Testimony of the Prophets

During his lifetime, Jesus was seen by and taught thousands. Many walked, talked, touched, ate with him, and were taught by him. Scribes, pharisees, Pilate, and the Jewish leadership were among them. And yet, they never gained a testimony of his divine mission. They did not have the witness that he was their Redeemer.

Does it matter that we have not seen, heard, or touched him?
The majority of the human race has not. For most of those who did have the privilege of living in the same place, at the same time that Christ did, it still made no difference. Even though he was right there among them, they never came to know who he really was. They totally missed that he truly was and is the Christ, our Lord and Savior.

Christ taught that there is a much more powerful and lasting means by which we gain knowledge of truth. A spiritual witness is always much more powerful than a physical witness:

He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

Matthew 16:15-17

The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: Romans 8:16

Every prophet that has ever lived, both modern and ancient, has borne testimony of Christ.
It's their job. And each one of them had to first seek and obtain their own personal witness in the very same way each one of us has to. At a general conference, President Harold B. Lee prefaced his witness by these words: "I know, with a testimony more powerful than sight...." (Oct 1972)

How do we receive this witness? Can we?

Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Matthew 7:7-8

 

 First, action is required on our part - ask, seek, knock
 

And then a promise: receive, find, it shall be opened
 

A promise made not just to the prophets, but to every single one of us...... Ye shall find!

 

David O. McKay shares his witness:

“Brethren and sisters, I have cherished from childhood the truth that God is a personal being and is, indeed, our Father whom we can approach in prayer and receive answers thereto. My testimony of the risen Lord is just as real as Thomas’, who said to the resurrected Christ when he appeared to his disciples: ‘My Lord and my God.’ (John 20:28.) I know that he lives. He is God made manifest in the flesh; and I know that ‘there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.’ (Acts 4:12.)

“I know that he will confer with his servants who seek him in humility and in righteousness. I know because I have heard his voice, and I have received his guidance in matters pertaining to his kingdom here on earth.

“I know that his Father, our Creator, lives. I know that they appeared to the Prophet Joseph Smith and revealed to him the revelations which we now have recorded in the Doctrine and Covenants and in other Church works. This knowledge is as real to me as that which occurs in our daily lives. When we lay our bodies down at night, we know—we have an assurance—that the sun will rise in the morning and shed its glory over all the earth. So near to me is the knowledge of Christ’s existence and divinity of this restored Church.” (In CR, Apr. 1968, pp. 9–10.)

We have finished our study of the four gospels! I have loved studying the life and teachings of our Savior. Thank you to all who followed along or contributed to the posts. I have learned so much from all the insights and testimonies that have been shared. As happens at the end of every good book, I find myself wanting more and wishing that I had not turned the last page so soon. Fortunately, this is a story that never ends but continues on throughout eternity with each of us intertwined within it. Each of us is writing our own chapter at this very moment. I hope, someday as I look back on my own chapter, that in spite of the many mistakes which I am sure will be there, that it will reflect a life lived as one who has a great love of the Savior. What will your story tell?

 

 

 

Posted by Sister Montgomery

 

 

"I Know that He Lives"

"I Know That He Lives"  

No statement is more true and more heartwarming than these words. By believing in these words and knowing that our Savior lives and that through him we can and are saved is a great comfort to me. The song "I know that my Redeemer lives" sums up exactly how I feel about the knowledge I have regarding this statement:

 

I know that my Redeemer lives.

What comfort this sweet sentence gives!

He lives, he lives, who once was dead.

He lives, my ever-living Head.

He lives to bless me with his love.

He lives to plead for me above.

He lives my hungry soul to feed.

He lives to bless in time of need.

 

What a great blessing it is to each of us to have a savior who overcame death and has given us a way home. And to go with this, the only thing he asks in return, is to feed his sheep. What a simple and also rewarding task we've been given. I know that my savior lives and I love him; and I love this gospel for giving me the opportunity to serve my Father in Heaven and to grow and one day return to live with my Heavenly Father and brother Jesus Christ! I know that as we put our faith and trust in the Lord he will bless us. We are a blessed and chosen people. Always remember that Heavenly Father and Christ love you and want to bless each of us with all they have! 

 

 

Posted by Sister Toni Jorgensen

"He is Risen"

 

We laugh, we cry, we work, we play, we love, we live. And then we die…

And dead we would remain but for one Man and His mission, even Jesus of Nazareth…

No words in Christendom mean more to me than those spoken by the angel to the weeping Mary Magdalene and the other Mary when, on the first day of the week, they approached the tomb to care for the body of their Lord. Spoke the angel:

“Why seek ye the living among the dead?

“He is not here, but is risen.”

Our Savior lived again. The most glorious, comforting, and reassuring of all events of human history had taken place—the victory over death. The pain and agony of Gethsemane and Calvary had been wiped away. The salvation of mankind had been secured. The Fall of Adam had been reclaimed.

The empty tomb that first Easter morning was the answer to Job’s question, “If a man die, shall he live again?” To all within the sound of my voice, I declare, If a man die, he shall live again. We know, for we have the light of revealed truth.

For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.

For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

I have read—and I believe—the testimonies of those who experienced the grief of Christ’s Crucifixion and the joy of His Resurrection. I have read—and I believe—the testimonies of those in the New World who were visited by the same risen Lord.

I believe the testimony of one who, in this dispensation, spoke with the Father and the Son in a grove now called sacred and who gave his life, sealing that testimony with his blood. Declared he:

“And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives!

“For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father.”

The darkness of death can always be dispelled by the light of revealed truth. “I am the resurrection, and the life,” spoke the Master.“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you.”

With all my heart and the fervency of my soul, I lift up my voice in testimony as a special witness and declare that God does live. Jesus is His Son, the Only Begotten of the Father in the flesh. He is our Redeemer; He is our Mediator with the Father. He it was who died on the cross to atone for our sins. He became the firstfruits of the Resurrection. Because He died, all shall live again.

I declare my personal witness that death has been conquered, victory over the tomb has been won. May the words made sacred by Him who fulfilled them become actual knowledge to all. Remember them. Cherish them. Honor them. He is risen.

~Thomas S. Monson

"I find No Fault in this Man"

I have been a nurse for 21 years this year. All of my career has included either caring for those facing life-threatening illnesses, including oncology patients, or providing end of life care to those who are terminally ill. Our Father expects every one of us to return home eventually when our purposes here have been fulfilled. There is no escape from death for any of us.

I never specifically sought out those type of experiences. They sort of fell into my lap. Those experiences taught me things I never expected.
I never expected that I would love it.

It is a great privilege to help someone leave this life resting comfortably without physical pain. To help them feel that someone is standing watch over them ready to see to any need that may arise. To try and give them peace. Many times this meant caring for an entire family. Too often, it was just that patient and me. No one should ever have to die alone.

When someone is facing the end of their life, their true nature invariably comes to the surface.
I have seen those patients who knew where they were going, and to whom they were returning, slip away peacefully with a surprising lack of discomfort. Tears were shed but it was not a traumatic, unhappy event. Strong faith and peace were abundant. They knew that even when no one else was in the room, they were never truly alone. God always watches over his child.

I have seen those whom had no idea where they were going, or whom had done terrible things in their lives, have great distress and anxiety. They fought and suffered terribly. Fear and ugliness would fill the room. Their physical pain was much harder to relieve, and for relief of their emotional and spiritual pain, I could do almost nothing. It was too late. They either had filled their lives with such things that the spirit could have no place in them, or they just had no idea whose child they really were.

If you knew the end of your mortal life was near, what are the words you would want your loved ones to hear? What words would you want to leave in their ears and in their hearts before you left this world? What would your words reveal about your true nature?

Just before his arrest and illegal trial, Christ instituted the sacrament. He washed his disciples feet. He then knelt in a garden to offer prayer.

He prayed for us.

As he willingly hung in spiritual and physical agony under the crushing weight of all that was necessary for him to take upon himself to bring about the atonement, much was revealed about his character, attributes, and divine nature by the last words that he spoke.

These are the last 7 recorded statements made by Christ as he hung from the cross:

The first illustrates his forgiving nature:

1. Then ^asaid Jesus, Father, ^bforgive them; for they know not what ^cthey do. Luke 23:34


The second and third show his concern for others, even while enduring his own agony on the cross:

2. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in ^aparadise.
    Luke 23:43

3. When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the ^adisciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, ^bWoman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy ^amother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home. John 19:26-27


The fourth through the seventh show his resignation by his own will to voluntarily die a physical death. With all of the Father's support withdrawn, with his pains of Gethsemane recurring, our Savior was left unto himself in order that he alone might complete the atoning sacrifice and have "the glory of complete victory over sin and death." (Talmage, Jesus the Christ, p.661)

4. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, ^aMy God, my God, why hast thou ^bforsaken me? Matthew 27:46

5. After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. John 19:28

6. When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is ^afinished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. John 19:30

7. And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I ^acommend my ^bspirit: and having said thus, he ^cgave up the ^dghost. Luke 23:46

At no time, in spite of his great suffering, did he complain. Resigned as he was to complete his great mission, throughout this great ordeal there is but one recorded instance which even begins to be expressive of his physical suffering, "I thirst." This one statement he only uttered after he knew that all of his work was complete.

What motivates someone to endure such things for so many others?!

 Dr. Rodney Turner, professor of Church history and doctrine at Brigham Young University, had this to say:

"As each ordinance of salvation is performed on an individual basis, so may the Savior have possessed an awareness of each soul for whom he was being sacrificed. Moses "beheld the earth” yea, even all of it, and he beheld also the inhabitants thereof, and there was not a soul which he beheld not…. If Moses was empowered to discern every individual soul on the earth at a given time, may not the Son of Man have been aware of the sins of each of his brothers and sisters for whom he was laying down his very life?"

an awareness of each soul..... of my soul
......and yours
He knows each of us, individually

He loves us that much.

Posted by Sister Montgomery