I cannot pretend that I do not meet occasional challenges to my religious beliefs and affiliations—both from without and from within. But long years of coping with that problem have taught me the efficacy of exercising faith even in the presence of doubt. …[more]
The assurance of the truth that I was seeking did come to me, but it did not come in a single spectacular event as I had earnestly hoped for. Rather it grew as I learned, and with that learning I obtained a spiritual assurance that what I was learning was true. …[more]
The Savior taught that “by their fruits ye shall know them,” and the results I have witnessed of living gospel principles convince me that God lives. The blessings of living the gospel are so clear and impressive that for me they declare the wisdom of God. …[more]
Why do I choose to belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as an organized religion, rather than attempt as an individual to live a good life? It is because the church helps me understand and practice the essence of Christianity. …[more]
聖書とモルモン書を研究することを通して，わたしは，これらの書物にイエス･キリストの完全な福音が記されていることを，御霊の力を通して理解するに至りました。そして，これらの書物を学び，天の御父の御心を行う努力を傾けることにより，この確信はさらに深まりました。 …[more]
The challenge of reconciling the facts of time and change with what some believe (in partial ignorance) are theological truths would be important in shaping my view of life. …[more]
I know that seeking to serve God with all my heart, might, mind, and strength has changed me and made me a more careful and thoughtful scholar, a more patient and understanding parent and friend, and a happier and kinder person. …[more]
My own belief is primitive in the sense that it long preceded any knowledge of archaeology and was not based on analysis of external evidence. My belief is visceral rather than inferential. It came from reading the book and living principles it expounds. …[more]
In many ways, despite my familiarity with Christian doctrine from my earliest days, I was the most unlikely of converts to Christianity and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This is the story of my conversion. …[more]
As a life-long member of the Church, I am proud of my pioneer ancestors, and I have a strong desire to live up to their example of faith and sheer determination to overcome any obstacle. I have had to rely on those qualities many times. …[more]
I was exposed to challenging questions about my faith—questions that demanded either answers or blind faith. Curiosity, coupled with aptitudes in science and math, would not leave me satisfied with blind faith, nor did I think that was expected. …[more]
I was baptized and joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints after I graduated from college with my baccalaureate degree in nursing from the University of Cincinnati. (It was on July 24th and I had no awareness of the historic significance of the date.) …[more]
When I finally met the missionaries at age 29, I knew immediately that I’d found the true Church! I had a mother who’d been raised in the Episcopal Church, and a father who didn’t believe anything that wasn’t tangible. …[more]
It may seem a bit strange that a Latter-day Saint’s confession of faith would begin with a quote from a medieval Sufi mystic. I like the fact that our tradition allows us to find truth wherever it might be—even in thirteenth-century Konya if necessary. …[more]
Was I going to stand on the fringes of scholarship or on the fringes of belief? Although determined to cultivate academic and spiritual integrity, I had to wrestle with whether or not a woman of faith could also be a rigorous scholar. …[more]
As a little boy, I prayed nightly for God to protect the plants and animals we share this earth with. My family members influenced my dedication to conservation. And the many years I have spent in the forests, and studying plants, has had a positive impact on my spirituality. …[more]
As I grew in awareness, I learned, gradually, that the natural man/woman grows to spiritual man/womanhood to the extent that he or she becomes comfortable and familiar, while still in mortality, in the presence of spiritual realities. …[more]
I am a Christian: I believe that Christ is my savior and redeemer. I am a Mormon: I believe that Christ has spoken and appeared many times beyond what is documented in the Bible; I do not deny him the willingness or capacity to do that. …[more]
If you choose to believe, you will find many convincing reasons to do so. If you choose not to believe, you will doubtless find many reasons for that, too. But I am glad that I have made the choice to believe. …[more]
Now, at age 83, I find that my own testimony grows even stronger through retrospection of my life, starting as a simple, uneducated boy, living in a small Utah town, through a rich life of service and achievement, to the present day. …[more]
