One Of The Outstanding Characteristics Of Members...

One of the outstanding characteristics of members of this Church is testimony bearing. Nearly all church speeches include the bearing of testimony. This is our mission, as members of the Church, to testify of the truthfulness of the gospel to our fellow men. ¶

What Is a Testimony? ¶

What is a testimony? We speak of it as a valued possession, which it truly is. ¶

Webster says it is evidence, proof, a solemn declaration. Then a testimony of the gospel is your solemn declaration of the truthfulness of the gospel according to your knowledge thereof. ¶

Blessings Predicated Upon Obedience To have a testimony of God and his Son Jesus Christ can bring about the greatest blessing you can attain in this mortal existence. Each blessing is obtained by fulfilling the law upon which that blessing is predicated. The law upon which this blessing is predicated is given extensively throughout the scriptures. ¶

In Matthew we read: "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: ¶

"For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened." (Matt. ¶

7:7-8. Italics added.) Moroni also promises: "... I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. ¶

"By the Power of the Holy Ghost Ye May Know" ¶

"And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things. ¶

"And whatsoever thing is good is just and true; wherefore, nothing that is good denieth the Christ, but acknowledgeth that he is. ¶

"And ye may know that he is, by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore I would exhort you that ye deny not the power of God; for he worketh by power, according to the faith of the children of men, the same today and tomorrow, and forever." (Moroni 10:4-7.) What does it mean to knock or seek? ¶

This is a way of saying, "It requires effort on your part." Study, pray, act — do something about it! Knowledge alone saves no one. Lucifer knows, and it is this knowledge which is to his damnation. Without proper action, it can be the same to anyone else. ¶

Moroni said: ". . . by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things." (Ibid., 10:5.) One may ask, "How does one receive a message from the Holy Ghost?" ¶

A Personage of Spirit The Holy Ghost is a Personage of Spirit. We also have a spirit body as well as a mortal body. We were personages of spirit before we came upon this earth. ¶

The Lord said to Job: "Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. ¶

"Who hath laid the measure thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it? ¶

"Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof: ¶

"When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?" (Job 38:4-7.) Are we not the sons of God who at that time shouted for joy? ¶

Abraham also tells us the following: ¶

"Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the intelligences that were organized before the world was; and among all these there were many of the noble and great ones; "And God saw these souls that they were good, and he stood in the midst of them, and he said: These I will make my rulers; for he stood among those that were spirits, and he saw that they were good; and he said unto me: Abraham, thou art one of them; thou wast chosen before thou wast born." (Abraham 3: ¶

22-23.) Before we came on the earth, we were all spirits. What is a spirit? We use the word "spirit" to describe anything and everything, all elements that are not mortal — so we had a non-earthly body. ¶

We were nevertheless individuals. We had the power and ability to see, think, act, make decisions. We even took part in that great war in heaven, as a result of which Lucifer was cast out of heaven. ¶

Our spirit body has the same shape and form as the physical body. The spirit body then has arms, legs, a head, and a mind. ¶

When we came to earth, we took upon us a physical or mortal body of flesh and bones. The separation of these two bodies we call death. Through the atonement of Christ these two bodies will be reunited again. This we call the resurrection. ¶

In coming into mortality we forget all from the previous life for a wise purpose in the Lord. In effect, a barrier or veil is placed between the spirit mind and the mortal mind. ¶

Analogies Now, I think if we will apply some of the laws of electronics, that is, radio and television, we will be aided in a possible understanding of how we can receive a message from the Holy Ghost. ¶

We have a spirit mind and a mortal mind. Our spirit mind can receive messages from the Holy Ghost, who is a spirit. ¶

In this room now there are many waves going by of sound, of pictures, and even of colored pictures. We cannot detect them with our mortal eyes or ears, but if we set up a receiving set and put it in tune, then we pick up the sound Or pictures by the mortal ears or eyes. Similarly, the Holy Ghost may be constantly sending out messages like a broadcasting station. If you put yourself in tune, that is, knock or ask or seek, you may receive the message. It may be as if you were to open an imaginary window or door between your spirit mind and your physical mind and permit the message to come through. Spirit can talk to spirit, and you are part spirit — just open that imaginary door and let the mortal mind receive. To open it requires study, prayer, action or works, or knock, and it shall be opened unto you. ¶

There is no salvation with just knowledge alone — for ". . . the devils also believe, and tremble," says James (James 2:19), then adds, "But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?" (Ibid., 2:20.) Knowledge From the Holy Ghost is Sure Get that knowledge that you may have a testimony. Knowledge from the Holy Ghost is sure. When it comes to you, you know and cannot deny it. Moroni said: ¶

"And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things." ¶

(Moroni 10:5.) Testimony By Divine Revelation It is the primary function of the Holy Ghost to testify of the Father and his Son Jesus Christ. Therefore, we bear testimony that we know, and so I testify that I know that God lives, that Jesus is the Christ, that God is literally my Father in heaven. I testify that by divine revelation through the Prophet Joseph Smith, the gospel has been restored on the earth in this the last dispensation or the Dispensation of the Fulness of Times. ¶

I testify that this same authority to hold the keys of the priesthood of God has been continued on to the present prophet, seer, and revel ator, and President of the Church, President David O. ¶

McKay, in the name of Jesus Christ. ¶

Amen. ¶