Receiving a Testimony of Light and Truth
SAY: Your personal
testimony of light and truth will not only bless you and your posterity here in
mortality, but it will also accompany you throughout all eternity.
LEARNER READINESS
SAY: President Ochdorf
tells the following story. As you listen, be thinking about how it
applies to light and truth or the lack thereof.
READ A
A - As an airline pilot,
I flew numerous hours across continents and oceans during the darkness of
night. Watching the night sky out of my cockpit window, especially the Milky
Way, often made me marvel at the vastness and depth of God’s creations—what the
scriptures describe as “worlds without number.”
It was less than a
century ago that most astronomers assumed that our Milky Way galaxy was the
only galaxy in the universe. They supposed all that lay beyond our galaxy
was an immense nothingness, an infinite void—empty, cold, and devoid of stars,
light, and life.
As telescopes became
more sophisticated—including telescopes that could be launched into
space—astronomers began to grasp a spectacular, almost incomprehensible truth:
the universe is mind-bogglingly bigger than anyone had previously believed, and
the heavens are filled with numberless galaxies, unimaginably far away from us,
each containing hundreds of billions of stars.
In a very short period
of time, our understanding of the universe changed forever.
Today we can see some of
these distant galaxies.
We know that they are
there.
They have been there for
a very long time.
But before mankind had
instruments powerful enough to gather celestial light and bring these galaxies
into visibility, we did not believe such a thing was possible.
The immensity of the
universe didn’t suddenly change, but our ability to see and understand this
truth changed dramatically. And with that greater light, mankind was introduced
to glorious vistas we had never before imagined.
Q: Can this phenomena be
generalized across many of the sciences (or studies, or professions)?
Q: Why is it, that at
any given moment we sometimes believe emphatically in our current snap shot of
life experiences and spiritual understanding - or lack thereof - is the
truth?
READ B
B - Suppose you were
able to travel back in time and have a conversation with people who lived a
thousand or even a hundred years ago. Imagine trying to describe to them some
of the modern technologies that you and I take for granted today. For example,
what might these people think of us if we told them stories of jumbo jets,
microwave ovens, handheld devices that contain vast digital libraries, and
videos of our grandchildren that we instantly share with millions of people
around the world?
Some might believe us.
Most would ridicule, oppose, or perhaps even seek to silence or harm us. Some
might attempt to apply logic, reason, and facts as they know them to show that
we are misguided, foolish, or even dangerous. They might condemn us for
attempting to mislead others.
But of course, these
people would be completely mistaken. They might be well-meaning and sincere.
They might feel absolutely positive of their opinion. But they simply would not
be able to see clearly because they had not yet received the more complete
light of truth.
Q: Why is it dangerous
to assume that where we are at in understanding of the world around us and how
things really are, is all there is?
[some are beginning to
believe based on new evidence that the Grand Canyon was made from a rapid flow
of water over a short period of time.]
READ C
C - It seems to be a
trait of humanity to assume that we are right even when we are wrong. And if
that is the case, what hope is there for any of us? Are we destined to drift
aimlessly on an ocean of conflicting information, stranded on a raft we have
poorly pieced together from our own biases?
LEARNER INVOLVEMENT
SAY:
President Uctdorf than says: "The purpose of my remarks is to proclaim the
joyful message that God Himself—the Lord of Hosts who knows all truth—has given
His children the promise that they can know truth for themselves.
READ D
D -
Please consider the magnitude of this promise:
The
Everlasting and Almighty God, the Creator of this vast universe, will speak to
those who approach Him with a sincere heart and real intent.
He will
speak to them in dreams, visions, thoughts, and feelings.
He will
speak in a way that is unmistakable and that transcends human experience. He
will give them divine direction and answers for their personal lives.
Q: Are
these witnesses to God's existence and love for us happening in our lives?
Q: Have
you had dreams, visions, thoughts and feelings that you know are from God?
Q: Have
you received divine direction and answers for our personal lives?
Experience - traveling north on the freeway one
morning in August 2001.... move north...
READ E
Of course, there will be
those who scoff and say such a thing is impossible, that if there were a God,
He would have better things to do than hear and answer a single person’s
prayer.
But I tell you this: God
cares about you. He will listen, and He will answer your personal questions.
The answers to your prayers will come in His own way and in His own time, and
therefore, you need to learn to listen to His voice. God wants you to find your
way back to Him, and the Savior is the way. God wants you to learn of His
Son, Jesus Christ, and experience the profound peace and joy that come from
following the path of divine discipleship.
SAY - Recently in my
scripture study I found a few verses of scripture that relates to this topic.
READ 2 Nephi 26:13
13 And that he manifesteth himself unto all
those who believe in him, by the power of the Holy Ghost; yea, unto every
nation, kindred, tongue, and people, working mighty miracles, signs, and
wonders, among the children of men according to their faith.
READ Jacob 4:6
Wherefore, we search the prophets, and we have
many revelations and the spirit of prophecy; and having all these witnesses we
obtain a hope, and our faith becometh unshaken, insomuch that we truly can command in
the name of Jesus and the very trees obey us, or the mountains, or
the waves of the sea.
Q: What is the purpose
of signs, wonders and miracles?
Q: Should these things
be happening in our lifes?
Q: What experiences have
you had that has caused you to grow in light and truth? That your
conversion to the gospel has grown?
Q: Brethren, what must
we be and do to have signs, wonders and miracles follow us?
President Uchdorf then
tell us how to put God to the test.
READ F
My dear
friends, here is a fairly straightforward experiment, with a guarantee from
God, found in a book of ancient scripture available to every man, woman, and
child willing to put it to the test:
First, you must search the word of God. That means reading the scriptures and studying the words of the ancient as well as modern prophets regarding the restored gospel of Jesus Christ—not with an intent to doubt or criticize but with a sincere desire to discover truth. Ponder upon the things you will feel, and prepare your minds to receive the truth. “Even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you … that ye can give place for [the word of God].”
Second,
you must consider, ponder, fearlessly strive to believe, and be grateful
for how merciful the Lord has been to His children from the time of Adam to our
day by providing prophets, seers, and revelators to lead His Church and help us
find the way back to Him.
Third, you must ask your Heavenly Father, in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, to manifest the truth of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints unto you. Ask with a sincere heart and with real intent, having faith in Christ.
There
is also a fourth step, given to us by the Savior: “If any man will do
[God’s] will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether
I speak of myself.” In other words, when you are trying to verify
the truth of gospel principles, you must first live them. Put gospel doctrine
and Church teachings to the test in your own life. Do it with real intent and
enduring faith in God.
SAY -
and here's the promise:
READ G
G - If you will do these
things, you have a promise from God—who is bound by His word —that He will
manifest the truth to you by the power of the Holy Ghost. He will grant
you greater light that will allow you to look through the darkness and witness
unimaginably glorious vistas incomprehensible to mortal sight.
LEARNER APPLICATION
READ H
H - The
more we incline our hearts and minds toward God, the more heavenly light
distills upon our souls. And each time we willingly and earnestly seek that
light, we indicate to God our readiness to receive more light. Gradually,
things that before seemed hazy, dark, and remote become clear, bright, and
familiar to us.
READ I
I - By
the same token, if we remove ourselves from the light of the gospel, our own
light begins to dim—not in a day or a week but gradually over time—until we
look back and can’t quite understand why we had ever believed the gospel was
true. Our previous knowledge might even seem foolish to us because what
once was so clear has again become blurred, hazy, and distant.
READ J
J - The
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a place for people with all
kinds of testimonies. There are some members of the Church whose testimony is
sure and burns brightly within them. Others are still striving to know for
themselves. The Church is a home for all to come together, regardless of the
depth or the height of our testimony. I know of no sign on the doors of our
meetinghouses that says, “Your testimony must be this tall to enter.”
READ K
K - The
Church is not just for perfect people, but it is for all to “come unto Christ,
and be perfected in him.” The Church is for people like you and me. The
Church is a place of welcoming and nurturing, not of separating or criticizing. It
is a place where we reach out to encourage, uplift, and sustain one another as
we pursue our individual search for divine truth.
Q: What
might this mean? (don't be mean at church).
As the
ancient scriptures promise, the unspeakable presence of the Spirit of God will
cause you to sing the song of redeeming love,16 lift your eyes to heaven, and raise your
voice in praise to the Most High God, your Refuge, your Hope, your Protector,
your Father. The Savior promised that if you seek, you will find.17
I
testify that this is true. If you seek God’s truth, that which now may appear
dim, out of focus, and distant will gradually be revealed and clarified and
become close to your heart by the light of God’s grace. Glorious spiritual
vistas, unimaginable to the human
eye, will be revealed to you.
Conclusion
It is my testimony that
this spiritual light is within the reach of every child of God. It will
enlighten your mind and bring healing to your heart and joy to your days. My
dear friends, please do not delay the moment to seek and strengthen your own
personal testimony of God’s divine work, even the work of light and truth.
Your personal testimony
of light and truth will not only bless you and your posterity here in
mortality, but it will also accompany you throughout all eternity, among worlds
without end. Of this I testify and leave you my blessing in the name of Jesus
Christ, amen.
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