My Testimony

1 Nephi 1 & 2
Sometimes reading my scriptures on Sunday is the hardest day of the week. It shouldn't be that way. As I read 1 Nephi 1 late last night, I got that special feeling all over again. I love the first few chapters of 1 Nephi. I think it has something to do with the fact that I was involved in a play nearly 19 years ago that covered these first few chapters. It was a wonderful experience for me, and I can't read these chapters without hearing music that was written and without having my testimony strengthened because of the obvious help I received as I created music for a stake production that was really beyond my own earthly education.

As I read chapter 2 this morning, I stopped to ponder verses 19-22. What does it mean to prosper when the Lord speaks it? Does it mean we will be rich? Does it mean we won't have problems and will skate through life? If you keep reading, the Lord says that if you rebel against the Lord, you'll be cut off from his presence. What does it mean to be cut off from the Lord's presence? We don't see him anyway as we journey through life. It would seem we have already been cut off from his presence by the mere fact we live on this earth. Not so! I believe that prospering in the land means we have the Lord and the Holy Ghost to guide us in the decision making. We may not be rich temporally, but we are rich in the things of the Lord – the things that really matter. We make our decisions guided by the Holy Ghost and as we look back, we can see how we have avoided calamity because we have done so. When we have rebelled, in essence it is like saying, “No thank, Lord. I can really navigate my way in this world without your help. Leave me alone.” And so he does. Our decisions are based on the limited resources we have intellectually, and we are skewed by the ways of the world. We make mistakes that can cause ruin – both financially and spiritually. And we spiral down to a pitiful state where we are without the peace that comes from keeping the commandments. Why should there be peace in keeping the commandments? Because when we are doing so, we know we are having the experiences the Lord wants us to have to be worthy to return to him. When that happens, we know we will learn and then we will move on. This has been my experience – on both sides, actually. Being without the help of the Lord is a lonely and dark place – actually quite frightening. Knowing the Lord is with you is empowering and liberating. You don't have to keep second guessing. You know it's right.

Yes, keeping the commandments is the only way to enjoy this journey on earth. This is my personal testimony.