like turning the dimmer switch on the lights of our testimonies little by little until we find our selves and darkness and despair. This is when the buffeting of Satan allows us to be critical of our leaders and take offence because of the imperfections of men.
Now it’s going to be impossible for Elder Christensen – or any of us to continue to participate as fully in the things of the spirit as a full time missionary does. Work, school, family and just the trials of life seem to dull or spiritual senses. But, when we continue to put the things of God first in our lives the Lord will make up the differences. As we do the little things each day - we are preparing our soil or souls so that the seeds of faith can grow and flourish.
I would like to invite each of you to take a moment of reflection. Ask yourselves how is the strength of my testimony at this time of my life? Is it stronger than it has been before – do I have questions and concern that are bothering me? Is it strong enough that I could share it at any time no matter what the cost? We should remember the greatest bearing of our testimonies is in the way we live our lives.
When the children of
Because of complacency or laziness do we fail to do the simple things – or as the Israelites do they seem too trivial – that we don’t humble ourselves to be strictly obedient to all the words of God. Indeed by small and simple thing are great things brought to pass.
Perhaps the most used missionary scripture is a formula to receive revelation. Not only is it the promise to find out if the Book of Mormon is true – but it can be used to find the truth of all things and the assistance we all need as we forge this wilderness of life.
Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.
And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.
And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.
What a great promise – does it seem simple and direct? Let’s remember how much the Lord has done for us – and that He loves each of us. Evaluate out standing and act on the things we know we need to correct.
Testimony -
