Finding out for yourself

One thing I’ve always loved and appreciated about being a member of my church is that we are encouraged to take every doctrine and teaching, and find out for ourselves if it’s true. We are encouraged to pray for answers directly from God, to receive personal revelation from Him for our own lives, and to gain a personal testimony from Him whether or not this church is true. When we read the book of Mormon, we are challenged to ask God, all on our own, if the book is true. We aren’t supposed to just take other people’s word for it. We aren’t supposed to just rely on what our parents believe. We each have the responsibility to nurture our own testimonies and get that witness from God for ourselves. And what’s most amazing of all is that we have the promise that God will answer us directly. I know that may seem far-fetched, crazy, or impossible to some - that God would really answer prayers and speak to us directly. But the thing is, I absolutely know from many personal experiences, that that’s exactly what God does.  

I want to share a small example from my life that happened recently.  

A while back, my church came out with a new policy that made headlines in the news. When I first heard about this, it was through an online article. The article was written by someone who was obviously unhappy about the new policy and it painted my church in a negative light.

I have to admit, when I first read this, I was taken back. I felt confused as to why my church would come up with this particular policy. It gave me pause. It didn’t seem right to me. Why? I wondered. So right away, I closed my computer, and asked God about it directly through prayer. My prayer roughly went something like this:

“Heavenly Father, this policy seems so weird. I’m confused right now and I’m struggling with it. Why would the church come out with this?”

After praying, these words immediately came to my mind:

“It is wisdom in me.”

Simple and clear as that. 

“OK,” I thought. And then the words repeated again:

“It is wisdom in me.”

Not every prayer has come so immediate and clear as this one. Sometimes my answer will come through study of the scriptures or over time when a series of events have unfolded. But this time it was direct and clear, and I instantly felt peace. I now knew that God knew something that I didn’t know and that He was directing the church in His wisdom. And I could trust it because I had received my own witness. 

I’ll end by sharing a quote from the current prophet of my church, President Thomas S. Monson:

“In order for us to be strong and to withstand all the forces pulling us in the wrong direction … we must have our own testimony…Whether you are 12 or 112—or anywhere in between—you can know for yourself that the gospel of Jesus Christ is true. Read the Book of Mormon. Ponder its teachings. Ask Heavenly Father if it is true. We have the promise that ‘if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.’ ”