When a General Authority Tells You To Do Something, You Do It.

So I've been debating on whether or not to write about this. But in the end, I've realized it strengthen my testimony bearing my testimony, and so I decided to share it here. Just know that I share this not to puff myself up, or advertise that I'm fantastic, or a wonderful person, or a wonderful member missionary. I'm writing about this event because it was a powerful spiritual experience for me and others, given to us by Heavenly Father, not by purely my interaction with this group of people.

Last Sunday, there was a stake fireside. I sing in the stake choir, so I was there. It was actually Institute graduation, and had I not been a member of State Choir I probably would not have been there. After all of the diplomas and achievement awards had been handed out, we heard from Elder Hansen of the Seventy and his wife. He spoke on experiences he had in Institute, and at one point he mentioned that he was going to invite some people up to share experiences they had had in Institute.

Immediately my heart started to race, and was pounding in my chest; one of the sure signs the Spirit is telling you to go up and bear your testimony. So after the first girl went, and there was a bit of a silence, I raise my hand and walked up to the pulpit. I related a story of when we were talking about the restoration in institute last semester. Brother Chatwin asked us to write a list of blessings we had received because of the restoration, and my list was long. And then he asked what we were willing to sacrifice because of it... I remember looking up at the ceiling and saying... crap. It was in that moment I realize that the Lord was telling me He wanted me to go on a mission. It took talking to a good friend and some sister missionaries to act on that knowledge.

After that, I bore my testimony on the importance of Institute, and went to leave. Just then, Elder Hansen reached out his arm and hooked it around mine, and told me not to leave. He said, imagine this room is full of investigators, that this entire congregation our investigators. Now imagine you're in the living room on your mission speaking to these investigators. Bear your testimony to them of the atonement and its power and influence in your life. And I looked around and noticed there weren't any tissues on the stand, I remarked that we better get some tissues handy, because me and the spirit like to cry together.

After we had sufficient material to dry my eyes, I started to bear the most powerful testimony I have ever borne. It was the kind of testimony that reminded me of just how strong my testimony actually is. It brought back so many feelings of my conversion experience and instances where I felt the spirit and the Savior's love for me so strongly. I wish someone had recorded it, because I would love to be able to listen to that moment and feel those things over and over again.

By the end of my testimony, I was crying, people in the congregational crying, and I definitely needed those tissues. I closed in Jesus' name, and walked away from the stand. On my way back to my seat, Elder Hansen remarked on my testimony and how he thinks he'll make a fine missionary, and how great a spirit he sees in me. Again, I don't bring this up to toot my own horn, or inflate my ego, or brag. I simply bring this up because it gave me a testimony of bearing your testimony. Of how important it is not only to have a testimony, but to share it with others. To let the spirit use you to touch other people's lives.

After the meeting was over, I had multiple people come up to me and remark how inspiring and how beautiful my testimony was, and how they needed to hear it and how it helped them. I never get used to people telling me that I'm an inspiration, or that I've helped them, or that anything I do is significant in any way because all I do is try. All I ever do is try to live the best life that I can, and show the love of Christ that I have been shown to everyone. And I'm terrible at it. I think I'm really bad at leading a christ-like life, but I'm trying to improve. Everyday, step by step I try to think of my Savior and how He lived, and how He wants me to live.

My dear friends, I bare my testimony now that as we share our testimonies with those around us as directed by the Spirit, we will touch lives. That our testimonies can strengthen others testimonies. And not only others' testimonies, but our own. I know it is a vital thing for us to share the love and knowledge we have received from Him, and to live our lives in such a manner that others feel that love of Him emanating from us.

I'm trying to improve. I'm trying to be better. And I'm getting better at it day by day, little by little, line upon line precept upon precept. It is my prayer that we will always strive to be better. That we will all decide to try and see ourselves not through our own distorted lens but through the lens that He sees us through. To see ourselves and our fellow men with the pure love of Christ, with that filter on our lives.

I love you brothers and sisters, be well.

Satan is Everywhere

This is going to be short as it is late, I am tired, and also sleep deprived. I may expound upon the topic further at a later time, but we shall see...

I've been pondering a lot lately on a few topics, but the greatest of which is what methods Satan uses to get us to make poor decisions. And one of the biggest truths I've come to realize is that not every one of them is evil. The Destroyers biggest desire is to lead us from our Father, and make ourselves as miserable as he has made us. This, however, is not solely accomplished through inherently evil means. I firmly believe that one of Lucifer's most potent tools is using good intentions to misdirect us. 

There is the adage that states "The path to Hell is paved with good intentions," and it is fitting. Sinning is not the only way to draw away from our Heavenly Father. D&C 76:75 states: "These are they who are honorable men of the earth, who were blinded by the craftiness of men." They are discussing the second Degree of Glory, for those who have recevied the Testimony of Jesus Christ, but not the fullness of the Father. In essence, these are women and men with good intentions who have been deceived by Satan into following a noble path, but not a path of complete truth.

And this principle doesn't just apply to those who are not of my faith. Westboro Baptist comes to mind. They are a "church" of "Christians" that are devout in their belief of Christ, but who have obviously received, even to those without faith, the wrong message about His teachings. This is of course an extreme example, but think of a time when you were persuaded, or were trying to be persuaded into taking a course of action that wasn't morally wrong, but then again wasn't... right.

Satan, and those under his command, have been at this war for much longer than we have. We're a mere blink of an eye to him. The Deceiver's methods have been tested and honed over thousands of years of human existence, and we cannot defeat him without the help of our Savior and God. We must seek their help diligently, even as Satan seeks our destruction, for he is truly everywhere.


With Love,
Taylor