Hearken to His Words...My testimony of the LDS Church

After hearing about the shooting in Las Vegas which happened at a country music festival, my heart became heavy and my mind began pondering why we live in such a wicked time. My thoughts turned to a scripture that I had read only a few days before this: Helaman 10: 18 And it came to pass that they (the people) would not hearken unto his (the prophet's) words; and there began to be contentions, insomuch that they were divided against themselves and began to slay one another with the sword.

It's not a very uplifting verse from the scriptures. It always amazes me how the people in the scriptures can receive miraculous signs from Heaven and have the wonderful words of redemption spoken to them from the mouths of prophets, and yet time and time again they reject the messages and cast out the prophets. They refuse to believe they've seen angels, or felt the truth of the gospel in their hearts. They would rather go on hurting others and hurting themselves. Later on, in the Book of Mormon, Samuel the Lamanite warns the wicked people in Helaman 14: 30-31 And now remember, remember, my brethren, that whosoever perisheth, perisheth unto himself; and whosoever doeth iniquity. doeth it unto himself; for behold, ye are free; ye are permitted to act for yourselves; for behold, God hath given unto you a knowledge and he hath made you free. 31 He hath given unto you that ye might know good from evil, and he hath given unto that ye might choose life or death; and ye can do good and be restored unto that which is good, or have that which is good restored unto you; or ye can do evil, and have that which is evil restored unto you. 

While it can be frustrating and heartbreaking that so many people in this world exercise the agency they were given to make bad choices that hurt those we love, this agency has been given to us so that we can make choices in this life to choose an eternal life of living with our Creator, or to choose an eternal death, a death we brought about by the choices we've made in this life. This death isn't just a death of our bodies, but a spiritual death as well. Each bad choice we make chains us and holds us captive, dragging us down and eventually killing us, while each good choice we make frees us and in doing so we are able to help others to make good choices. 

It is so hard to watch our world unfurl the chaos of living in the last days as spoken by the prophets. 

Nephi the prophet tells us what a corrupt society looks like: Helaman 7:5 ...Comdemning the righteous because of their righteousness; letting the guilty and the wicked go unpunished because of their money; and moreover to be held in office at the head of government, to rule and do according to their wills, that they might get gain and glory of the world, and, moreover, that they might the more easily commit adultery, and steal, and kill, and do according to their own wills—and all of this  21 to get gain, to be praised of men, ye, and that you might get gold and silver. And you have set your heart upon the riches and the vain things of this world, for the which ye do murder, and plunder, and steal, and bear false witness against your neighbor, and do all manner of iniquity.

I think most people would agree whether religious or not, that our world has been in a moral decay for a while now and it's not slowing down. I'm not going to tell you why God allows bad things to happen to good, innocent people, and I'm also not going to tell you that God is punishing us because we're so wicked, because I don't believe that. I think there are still a great number of good people in this world and I think sometimes we get caught up in the consequences of choices that other people make. What I want to tell you is that we don't have to live in a world where we don't believe God cares about His children and isn't striving to help us. He has shown us He cares by providing a modern-day prophet on this earth and apostles to give us counsel in these tumultuous days. 

I did not watch much of General Conference this last weekend. Between taking care of my kids and wanting to hang out with Jordan, my priorities just didn't line up. I've been listening to a couple conference talks a day and I love the spirit it brings into my heart and my home. Before conference, I had been receiving a deep impression that I should be studying the scriptures with more fervor. I began this last week to really start getting into scripture study again, and that's when I came across the above verses from the Book of Mormon. I feel that Heavenly Father was preparing me for these hard times and knew I would need bolstering. My friend mentioned how watching General Conference before hearing about the Las Vegas shooting helped her to feel comfort upon witnessing such a sorrowful event. 

Not only can the words of scriptures and prophets give us comfort during times of tragedy, but they are here specifically to help us overcome the problems of the world. As I listened to the talk given by Bonnie L. Oscarson, she spoke of how service in the home is the noblest type of service and that we often forget to serve others right around us. As I listened to her words I heard a voice whisper in my mind, that I know wasn't my own thought, telling me that if I wanted my children to love and respect me and to get through their teenage years down the road, that I needed to teach them to serve. I'm following this prompting and striving to point out more service opportunities for my 5-year-old to do around the house for her family, and I hope I can lead by example as well. Sister Oscarson spoke of serving your neighbors and finding local ways to help when we feel we can't serve in a big way. She said, "instead of asking what am I getting out of [this activity], to instead ask, who needs me today?" 

I know I needed this message to help strengthen my family during these times. If we fail to follow our prophet's guidance in these latter days, then we are no better than the people of Noah's time who were flooded, or the Egyptians who had plagues set upon them when the Pharaoh wouldn't let the Jews go, or the Nephites who would not repent and were eventually destroyed by the Lamanites. 

It is a hard world we live in. Sometimes it feels like it's not worth it to go on. There is hope though, that our suffering will not be for naught. If we listen to the counsel of the Prophet Thomas S. Monson, the apostles, and our local church leaders, we will not fall from that iron rod. We will hold tight and make it through the darkness that covers us all at some point. There isn't a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, but an eternal glory waiting for us. During General Conference, President Uchtdorf, second counselor in the First Presidency and an apostle of the church said, "If you will hear him (Christ), He will speak to you THIS VERY DAY." I know as I have striven to listen to the Holy Ghost, that I have heard Christ telling me he loves me and to keep going. He also said that following the gospel will not take away trials, but it will remove the barriers that keep us from getting the help we need during trials. These are words spoken by an apostle of the Lord and I know them to be true. I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is true. The Book of Mormon is clearly another testament of Jesus Christ and His divinity and love for his people on this earth. The church of Christ's day is here on the earth today. We have a prophet to guide us and leaders who know the way, just like the primary song says! Heavenly Father has not forgotten us in our day, which is why He has given us a prophet to guide us, just like in other biblical time periods. I am so humbled by Christ's love for us and take comfort in knowing that he is the Master and Creator of this world. He is in charge and we must do all we can to make good choices and to help others to make it back to Him. Yes, this world can be terrible, but what a wonderful time and world it is, despite all the pain. There is much to be thankful for and much to look forward to. I hope this message brings you comfort and gladness, and I leave my testimony of these truths with you. In the sacred name of Jesus Christ. Amen.