My Testimony

I started this on July 2, so I thought I should get to work on it. I was reading the Ensign (LDS magazine). Not that I don't usually read a few articles in it but I don't usually start the day we get it. The cover piqued my curriosty. It said "Sharing the Gospel Using the Internet". I thought that was interesting because the internet is one of those good and bad things like fire. It can keep you warm or burn down your house. I was suprised to find that one of the suggestions was to bear your testimony on your blog. It never occurred to me. Plus sometimes I wonder if I spend too much time blogging anyway. Maybe I do spend too much time blogging about things that don't matter. So in an effort to share the gospel, let people get to know me a little better, strengthen my testimony and perhaps justify my blogging a little, I would like to share my testimony.

I know I have a Heavenly Father who loves me. I know He supports me from day to day. I know he hears and answer my prayers. I am grateful he has given me a wonderful family and friends who are such good examples to me. I am thankful for the scriptures. I know they are the words of God to his people. I know they are His words to me. I know that when I truely read and study the scriptures my heart and mind is opened to understand the things of God, even it if just a small portion.

I am grateful for the temple. I know that by being married in the temple and keeping the promises I made there I can have my family with me forever. I know that my life did not begin at my physical birth nor does it end at my physical body's death. I am grateful that I have been blessed with Aidan and hope to be blessed with more precious children. Aidan is one of my best examples of living the gospel. He is so pure and sweet (most of the time). He likes to say prayers, he always points out pictures of Jesus and temples when he sees them. He helps me to remember that those things are important.

I know that prayers are heard and answered. I know faith is required to have those prayers answered. Faith is believing God will keep the promises He has made to us. He wants the best for us even when we don't understand what is best for us. Heavenly Father has provided us the gift of prayer to bring us closer to Him. He wants us to pray and ask for blessing. He then wants us to do all that we can to assist Him in granting those blessings. Which is not always easy, but is always worth it.

I know that a young man named Joseph Smith prayed in the woods one morning to find out what church join and saw Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. I know that began the restoration of the gospel to the earth in our day. I know we have a prophet on the earth today, Thomas S. Monson. He receives revelation for the world today. I am so thankful for a prophet to lead and guide us. If a people ever needed a prophet it would be us.

I was born to LDS parents. I have long history of faithful family members. I can't say that one day I woke up and had an epiphany that the church was true. I can say that after living the gospel day to day and studying it's teachings I know it is true. I know from the very depths of my soul that the gospel is true. I have a living Savior who sacrificed his life for me. He has made it possible for me to not suffer the full weight of justice for the sins I have commited. He has brought mercy to me as I have asked for forgiveness and repented of my sins. I am thankful that my disobedience and foolishness does not have to keep me from returning to live with my Father in Heaven. Which is my belief and ultimate goal, is to return to live with my Heavenly Father.

Thank you for letting me share my testimony with all of you. I am glad I had this opportunity and I don't know why I put it off for so long.