I was born and raised in the Mormon, or Latter-day Saint, faith. About the time I was thirteen, I decided to find out for myself if it was true. At the end of the Book of Mormon, there is a passage that says, "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. [Moroni 10:4]"
So, I prayed for myself, and what I experienced was anti-climactic. I felt a strong, calm peace that assured me that what I had been taught really is true. It was a great experience.
Through my trials and life experiences, my testimony has strengthened and grown. Whenever I have been far from my earthly family, I have felt comfort knowing that I have a Heavenly Father who knows what I am doing, and can see my immediate needs.
I know that Jesus Christ is the son of God, and that He atoned for all of us. His sacrifice is what enables us to return home again, and it is a debt that we can never repay. Our loving Heavenly Father only requires that we give Him our hearts, and continue to keep His commandments.
We get those commandments through modern-day prophets. They speak for our day. They give us counsel and advice that applies directly to our lives. They are able to do this because the priesthood, which is the power and authority of God, was restored to earth by the Prophet Joseph Smith.
I am especially grateful for the restoration of the priesthood power to earth because it means I can be with my family forever. My marriage will last beyond "till death do us part." In the temple, I made covenants with my husband and Heavenly Father that were sealed by the priesthood power, which binds both on earth as well as in heaven. This is the most important thing I have ever and will ever do.
You can learn more about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the following websites:
This site gives an overview of the LDS church's doctrines and beliefs. It uses lots of videos and multimedia, and has some very interesting things.
This is the official LDS church website. It is where you can find scriptures, counsel and direction from modern prophets, and many, many other resources.
Interested in Family History? The LDS church has TONS of resources that can help you search for your ancestors - FREE!
This is the LDS church's adoption website.
This is the LDS website where you can find out more about how to budget, establish a food storage, and provide for the temporal needs of your family.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact me. I will try my best to answer your questions, or I can refer you to somebody else who can who lives closer to you.
