So my grandson recently turned eight years old, and my daughter asked us to each write our testimonies down on an index card that she is putting together for Jacob for his baptism this weekend. 

How does one fit onto a little card what does not fit in one's heart and mind?  And how do you express in words fit for an eight year old how you feel, when the whole English language already feels so limited?

Since I have a little more space here, and I don't have to worry so much about the size of words I use, I wish to bear that testimony publically to Jacob and my other grandchildren (Mason, Jonathan, Jessica, Aaron, Alyssa and Ashley).

I testify that God lives.  He is our Heavenly Father and loves us so intensely that we cannot begin to imagine how much love that really is.  All we can do is allow Him into our hearts and lives, and feel the love He pours in.  I testify that Jesus is our Savior, Lord and King.  He has saved us from death and hell, and I am filled with great joy when I think upon his love for us.

I testify that God speaks to living prophets today.  Joseph Smith was an amazing and awesome prophet of God!  His prophecies and revelations still amaze me after being a member for 35 years.  I testify that Thomas S. Monson is truly called of God to hold the keys of priesthood and revelation for us and the world.

I love the scriptures, but mostly, I love the Book of Mormon.  It really is the word of God.  I have read it about 75 times, and each time I learn new things as the Spirit reveals new ways of seeing the holy writ.  I am filled with revelation and prophecy as I read the Book of Mormon, and the Lord shows me new ways of looking at my life and my relationship with Christ, as I study it.

The Lord has blessed me with many wonderful spiritual experiences that have enhanced my testimony and understanding over the years.  While they are not made for a public blog like this, I hope each of you will ask me when you are ready, to share some of my experiences with you.  I hope that your life can be as wonderful and enriched by the Holy Spirit as mine has been.

I know we live in very challenging times.  The world is full of sin and sinners, who like what they do.  I testify that as you seek the Spirit in your lives, you will be filled with a sublime joy that no one can take from you.  You will be able to stand strong through the trials and difficulties that come your way, as the Holy Ghost will be your companion and guide in life.  You will be able to look forward with hope and joy for the day when the Savior comes again, and when we will all be together in heaven as a big, happy family.

I testify of these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Tags: Testimony Child Belief Testify

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One of the easily missed, but most important revelations in the Book of Mormon is in the very first chapter of the book.  After describing himself, Nephi jumps almost immediately into the prophetic calling of his father, Lehi.  This calling is a testament of Joseph Smith's understanding of ancient things that needed to be restored.

What is a "theophany"?  It is an experience where the individual approaches the throne of God.  The Old and New Testaments briefly share a few theophanies, but most are somewhat cryptic.  Of the ones in the Bible, the most notable ones are Jacob's Ladder/Staircase into heaven, Moses and the 70 elders of Israel seeing God, Isaiah 6 (depicting the premortal Divine Council, with Isaiah standing in as Jehovah in the one being "sent"}, the martyr Stephen seeing the throne of God with Jesus on God's right hand, and John the Revelator's description of God's throne.

Of all of these, little is really understood about theophanies, until one studies the non-Biblical Jewish and Christian texts.  Among these ascensions to God's throne, are the books of Enoch, the Apocalypse of Paul, and the Ascension of Isaiah.  This blog will discuss the latter, as it ties in directly with Lehi's theophany.

In the Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi chapter 1, Lehi views the throne of God.  Christ descends with his apostles and go forth throughout the earth.  Lehi is given a book to read, upon which he prophecies of the people of the earth.

Isaiah explains to Hezekiah and others that he's had a big vision.  In it, he foresees the coming of Christ and his apostles (ch 3) to the earth.  He explains that while Moses said no one could see the face of God and live, Isaiah HAD seen God's face and lived!

Isaiah's ascension begins in chapter 7 of the text.  Isaiah is guided by an angel (see Lehi's other vision of the Tree of Life 1 Ne 8-11) through the seven levels of heaven.  He describes the beings that dwell on each level as he ascends.  

In chapter 9:22, Isaiah is given a book to read, wherein he reads, "I read it, and lo! the deeds of the children of Israel were written therein, and the deeds of those whom I know (not)...." 

Isaiah sees the throne of God, with a being on both the right and left of God's throne (v. 33-36). He is told that the one on the right is the Son and the one on the left is the Holy Spirit.  There is no mistaking the anthropomorphism, nor the physical separation between the members of the Godhead in this text.

In chapter 10, God the Father instructs Jesus to descend through the levels of heaven to the earth, ensuring that as he descends, he empties himself of glory, so that he appears to each level of being as they are. 

Isaiah then foresees the birth of Christ through the virgin Mary, much like is seen by Lehi and Nephi in the Vision of the Tree of Life. 

So, here we have many key concepts between the Ascension of Isaiah, not available to Joseph Smith to read, and the first book of Nephi.  In both, the prophet ascends to God's throne.  In both, each is given a book to read, prophecying of the future peoples of the earth.  In both, the Christ is seen descending from heaven and coming to Earth.  Both prophets see the virgin birth, and the twelve apostles.

Was Joseph Smith a lucky guesser, a mystic genius, or a true prophet of God?

Tags: Book Of Mormon Ascension Isaiah Theophany Lehi

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In his day, Joseph Smith was viewed as a simpleton, whose Book of Mormon was a lame attempt at making a Bible.

Today, we have thousands of web pages, articles and books that discuss in depth, much of the importance of the things Joseph Smith claimed to restore from ancient times.  Serious modern scholars, who take more than just a cursory look, see a brilliant genius.  In his book, The American Religion, scholar Harold Bloom noted just that, seeing Joseph Smith to be the emblem of American faith, a person who somehow succeeded in creating a religion based on many ancient ideals.  Other scholars, like the famous archaeologist, William F. Albright, was impressed that Joseph Smith would include then unknown Egyptian names in the Book of Mormon.

In Joseph's day, almost no one believed the ancients believed in multiple heavens, deification, an anthropomorphic God, that God and Jesus are separate beings, continuing revelation, etc.

For years, Biblicists stated that we know archaeological sites in the Bible, but not from the Book of Mormon, suggesting that this, in and of itself, "proves" it false. Yet, in the last decade or so, scholars have uncovered Nahum, and probable sites for the Arabian Bountiful and Lemuel's valley.  In the Americas, we've found strong potential sites for the book of Mormon; and ancient villages with Book of Mormon names, such as Lamanai (Laman, Lamoni).

While these do not prove anything, one would think that the hundreds of evidences, both big and small, would add up to a statistical point that would capture people's interest.  But then, the gospel is only for the open minded, who are willing to believe on some physical, but mostly spiritual evidence; and not on outright proof.

Tags: Restoration Ancient Joseph Smith

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