Testimony

I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and have been so since I was born.

Until I was fifteen I understood the doctrines of the restored gospel, but I did not have a testimony of it. I attended church, recieved the Aaronic Priesthood, was ordained a Deacon, and a Teacher, but I did all this for social reasons—it was the thing to do.

It was easy to not believe as both my parents did not actively attend church, and neither had a strong testimony, and both of my grandfathers were not members of the church.

This all changed when I was fifteen. In November of my sophmore year at Olympus High School I had ridden my bicycle to Cottonwood Mall to get Dungeons & Dragons dice, and then up to Holladay Library: that is the last I remember for two days. On my way home from the library I was struck from behind by a car on Highland Dr., and I spent the next week in St. Marks Hospital.

The day I was released I knelt down beside my bed and for the first time I prayed, and I have not ceased to pray since then.

The following year I gained a testimony that The Church is the only organization on the face of the earth that contains the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and is the only only organization that is authorized by Him to act in His name in the performance of all the ordinances we need in which to gain eternal life.

In addition I gained a testimony that Joseph Smith, Jr. is an ordained Prophet, Seer, and Revelator, that through him The Book of Mormon was translated into english, that the Aaronic Priesthood was placed upon him by John the Baptist, that the Melchezidek Priesthood was placed upon him by Peter, James, and John, that the Great Jehovah appeared to him in the Kirtland Temple, that the keys for the gathering of Israel were given to him by Moses, that the gospel of Abraham was committed to him by Elias, that the sealing kesy were given to him by Elijah, and after all other things necessary to the operation of The Church of Jesus Christ in this dispensation were revealed through him that he sealed his testimony with his blood in the jail in Carthage, Illinois.

In addition I gained a testimony that is sweeter than anything else: that Jesus Christ, the Great Jehovah, the Lamb of God, and the Holy One of Israel is my Great Exemplar and my Savior. He walked the path to Eternal Glory that I must walked, and He did so without error or sin thus showing me that I can do it and that I have no excuse if I do not. Then He walked where I could not follow and performed the atoning sacrifice that was needed to rescue me from the demands of justice of Almightly God and extend to me a sinner the mercy I need so that I may gain Eternal Life.

I know that Jesus Christ is my best friend, my savior, and my exemplar. My goal is to one day be His friend through obedience to all the commandments which He has given me.