My Final Testimony

 

MY FINAL TESTIMONY

I know that God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost are real.  They are very much involved in our education and testing on this earth.  The more we express appreciation for their influence in our lives, the more we will see their influence and benefit from that influence.

I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet, because I know that the Book of Mormon is true, and a person can get closer to God by reading it daily than by any other book.  I have found strength, comfort, and guidance regarding my challenges by reading it daily.

I know that the current President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and members of the Quorum of the Twelve are true prophets and apostles chosen by the Lord Jesus Christ.  Listening to and reading their words regularly will enable us to avoid the pitfalls in our lives.

I know that activity and service in the Church will bring us closer to our Father in Heaven.  In these endeavors we will find joy, strength, and growth.  Helping to build Zion and gather Israel on both sides of the veil will bring us closer to God and make us more like our Savior.

I know that researching and discovering our ancestors can be a lifeline in the flood of evil that is engulfing the world today.  We need to get to know those whose genes and life choices have helped make us who we are.  We need to know that we stand on their shoulders, and our achievements are partly because of them.  Our life choices will have a like influence on our descendants.

I know that we need to take the initiative to teach our children things of the spirit, things of this earth, things of the past as they truly were, things of the present as they truly are, and things that must shortly come to pass as given to us by the current and past prophets.

I know that we will live again, because of Jesus Christ.  If we live up to our covenants, we will be together as families with our Heavenly Father and with our brother Jesus Christ, both of whom we loved dearly before this life.

I love you, my family, and hope to be with you all eternally.

David Nyle Cox

Becoming Wheat or Tares

Sometimes the wheat turns into tares, and those who once stood with the saints begin to fight and strive with those they used to stand with.  This can happen so easily, if we are not careful, or full of care for our souls.  How much do we want to come back to our Father in Heaven?

If we truly want the blessings of eternity with all our hearts, we will do whatever it takes to nourish our spirits.  We will take our spiritual vitamins and feast on spiritual foods, i.e., read scriptures, conference talks, and Come Follow Me, partake of the sacrament (without distractions like cell phones - in order to meditate), attend our church meetings, and pray frequently.  We will spiritually exercise by serving and repenting regularly.

When we do these things, we are promised that the very jaws of hell shall not prevail against us.  The Savior will not surrender us or desert us to our foes.  That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake, He'll never, no never, no NEVER forsake!

When through the deep waters He calls us to go, the rivers of sorrow shall not us overflow.  For He will be with us, our troubles to bless and sanctify to us our deepest distress.  When through fiery trials our pathway shall lie, His grace, all sufficient, shall be our supply.  The flame shall not hurt us.  He only designs our dross to consume and our gold to refine. (Taken in part from the hymn "How Firm a Foundation" all verses)

I know this to be true.  I have felt the hot breath of the jaws of hell close on my tail, but He has always been there and cradled me in His arms as if I were a lamb.

How the House of Joseph Has Become a House of Saviors On Mount Zion

 In Genesis chapter 49, Joseph is blessed by his father, Jacob/Israel, that (verse 22) "Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall:" and (26) "The blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Joseph and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren."

In I Nephi 5:14 Lehi, reading from the Brass Plates for the first time, finds a genealogy of his fathers that showed he was a descendant of Joseph, "...who was sold into Egypt, and who was preserved by the hand of the Lord, that he might preserve his father, Jacob, and all his household from perishing with famine."

In process of time Lehi and Ishmael and their families were "separated" from their brethren in Jerusalem and led to a choice land, even to the "utmost bound of the everlasting hills," which is a reference to the Western Hemisphere, where the mountains run north and south from the tip of South America to the most northern point in North America in consequence of the uplift from the western migration of the two continents.

Previous to Lehi and Ishmael's departure, the 10 tribes of Israel, who dwelt north of Jerusalem, were conquered and later escaped into the "north countries."  These tribes had been governed mostly by the tribe of Ephraim.  The descendants of Ephraim settled in the northern countries of Europe and later many of them immigrated, either before or after joining the Church, to America.  Thus they too were "separated" from their brethren "over the wall" of the Atlantic Ocean.

Once again in our latter dispensation, the House of Joseph, the separated ones, have become a salvation unto the rest of the House of Israel and even the gentiles worldwide both physically and spiritually.  They saved them from physical destruction or subjugation in both World Wars and since by providing a protection from despots.  They have also brought forth the way out of spiritual destruction to all, if they will accept the preaching of the missionaries from the House of Joseph.  What a blessing was given to Joseph's posterity, because of his faithfulness!  May we also, by our faithfulness, be a blessing unto our posterities down to the end of time.

Instant Forgiveness

 In our training before going to China the first year, our leader, Jamie Ballentine, told us, in a class with just the men, that while we were in China we needed to practice "Instant Forgiveness" with our mates.  I have pondered on that advice ever since.  He meant that when our eternal companion did or said something that bugged us that, rather than judging or harboring that bothered feeling, we simply forgive without even bringing the issue up.

I began trying to practice this.  It's not as easy as it sounds!  I certainly haven't mastered it yet, but I've found that (as OCD as I am) letting these things roll right off my back relaxes my mind and body.  It gives ME more peace.  It helps me love her more.  It even makes it easier for me to ask forgiveness when I do or say things that I realize later were hurtful or just bothersome.

I've practiced this in regard to many people since.  It's not about waiting for that person to ask for forgiveness, or waiting to give that forgiveness until they change or improve.  It's about shedding, as quickly as I can, that extra weight of being bothered, which adds to my burden.

I would ask that we ponder and practice "Instant Forgiveness" as it relates to our mate, but also as it relates to our siblings.  It will grow peace and love between us.

I was discussing this with Zina last night, and then we listened to the next conference talk (we try to listen to one every week).  I was amazed that it was right on the topic I had been discussing!  It is titled 

“The Peace of Christ Abolishes Enmity” by Elder Dale G. Renlund given in the Sunday morning session.

If you listen to it, try to follow along in the text, as you will get a lot more out of it.  I encourage each of you to read this talk and consider practicing "Instant Forgiveness" with each other and with others.  It will give you more peace and prepare us to live in Zion.

Persevering Like Job

I was thinking about Job today. He was not the prophet, just a righteous man that the Lord had prospered in the land. He lost his wealth. He lost his family. He lost his health to very painful boils. He still remained true to his God, even after his friends told him to give up.

We all know this story, BUT have we thought of his impact down through the generations? While suffering, he probably thought of himself as a tormented nobody that had lost everything. But he had developed a relationship with his Father in Heaven and was committed to his covenants. This sustained him enough to know that this life was not the end, and that he would someday stand before his maker with a perfected body. He needed to live for that.

I doubt that he thought about his impact on the future, just as we seldom think of our impact on our posterity. However his story has helped millions throughout history to stay true, to stay the course, to persevere, to endure, to win the race of life. He has certainly been a hero to me, along with Elder Neal A. Maxwell, who both inspire me to keep on keeping on.

Spiritual Strength Requires Feasting on the Meat of Doctrine

 I asked someone close to me how he came to the political persuasions and opinions that he held.  I mentioned that I had been taught by my parents and then developed it from there.  He instantly answered that it was by studying the doctrine of the Gospel.  He said he had no political opinions until after his mission when, for a period of years, he lost his right to attend the temple.  Because he missed those blessings, he began studying the doctrines of the temple and later of heaven.  He explained how it evolved from there over several years.  He said it wasn't that the doctrines of the Gospel taught him to be a particular party loyalist.  It was because they taught him to ask how he could be true to Gospel doctrines and be part of a political party that supported positions that were inconsistent with the Gospel such as abortion, same-sex marriage, free drug abuse, socialism, and others.

We discussed that this was why the Church had moved to "Come Follow Me - a home-centered, Church-supported plan of study."  So many of the Church members were expecting the Church to feed them the pablum of "be nice" without exerting themselves to feast on the meat of the Gospel.  We discussed how one cannot develop spiritual strength while only consuming spiritual food for babies in the Gospel once they were no longer babies.  The Spirit couldn't guide them, if they weren't seeking to understand deeply the doctrines and words of the prophets.  This meant more than merely reading scripture, but actually digesting through discussion and meditation.

The People of Limhi and the People of Alma

Rachel and Caleb brought up an idea that I've been really thinking about today.  Alma the Older took the righteous out of the land of wicked King Noah.  The Lamanites were allowed to takeover the people of King Limhi due to their wickedness AND the people of Alma despite their being righteous.  Their experiences were different however.  The people of Limhi, in their pride, fought back and fought back, and fought back until they became sufficiently humbled.  They suffered tremendously for their pride and arrogance.  The people of Alma, other than having to bear the burdens unjustly placed on them, did not suffer death or wounds, because they humbled themselves and did not fight back.  Both were freed eventually.

I don't know where the line is, as to when we need to stand up for freedom, and when we need to submit and let the Lord fight our battles.  But I do know that when we trust the Lord, He takes care of us.  I myself have done some fighting and some submitting.  Again I don't know where the line is.  I suppose there is some leeway.  Consider what may be coming and that the membership of the Church in the United States is only about 2%.  While we shouldn't be lazy or lack courage, let us also be humble enough that we don't have to suffer more than is necessary.