Faith, Belief, Knowledge

Today I had the opportunity to go to Joseph's ward in Provo. I was kinda nervous. It's in Provo... it's a BYU ward.... instead of meeting in a chapel, we met in a campus classroom....  But it was great.

Walking into the "chapel", I stopped in my tracks, grabbed Joe's arm, and said "I know her. That's Al Fox. Joe, Al Fox is in your ward. JOE."

And sure enough, it was. A young lady, whose youtube videos I had discovered years prior, was in Joseph's ward. I was a little star struck. She had a profound impact on me years ago, and I admired her, how outspoken she was about her faith, and what an example of light of Christ she was.

Later on, Joseph and I got to talk with his Bishop, and Bishop asked us each what we saw in the other that drew us together. I mentioned something about his mission, and the Bishop asked about that, and then asked Joe if I had any missionary experience.

I don't have any.

Earlier in church, I was going through my scriptures on my iPod when I was asked to read a verse aloud. My iPod freaked out, I lost the verse, and I made a joke about how technology is horrible and pointless.

I chuckled at the irony of it all, now. Having just seen Al, who was such an example to me, and being remiss about having no missionary experience.

And then I remembered, Oh yeah. A blog. I do that.

And I feel that I would be ashamed if a person came to this blog and learned so much about me, but knew nothing of my faith.

And so.

I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. 

Having been born and raised in this Gospel, I don't feel like I have the most amazing drop dead conversion story ever. But I have a testimony.

I have a testimony of our God in Heaven. I know that He is mindful of our needs.

I'm reminded of a quote from "The Good, The Bad, The Ugly".

"For America, the civil war was heck ("Except they didn't say 'heck,' Lara, they said... you know...") but for three men, it was practice."

I testify that this life is not to be endured. It is to be enjoyed. It is to be learned from. It is to grow and progress and make mistakes and pick ourselves up again and run into frustrations and learn from them and receive a temporal education and a spiritual education.

I testify that Christ died for us and rose again that we may. I testify that he suffered for our sins, and that through him, and only through him, can we return to God. 

I testify that years ago in the Sacred Grove, a young man knelt and prayed and saw God the Father, and His son, Jesus Christ. And that the earth has once again received the Gospel, and this time, we have all of it.

I testify that we can be with our families forever. I'm grateful that I can be with my brother, my sister, and my loving parents forever. And I'm incredibly grateful for the chance I will have in a few short weeks to be married and sealed to my best friend, the love of my life, Joseph Bécar, and that together, and with the family we will some day have, we will live with our God in heaven again.

I'm so grateful for the knowledge of all of this. I'm grateful for all the times that my faith has been challenged, and for the strength it gave me, to gain a testimony of my own and not rely on that of others. 

I'm grateful. 

I know this Gospel is true.

I know it.