This document is a collection of spiritual experiences on which I base my testimony.
An answer to prayer about the Book of Mormon
After I graduated from high school and before I went on my mission, I desired to receive the Melchizedek Priesthood. In my interview with the stake president, he told me that he would not approve my ordination unless I reread the Book of Mormon and could tell him I had a testimony that it was true. At this time I was working at the radio station in the morning. So I got up a half hour earlier each day at 4:30 A.M. and read the scriptures for half an hour. I completed reading the Book of Mormon, and I prayed, but I didn’t seem to get an answer. I had an appointment with the stake president on a Sunday afternoon. I still had not received an answer. I went into the upstairs bathroom and locked the door. I was determined to pray until I had an answer. I knelt and asked if it was true.I heard very distinctly the words, “You know it is true!” I realized that, indeed, I did know it was true! I went to my appointment and was able to bear my testimony. I received the Melchizedek priesthood and was ordained an Elder later that month. Of all the spiritual experiences I have had, this is the one I always return to as an absolute foundation of my testimony.
A spiritual confirmation about Joseph Smith
The year that I graduated from high school, I went on a date with a young woman to the Ogden temple grounds. We were invited by the hosts of the visitor center to view a new film about the First Vision depicting when God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to the young man Joseph Smith. At the end of the movie, Joseph Smith runs home from the Sacred Grove, the music comes up and the narrator concludes. I had the most wonderful feeling. It started in my temples, continued around to the back of my neck, and tingled down my spine. Naively, I assumed this was because of the young woman I was with, and concluded it must be true love. Not many days later, I chanced to view the movie again. As if on cue, I had exactly the same feeling at exactly the same point in the movie. It was as if it was built into the movie. I realized that the young woman was no longer with me. It was then that I realized this was a feeling of spiritual confirmation given by the Holy Ghost. It has been the gold standard for my recognition of spiritual confirmations throughout my life.
The attendance of the Holy Ghost
I have had so many experiences throughout my life where the Holy Ghost has attended and confirmed the truths being taught. Each of these experiences gave me the same feeling that I identified when I saw the movie about Joseph Smith. Often these are related to a discussion about the Holy Ghost. On my mission I was taught to teach the people about the Holy Ghost and how to recognize it. We would tell people that the Holy Ghost feels different to everybody, that it is frequently perceived as a warm or peaceful feeling. And so many times when I have taught someone about the Holy Ghost, the Holy Ghost at that very moment comes to our conversation and confirms and witnesses of himself.
This happened when we taught a young woman in her home with the missionaries. We told her about the Holy Ghost and how she might feel. I felt the Holy Ghost. I said to her, “You’re feeling it right now.” Her eyes got big, and I indeed knew that she was sensing the Holy Ghost. She was later baptized.
I frequently teach the same kind of thing in sacrament meetings. I often teach leaders that they need to teach children and youth how to recognize the Holy Ghost. Every single time that I teach about the Holy Ghost, the Holy Ghost attends and confirms the truth of the teaching and witnesses of his own presence.
The Holy Ghost also witnesses when truth is taught and the other person has understood in their heart. I have had this experience more times than I can count. I’ll be talking to someone about a gospel topic. As I share my thoughts and teach truth, I will have the confirmation of the Holy Ghost and I will know that the person to whom I’m speaking has also sensed something spiritual. Sometimes, when the conversation allows it, I will point that out to them and say, “I feel the good feeling while we were talking. I believe that is the Holy Ghost bearing witness to the truth in our conversation.”
r backside. Before I knew it, there was an ambulance and police cars in the streets. They put my little Kalina on a stretcher with her arms and legs strapped down. I was so scared, watching her half-conscious and placed in the ambulance. They closed the doors and the vehicle drove away. I ran home and we were all crying. What was to become of our little Kalina? My mother suggested that we offer a prayer. My brother said it out loud on behalf of all of us, but I said a silent prayer to just myself, pleading with Heavenly Father that Kalina would not feel pain and that she would be okay. As I offered this prayer, I had no idea what Heavenly Father’s plans were for Kalina, but I do remember that I had at least some faith. I remember thinking to myself, “I believe that God loves us and wants us to be happy. I believe that God knows we love Kalina too.” But most of all I thought as we prayed all day, “I believe that God does have a plan for Kalina and that whatever it is, I have been taught to trust in the Lord.” That night, after we all had slowly fallen asleep, my dad woke me up to let me know that Kalina was in her room, asleep and safe and just fine from the hospital. My dad had said that the doctors were very surprised to find just a couple of bruises. They had checked Kalina’s body multiple times and couldn’t find anything wrong, so they sent her on her way. My dad also told me that the doctors were perplexed at the results after the van had been going at an exceptional rate and the impact on Kalina’s back had been pretty hard.