Joseph Smith

Today I studied the life and testimony of Joseph Smith in my manual.  As I am truly searching to gain a very concerte testimony of this man and his life.  I have questions as I think every memeber of this church should have concerning him.  I think and hope that if we take those questions, study them and then take them to the Lord as Joseph did we will find the answers we seek.  At the end of the lesson there are varies questions they ask I would like to answer them. 

1. What experiences in your life have strengthed your testimony of the Prophet? 

The story of the prophets life and teachings have always been so fansicnating to me.  Not only from a religous stand-point but also from a historical one.  Both of those standpoints were very much filled when I was 18 and went on the Church History Trip with my friends after graduating highschool.  While on the trip I learned so much about the prophet, about his character, about his personality, his personal and public life.  I learned so much about his mission on this earth.  After that trip my spiritual cup was filled to the brim and help form my testimony in so many ways.  Some of the experiences that struck a cord with me the most were:

A.  Visiting the grave cite of the Prophet, his wife Emma, and his brother Hyrum.  Seeing and touching with my own two hands the grave of the Prophet was very special for me.  It made him a "real" person to me.  A person with a family whom he loved greatly, a person with real dreams and goals.  A person with faults and temptations who because of his faith was able to work through them.  For the first time in my young  life I connected his story to my own, and found comparisons between us. 
B.  Visting the Sacred Grove, I will never forget this experience as long as I live.  Watching a group of crazy teenagers gather in those scared woods, and seeing tears fall from all of our eyes, and not one of us uttering a word.  Knowing you our hearts after leaving there that it was a special area that something amazing had happened there.  I will never, as long as I live on this earth forget it!

C.  Visting Carthliage Jail was another amazing experience.  Reliving the final moments, and the final sacrafice of his life.   Knowing that he was willing to endure so much and then ultimatley give up his life for what he knew was true.  I wonder if I would be able to have that kind of courage, I wonder if I will ever exercise that kind of faith.  I can only hope.   Knowing that he was so at peace with everything, that he understood that his life would be taken and being ok with that.  Knowing that he know that God lives and that this eartly experience was only but a small portion and that he would be returning to the God who gave him life.  He was not scared of death he  knew there was so much more that awaited him. 

I hope as I continue this spirtual journey that I will begin to build my testimony of this gospel, of our Savior Jesus Christ, and of his prophets back up to where it should be.  That I will realize that I am on this earth to became a better more prepared version of myself.  That when my mission is over that i will not be scared but that like Joseph I will realize that there is eternites that await me. 

Prepare...Or be excluded

Not a suprise that my new years resolution is this. It was the same last year and I do believe i got better, but not where I wanted to be. This year we will try harder, make more of an effort to be truly converted, truly a member of the Church. I read a lesson today on the life and Teachings of George Albert Smith. It was on being just that, on not just talking about doing the right things, but on truly doing them. On not just being satisficed with having your names on the books as a Saint, but on actually living like one. So that is what I am aiming for this year on being prepared so that when the day comes I or anyone I love will not be excluded.