The Contact Lens

I love this story. I first read it in an email a month ago and have enjoyed sharing it since. It's the perfect example of how faith and prayer go hand in hand. Enjoy!

Brenda was almost halfway to the top of the tremendous granite cliff.. She was standing on a ledge where she was taking a breather during this, her first rock climb. As she rested there, the safety rope snapped against her eye and knocked out her contact lens.

'Great', she thought. 'Here I am on a rock ledge, hundreds of feet from the bottom and hundreds of feet to the top of this cliff, and now my sight is blurry.' She looked and looked, hoping that somehow it had landed on the ledge. But it just wasn't there.

She felt the panic rising in her, so she began praying. She prayed for calm, and she prayed that she might find her contact lens. When she got to the top, a friend examined her eye and her clothing for the lens, but it was not to be found. Although she was calm now that she was at the top, she was saddened because she could not clearly see across the range of mountains. She thought of the bible verse 'The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth.'

She thought, 'Lord, You can see all these mountains. You know every stone and leaf, and You know exactly where my contact lens is. Please help me.'

Later, when they had hiked down the trail to the bottom of the cliff they met another party of climbers just starting up the face of the cliff. One of them shouted out, 'Hey, you guys! Anybody lose a contact lens?'

Well, that would be startling enough, but you know why the climber saw it? An ant was moving slowly across a twig on the face of the rock, carrying it!

The story doesn't end there. Brenda's father is a cartoonist. When she told him the incredible story of the ant, the prayer, and the contact lens, he drew a cartoon of an ant lugging that contact lens with the caption, 'Lord, I don't know why you want me to carry this thing. I can't eat it, and it's awfully heavy. But if this is what you want me to do; I'll carry it for you.'




God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called

Pioneer Day Tribute

Today I gave the sharing time lesson in Primary and it was on the sacrifices that the pioneers made for the temples. The lessons are only 15 minutes but it seemed longer and turned out better than I imagined.

I want to share with you some of the special thoughts and messages that I shared with the beautiful primary children today in tribute of Pioneer Day next week!

A millennia ago, the prophet Micah predicted the following:

Micah 4:1-2

“But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it.

“And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.”

Micah saw the Salt Lake temple and temple square - the place where saints from all over the world gather twice a year. It is also a temple that visitors from all over the world come to see all year long.

When the prophet

Joseph Smith was commanded to build a temple, he had never seen one before and did not know how it should look. There were no temples in his time. The Lord needed a place where his sacred ordinances could be carried out just as in the days of Moses and Solomon, Joseph wanted it to be pleasing unto the Lord. He and the first presidency prayed together and they were shown a vision of the Kirtland temple and how it should be built.

Prior to the temple's dedication the prophet Joseph Smith, his counselors and many other witnesses experienced marvelous visions inside the temple. One vision in particular, when Joseph received revelation about those who die before hearing about the gospel is as follows:

After all the men had been anointed, Joseph Smith testified that “the heavens were opened upon us” and he “beheld the celestial kingdom of God, and the glory thereof”( D&C 137:1-10) He saw “the blazing throne of God, whereon was seated the Father and the Son.” He “saw the beautiful streets of that kingdom, which had the appearance of being paved with gold.” He saw “Fathers Adam and Abraham” and others who were then living, including his father (who was with him in the room), his mother (who was home in Kirtland), and his deceased brother, Alvin. He saw the twelve Apostles, who had been called the year before, and he saw Jesus standing in their midst. He also saw in the celestial kingdom all of the presidency and many others. Upon asking the Lord how Alvin, who had died before the Church was restored, could inherit the celestial kingdom, he received the remarkable assurance that “All who have died without a knowledge of this gospel, who would have received it if they had been permitted to tarry, shall be heirs of the celestial kingdom of God

According to the Prophet Joseph Smith, during this vision angels not only ministered to him but to others who had received their anointings. “The power of the Highest rested upon us,” he said, and “the house was filled with the glory of God.” His scribe, Warren Parrish, recorded his own experience at the Prophet’s dictation: “My scribe … saw in a vision the armies of heaven protecting the Saints in their return to Zion, and many [of the same] things which I [Joseph Smith] saw.”

Following this ordinance, says the Prophet Joseph Smith, “The visions of heaven were opened to them also. Some of them saw the face of the Savior, and others were ministered unto by holy angels.” He further testified that “we all communed with the heavenly host. … The spirit of prophecy and revelation,” he added, “was poured out in mighty power.”

The early saints (pioneers) had such a powerful testimony of temples that after the mobs drove them out of Kirtland, Ohio, to abandon the temple (that all their sacrifice of blood, sweat and tears went into), they would go on to Nauvoo, Illinois where they would again sacrifice to build a House of the Lord. The prophet Joseph Smith was martyred half way through the construction of the Nauvoo temple. Shortly after the temple was dedicated the mobs came and drove the saints out of Nauvoo and destroyed the temple. The pioneers watched their hard work and sacrifice burn to the ground. You would think that most people would say, "Hey, I've had enough. I give up - this just isn't worth it." No, not the pioneers. They made the long trek across the plains to the Salt Lake Valley in Utah, many giving their very lives for the sake of what they held so dear. It was there they again sacrificed blood, sweat and tears to build the Salt Lake temple.

The Salt Lake temple is my favorite temple. It was where I was married and sealed for time and all eternity to my husband. Whenever I visit, I feel the testimony of those early pioneers. From the gold Angel Moroni mounted on top to the "Holiness to the Lord" engraved on the east side. They all are a visible testimony of those early saints.

The prophet Brigham Young had a vision of the Salt Lake temple years before it was built. Though he never lived to see it completed he was in attendance that day. On the morning of 6 April 1893, the prophet Wilford Woodruff entered the Salt Lake Temple through the southwest doors and proceeded to the fourth floor. At 10:00 A.M., with twenty-five hundred people in attendance, the first of a series of forty-one dedication services began. The dedication was the final step in a forty-year saga of sacrifice and labor surrounding the construction of the Salt Lake Temple.

“The Heavenly Host were in attendance at the [first] dedication [service],” President Woodruff told the congregation in a subsequent dedicatory service. “If the eyes of the congregation could be opened they would [have] seen Joseph and Hyrum [Smith], Brigham Young, John Taylor and all the good men who had lived in this dispensation assembled with us, as also Esaias, Jeremiah, and all the Holy Prophets and Apostles who had prophesied of the latter day work. … They were rejoicing with us in this building which had been accepted of the Lord and [when] the [Hosanna] shout had reached the throne of the Almighty,” they too had joined in the joyous shout." My great, great, great grandmother, Elizabeth Mills Oakden Whitaker was a little girl when she came with her family from Ireland to Nauvoo. She saw the Nauvoo temple built and later destroyed. She also witnessed the building of the Salt Lake temple. Her accounts from her biography are as follows: "Well, if you're going to write a book about me, I suppose I should go back to when i was just a little girl in Nauvoo, and they were building the Nauvoo Temple. I used to take my father's lunch to him every day and there I would see the prophet Joseph. My mother was an excellent cook, and she'd sometimes put in an extra piece of chocolate cake, or other dessert, and father would share it with the Prophet. Sometimes, that wonderful man would take me on my knee, there on the steps of the temple and stroke my hair and tell me how beautiful it was, and that I must always strive to be as beautiful on the inside as I was on the outside. "For," said he, "Jesus loves little children and he wants them to grow up pure and clean so they can come back to Heaven and dwell with him, forever. Did I tell you that my father was a professional tin-smith and that he made and mounted the hoofs, horns and bars of the oxen in the basement of the temple, that held up the baptismal fonts? I wasn't old enough then when the temple was finished to be baptized in it, but I remember that glorious building and how hard everyone worked and skimped and saved, to get it finished. It never was completely finished. My parents were permitted to go through it for their own endowments and sealing, December 13, 1845. It was opened only one day for living sealings, when the city was mobbed and that glorious Temple was destroyed by them. It was burned to the ground and as foretold in prophecy, 'not one stone was left on top of another'. This was after the martyrdom. " Account of the Salt Lake Temple "I remember when the Salt Lake Temple was finished and decorated. They opened it up and let everyone, outsiders and all, who wanted to go through it and see it for one whole week before they dedicated it. Oh, it was the most beautiful building west of the Mississippi." My great, great, great grandmother made great sacrifices. When traveling across the plains she was kidnapped by Indians. Her father later risked his life to go save her. I have other great, great grandparents who helped build the Manti, Utah temple. They too sacrificed much for the work. Many of the pioneers sold all they had to earn money to build the temples. They risked their lives, sold their belongings, and endured great trials to come to Utah. Here in Utah, would be a permanent refuge for the saints, where they could live in peace. "We are here! Thank the Almighty God of Israel!” exclaimed Brigham Young. The exodus to the west was very similar to that of Moses and the children of Israel. Instead of crossing the parted sea and wandering in the desert for 40 years, the saints crossed the plains and made their home in the desert of what is now Utah. I will forever be grateful for what my pioneer ancestors gave and sacrificed for they believed. It is because of them that I enjoy this beautiful valley, the gospel and the blessings of the temple. I strive each day of my life to live a legacy that would be pleasing to my pioneer ancestors and the Lord. I don't want their sacrifices to have been in vein. I know that the gospel of Jesus Christ is true. I know that temples are a House of the Lord and allow families to be together forever. This is my testimony in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

The Still Small Voice

My sister and I were talking on the phone the other day and we began to talk about dealing with our children and patience.

"Lately I have really tried to make an effort to speak calmly to my children." she said. "It has really made all the difference."

She then told me about an experience the day before when her son was going to be late for baseball practice because he couldn't find his cleats. Normally she would have been chastising him for not being more organized with his personal things. This time she decided to take the calm approach. She saw that he was already not happy with himself for misplacing them and she did not need to add to his personal agony.

As she quietly followed him around the house, helping him turn over every piece of furniture and blanket the thought came to her to go out in the garage and back out her van. So without hesitation that's what she did. As she backed the van out into the driveway - there were her son's cleats. They had been under the van.

She told me that she realized had she not been calm and patient with her son, her anger and rage would have overpowered the Spirit and she would have not have been able to hear the promptings. I thought this was a great message for everyone.

Doctrine and Covenants 105:40

40 And make proposals for peace unto those who have smitten you, according to the voice of the Spirit which is in you, and all things shall work together for your good.

1 Peter 3:4

4 But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.

“The Holy Ghost is a revelator,” said Joseph Smith, and “no man can receive the Holy Ghost without receiving revelations” (HC 6:58). According to the Bible Dictionary, without revelation, all would be guesswork, darkness, and confusion.

We live in such a noisy world as it is. With all that surrounds us, we should strive to be forgiving, peaceful and patient - and to have the companionship of the Holy Ghost with us always. I say this in the name of Jesus Christ amen.

Touched by a Real Angel

My younger sister has allowed me to share this recent personal experience - so I thank her.

My sister had planned a fun Saturday afternoon outing with our mom. It had been a while since they had spent some time together because my sister was going through some small personal trials. Because of her trials she was easily irritated by my mom and had found it best to just avoid her rather than hurt her feelings or get in a spat. Because of this she did not answer her phone when my mom called or return any of her messages for weeks at a time.

So, when my mom was able to finally schedule a visit with her she was ecstatic. My sister however was very hesitant and apprehensive. They started by having lunch at a quaint and popular soup eatery not too far from my sister's home. Already uneasy about spending time with our mom, my sister had her guard up. When it came time to order at the counter my sister knew what she wanted but my mom didn't have a clue. My sister noticed a gentleman who just walked in the door and was waiting behind them. She told him that if he knew what he wanted he could go ahead of them because they weren't ready. My mom however turned to him and said, "No, we are almost ready just give us another minute." So the man waited.

My sister feeling embarrassed but trying to hide it told our mom that there was no need to make this man wait when he knew what he wanted. My mom blew it off and told her that the man could wait as she was almost ready to decide. A few minutes later she made her decision and they ordered.

As they sat and ate, my mom began to tell my sister about all of her weekly frustrations. My sister asked her to tone down her voice as it was very loud and people were looking over. The man who was in line behind them came and sat one table over and quietly ate his meal and read his newspaper. He faced my sister but never once seemed to look at her. My sister was becoming a bit annoyed by my mom's conversation but kept quiet and let my mom do all the talking. She began to wonder if she should cut their visit short.

When they were finished, my mom went to go use the restroom and my sister waited by the door. Just then the man sitting by them approached her. This is her account of what happened next;

"He was a very tall man. He surprised me by taking my hands in his. His hands were very large and encompassed both of my hands. Normally I would have pulled away feeling socially violated however something about this man felt good and right. His eyes were very piercing and he looked right into mine as he began to speak. It's not normal for me to engage in full eye contact without occasionally looking away but for some reason it felt natural to just look at him the entire time he spoke. Our eyes never looked away.

As he spoke he began to tell me that he was a very wealthy man. However upon obtaining his wealth he learned a great lesson. He learned that the things of this world are not why we are here. He told me that this life is all about family. We are here to love, support and help our family. He then began to lovingly tell me that I need to love mom and appreciate her more. That we are put on this earth in our families for a certain reason and we need to embrace that reason. He said that mom needed my love and that she is a very special and amazing person. Then he told me that I shouldn't be embarrassed by her at all.

He said other amazing and wonderful things that for some reason I can't remember. In fact, he used such high vocabulary that some of things he was talking about seemed to be on a plane not of my understanding. Regardless, what he said pierced right through my soul and warmed my heart. I could feel a warm power coming through his hands into mine and it softened my soul. I suddenly had a greater understanding of things and I wanted to love my mom."

She went on to tell me that when he was done he walked away and cleared off his table. My mom came out and she and my sister went out to the car. They sat in the car and talked for quite a while and the man never came out. My sister's eyes had been opened and she wanted to spend the rest of the day with my mom. They went to a little antique shop and had the best time together. Instead of being embarrassed by our mom's silliness she joined in and soon the store manager was laughing with them and having a great time. They all broke out in song and dance right there in the sore and had a fun time.

Afterward my sister planned to take my mom back to her place and give her a pedicure but my mom got a phone call and was summoned to babysit her grand kids. My sister found herself feeling very sad that my mom had to leave.

That next weekend was Mother's Day and my sister did not want to miss this opportunity to show her love for our mom. Before meeting the man at the soup eatery she had decided that she was not going to see my mom on Mother's Day. She would send her a card instead. Now, she couldn't wait to get to my mom's house and see her again. She left hours early to help my mom clean her home and prepare the dinner. She also stayed hours after everyone had left and helped clean up and visit with my mom, who lives alone. This was a big step for my sister and our mom had a wonderful Mother's Day.

After hearing about this experience I told my sister that the weeks leading up to their experience at the soup eatery, my mom was heartbroken about not seeing my sister. She was praying each day and going to the temple pleading with the Lord to help soften my sister's heart so that they could have a better relationship and spend more time together. My mom had cried herself to sleep many nights over it. My sister had no idea.

When my sister realized how intriguing it was that this stranger knew the thoughts and feelings of her heart as well as our mom's she knew he couldn't have been just anyone. Based on her description of him, and how loving and powerful his words were and the fact that he broke social norms and boundaries yet it did not bother my sister one bit, we concluded he was an angel sent from God. Whether living on the Earth at this time and inspired by the Lord or sent from heaven above - it was clear that this was a work of God. It was an answer to my mom's prayer.

In a talk written by Bruce C. Hafen in the April 1992 Ensign he stated;

"When do the angels come? If we seek to be worthy, they are near us when we need them most. The mountain might even be full with the horsemen of Israel and their chariots of fire."

My mom had faithfully pleaded with the Lord and exercised her righteous faith through continuous temple service. When we ask something of the Lord and exercise faith while doing our part in return, He will bless us. The powers of heaven are easily conjured through righteous prayer and faith.

I know that the Lord is aware of us all and that we are a part of a greater plan. The Lord's kingdom is in heaven and being built on Earth. Angels administer in this great work, daily. The Lord hears our prayers and desires to bless us. By the powers of Heaven all things are possible, even softening the hearts of men.

I testify this is true, in the name of Jesus Christ amen.

Are Mormons Christians?

With all the hype in political news lately with the GOP candidates it has been interesting for me to notice the rising question of Mormons being Christians. I think this assumption may come into factor due to the nickname "Mormon" given to members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints by the world. People assume we worship Mormon or even Joseph Smith.

It always helps to educate oneself before making an assumption. Which I hope my response below will do just that. It's funny to me how many people who believe that LDS members are not Christian are a bit hostile in doing so. Over the last days I have read several mean and spiteful comments coming from these people towards members of the Mormon faith. The Savior Jesus, Christ was very loving towards all people during his ministry on Earth regardless of their beliefs. Those who are true followers of Christ today do the same.

My response about Mormons not being Christians:

The definition of the term Christian is "a follower of Christ". The LDS (aka- Mormon) church is the "Church of Jesus Christ" of Latter Day Saints. With Christ in the name and recognized as the head of the church it is very clearly stated that we are 100% Christian.

All people, of all faiths who believe in Christ and follow him are Christian. The Articles of Faith, which sum up best what Latter Day Saints believe state,

" 1-We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.

3-We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.

4- We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost

........and my favorite......

13 -We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things."

In the Book of Mormon , 101 names/titles of Christ are collectively presented 3,925 times in 6,607 Book of Mormon verses (see * below). Which averages the mentioning of Christ once every 1.7 verses. The Old Testament, New Testament and Additional Testament of Christ visiting the American Continent (aka Book of Mormon) is what we believe to be true and the core of our beliefs.

With that being said Jesus Christ is who we serve daily and the core of our beliefs and testimony.

It is important that during these interesting political times we don't lose sight of what's really important. It's easy to get caught up in defending who is right and wrong and why, however that is not the way to bring people unto Christ. Be a light to the world by your example and compassionate love towards others. The key to entering the kingdom is charity (compassion for all).

"Gentiles … show unto them that faith, hope and charity", Ether 12:28

"Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth", 1 Corinthians. 8:1

"Whoso is found possessed of charity at last day, it shall be well with him", Moroni. 7:47

I say this in the name of Jesus Christ - Amen.

References:

*http://www.schoolofabraham.com/findingchrist.htm

Heavenly Mother

In lieu of Mother's Day I wanted to post this thought about mothers. For those individuals who have not known a mother in this lifetime this is a message of hope and love.

There is an LDS hymn written by Eliza R. Snow who felt inspired to write it after the prophet Joseph Smith had taught her the principle of heavenly parents.

Oh My Father

O my Father, thou that dwellest
In the high and glorious place;
When shall I regain thy presence,
And again behold thy face?

In thy holy habitation
Did my spirit once reside?
In my first primeval childhood
Was I nurtur'd near thy side?

For a wise and glorious purpose
Thou hast plac'd me here on earth,
And withheld the recollection
Of my former friends and birth:

Yet oft times a secret something
Whispered you re a stranger here;
And I felt that I had wandered
From a more exalted sphere.

I had learn'd to call thee father
Through thy spirit from on high;
But until the key of knowledge
Was restor'd, I knew not why.

In the heav'ns are parents single? No, the thought makes reason stare; Truth is reason—truth eternal Tells me I've a mother there.

When I leave this frail existence—
When I lay this mortal by,
Father, mother, may I meet you
In your royal court on high?

Then, at length, when I've completed
All you sent me forth to do,
With your mutual approbation
Let me come and dwell with you.

I believe that we do have a Heavenly Mother and that she loves us very much. We are taught in The Family:A Proclamation to the World, that each person is a "spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents". Because we respect the sacredness of her existence, she is not mentioned in doctrine and we do not speak of her. Though we do not learn about her on Earth I believe someday we will. Knowing this helps me be the best mother I can be as to try and model the characteristics I feel that she has.

We are loved dearly by a merciful Heavenly Father and Mother who we will again see someday. It is my prayer that we always remember who we are, where we came from as well as our potential of what we may become. Knowing this will sustain us though our trials and help us as greatly influence our parenting skills. May we continue to pray to our Father in Heaven and always thank him for all we have. This I say in the name of Jesus Christ amen.

The Only Begotten

Last night I was doing final preparations of my primary lesson and I started on one of those fun scripture chains. It began with the topic of the Restoration of the Church. From there it led to a talk given by Niel A Maxwell in the April 2003 Ensign in which he talks about what the restoration of the church really means. (http://lds.org/ensign/2003/04/the-wondrous-restoration?lang=eng&query=restoration)He broke it down into the exciting truths that were restored that really make the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints a precious gem. One of the truths he mentions is the plurality of worlds.

Our planet, we know from the revelations, is but one among “worlds without number” (Moses 1:33), which “worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God” (D&C 76:24).

It was these scriptures that reminded me how vast God's creations are. I was reminded that God is not just the God of our planet - His love extends to worlds without end. I love deep doctrine and I noticed how Elder Maxwell pointed out the scripture that the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters of God. Though one might be enticed to begin searching out more knowledge on these seemingly endless numbers of God's children and that we are not alone in what expands beyond our universe - I could only focus on one word - "Begotten". I decided to ponder on the topic of Christ being the "only begotten" which had nothing to do with my lesson but I couldn't resist gaining some more knowledge and testimony.

The answer I posted below can be found at http://jesus.christ.org/

The scriptures teach that Jesus Christ was the only begotten son of God in the flesh. This means He was the only one of God’s children to have God as His earthly Father, and not just the father of his spirit. His spirit was created first, making Jesus Christ very literally our elder brother, since his spirit was born before any others.

Each of us is a child of God because He created our spirits. Our physical bodies result from our earthly parents. Jesus, however, had only one earthly parent. The Bible clearly explains the parentage of Jesus Christ. Mary, a mortal woman, is his mother, and God is His father. His Spirit, like everyone’s spirit, was created by God, but his physical, mortal body contained the DNA of both God and Mary. There is ample evidence of Jesus’ heritage as God’s own Son.

When Jesus Christ was baptized, God spoke from Heaven, saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” This was God’s personal and public testimony that Jesus was exactly who He claimed to be-God’s Son. Later in history, Jesus and God appeared together to Joseph Smith, the first prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in modern times. Again, God introduced Jesus to Joseph as His Son.

His duel heritage made possible many of the things Jesus did during his mortal ministry, most notably the atonement. He, like everyone else, inherited qualities from both His parents, and this gave Him both the ability to experience, and therefore understand, mortal challenges, as well as to be tested, but also to overcome death and live again.

Jesus, like other people who lived on earth, had His memories of His life before His birth, taken from Him. He had to regain it. Because He then had greater knowledge and ability in the gospel, he was tested and tried at a higher level than most. He passed each test, resisted every temptation, and endured every mortal trial placed before Him, dying as perfect as He was when He was born. As a result, He was worthy to take on our sins and atone for them.

In April 2004 General Conference, Keith B. McMullin beautifully reminded us:

'From cover to cover, the Holy Bible teaches and testifies of Christ. He is Jehovah of the Old Testament, Messiah of the New. The Book of Mormon, another testament of Him, was compiled, preserved, and brought forth for the express purpose of “convincing … Jew and Gentile that JESUS is the CHRIST, the ETERNAL GOD, manifesting himself unto all nations.”

The Lord’s life did not begin in Bethlehem, and ours did not begin at birth. In the premortal world, He stood as the stalwart, unwavering advocate of God’s eternal plan for His children, and we were there. In the great War in Heaven, it was by the power of the Firstborn that Lucifer was cast out, and we helped champion the cause. Through God’s Only Begotten Son “the worlds are and were created,” and we can therefore achieve our divine potential. As President J. Reuben Clark has said:

“It was not a novice, not an amateur, not a Being making a first trial, that came down in the beginning … and … made this world. …

“And if you think of this galaxy of ours having within it from the beginning perhaps … one million worlds, and multiply that by the number of millions of galaxies … that surround us, you will then get some view of who [Jesus Christ] is.”

As the world could not overcome Him in the meridian of time, so the world cannot do without Him in our time, and neither can we. His purpose is “to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.” Hence, He came to the Prophet Joseph Smith, restored the priesthood, reestablished His Church, and again proclaimed the plan of redemption. Joseph saw Him, conversed with Him, and has left us this transcendent, poetic account of Him:

I beheld round the throne holy angels and hosts,

And sanctified beings from worlds that have been,

In holiness worshipping God and the Lamb,

For ever and ever. Amen and amen.

And now after all of the proofs made of him,

By witnesses truly, by whom he was known,

This is mine, last of all, that he lives; yea, he lives!

And sits at the right hand of God on his throne.

And I heard a great voice bearing record from heav’n,

He’s the Saviour and only begotten of God;

By him, of him, and through him, the worlds were all made,

Even all that [careen] in the heavens so broad.

Whose inhabitants, too, from the first to the last,

Are sav’d by the very same Saviour of ours;

And, of course, are begotten God’s daughters and sons

By the very same truths and the very same powers.

We have with us today the Lord’s duly ordained Apostles. True to their sacred commission as “special witnesses of the name of Christ in all the world,” they declare:

“Jesus is the Living Christ, the immortal Son of God. He is the great King Immanuel, who stands today on the right hand of His Father. He is the light, the life, and the hope of the world. His way is the path that leads to happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come. God be thanked for the matchless gift of His divine Son.”'

I joyfully testify with all my heart that this is true. And I do so in the sacred name of Jesus Christ amen.