Why I’m a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Experiences with the Holy Spirit
When I was a young teenager, I would sit on my bed and read the Book of Mormon. The words on the pages resonated with spiritual light that I could almost taste. There was not one moment when I knew the book was true. Rather, that knowledge had been distilling upon my soul as the dews from heaven until it reached a critical mass, and I became aware of it. Nephi testified that the words he had written were the words of Christ (2 Nephi 33:10). It was by reading those words that I felt the Savior was real.
When I was 15 years old, I prayed to know if the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints really was true. While I prayed, I felt tangibly that Heavenly Father was real. He knew me, saw me, and cared about me. A few days later, in a testimony meeting, I stood up to bear my testimony. As an act of faith, I said that I knew the Church was true. When I said those words, the Holy Spirit bore witness to me that it is true.
When the prophet of my childhood and adolescence, Gordon B. Hinckley, passed away, and Thomas S. Monson was going to be the next president of the Church, I prayed to know if he really was called of God to be the Lord’s prophet. As I raised my hand to sustain him in general conference, the Holy Spirit witnessed to me that he was in fact called of God and that it was His will that he lead the Church at that time. I felt the same witness with the current president, Russell M. Nelson.
Where spiritual knowledge comes from
When Peter told Jesus he believed He was the Son of God, Jesus told him, “Blessed art thou . . . for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 16:15–17) Peter’s testimony didn’t come just from logic or even his eyewitness account of miracles. It came because Heavenly Father’s Holy Spirit bore witness to his spirit. That’s how I know. And this knowledge is more precious to me than any other thing.
For me, it comes down to this
I believe in Heavenly Father because the Holy Spirit bore witness to my spirit that He is real. He knows me, He is aware of me, and He loves me.
I believe in Jesus Christ because the Holy Spirit bore witness to my spirit that He is real, and He is God the Son.
I believe the Book of Mormon contains Christ’s words because the Holy Spirit bore witness to my spirit that it does.
I believe the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is Christ’s Church because the Holy Spirit bore witness to my spirit that it is.
I believe the Church is led by a prophet who speaks and acts on behalf of Jesus Christ because the Holy Spirit bore witness to my spirit that it is.
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I have had more spiritual confirmations since these from my youth. But even when it’s been a while since I’ve felt the confirming witness of the Holy Spirit, I can do what Jesus Christ told Oliver Cowdery when He said, “if you desire a further witness, cast your mind upon the night that you cried unto me in your heart, that you might know concerning the truth of these things. Did I not speak peace to your mind concerning the matter? What greater witness can you have than from God?” (Doctrine and Covenants 6:22–23)
I believe that if God told me before that something is true, I can rest assured knowing that it is still true now and always will be.
