His Gospel: An Anchor and a Grounding Point

Throughout my life the Gospel of Jesus Christ and my testimony of His restored Gospel has been an anchor and grounding point for me. As a young child, I remember feeling the truth that my parents taught as they expressed their love and testimony for their Savior and His Gospel. This feeling of truth stayed with me as I grew, and through experiences of my own, I was able to deepen my understanding, faith, and my own testimony. This has been and will always be a continual process for me. As I have gotten older, and the world around us becomes more confusing and in turmoil, I have to hold on to that truth that I know and continue to allow His Gospel and light to be my anchor. Having a living prophet on the earth today is such a blessing for us all. I am really grateful for this reminder that President Nelson gave this past conference, “If you have sincere questions about the gospel or the Church, as you choose to let God prevail, you will be led to find and understand the absolute, eternal truths that will guide your life and help you stay firmly on the covenant path.” So even when I can’t see quite clearly and feel a little in the dark, if I continue to let God prevail in my life, choosing to believe in Him and His gospel, I will be able to feel that absolute and eternal truth that I have felt before and know to be true. So, I choose to believe because truth is truth and I know that the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ is that absolute and eternal truth.

Love,

Shannon Ireland

Seeing the Hand of the Lord in Your Life

Last November I was counseled through a Priesthood blessing to increase the amount of time studying the scriptures. I pondered the blessing for a few weeks and then decided on my plan of action. I’m so grateful for that blessing! As I read and studied the scriptures for a few additional minutes each day there were so many teachings that seemed to jump off the page, things that I hadn’t noticed before. As I look back on difficulty of these past several months it is the scriptures, especially the Book of Mormon that has helped me to keep going. I have also found great peace in General Conference talks.

A few years ago I read in a book that President Eyring wrote in his journal about how he had seen the hand of the Lord in his life that day. I wasn’t much of a journal writer at the time but I decided that I could at least write a few lines as President Eyring suggested. Since then I have tried to write in my journal about how I had seen the hand of the Lord that day. As I began to record these experiences I became so much more aware of the blessings and the tender mercies me and my family were receiving on a daily basis. There have been days lately when it’s been difficult to come up with something to write about since most days aren’t real exciting and they all seem to run together. When this happens and I get down or discouraged I go back and read some of the entries from my journal. I am reminded of the many blessings the Lord has given me and how grateful I am for those experiences. It helps me to put one foot in front of the other and to move forward.

I Choose to Believe that the Lord speaks to us through the scriptures and the words of our modern day prophets and apostles. These words have brought so much peace and strength to my soul and I’m so grateful for the wonderful blessings that have come to me by studying the scriptures.

~Shauna Weidman

Making Time to Hear Him

Why do I believe? Nothing is sure in life except the love of our Savior and the Gospel. As the world is in total chaos right now, I am so grateful to know something that is true and that I can believe in. My sister told me of a challenge her husband gave to her. When she is in the car alone, not to turn on the radio. Let there be silence so she could “hear”. I loved that challenge and try to do it myself. It is a time where I can just focus on what the Savior wants me to do, a time where I can just hear Him. I am thankful for that time alone to listen. It brings me peace. I am with people daily that don’t have the same belief as me but hope by my example they can see what the Gospel brings into my life. Awhile back a co-worker of mine asked me if I would pray with her. She is not a religious person but knew that I was and hoped that I could help her. There we were in the back room of my business and I offered up a prayer with her as she was going to the doctor that day and was worried. Heavenly Father blessed her life that day. Our Prophet also helps me to stay believing. He brings such hope and love when he speaks to us. I am a little anxious about his comment that “We need to buckle up”, but know that if I am doing all I can, I will be blessed. I don’t know what is coming down the road, but I am just leaning on the scriptures, family, the words of the prophet, and the Holy Ghost that will get me through “still believing”.

~Jamie Hancey

I Find Peace in My Savior and My Prophet

Holy Moly is this world for real?!? I cannot believe how often I look at Facebook or the news or look at the magazines in the grocery store aisle and am left reeling (and nauseous) at how bizarre this world is getting. So much Evil . I even miss the three headed baby and alien abduction headlines from the National Inquirer.

I find peace in my Savior and my Prophet. My son asked me “who do you think you will vote for for president? Like, who do you like?” ... I thought about it and tried to answer, but all I could come up with is “I love our Prophet”.

I choose to believe that my Heavenly Father loves me, that the Holy Ghost will guide and direct me and that my Savior and Redeemer lives!!!

~Heather Wykstra

Heavenly Father has Prepared Us for This Time

As I contemplate the past few months I realize how much I have taken for granted. Church attendance, travel, steady ground, jobs/financial security, gathering with friends and family, shopping and buying what we need when we need it, going to a hair salon... just to name a few. I'm happy for things slowly getting back to normal, and was very grateful to have been able to attend church today for the first time in months. My prayers continue for things to get better with this sickness that our world is facing, along with other problems that seem to divide people.

I choose to believe and have faith that our Heavenly Father has prepared us for this time and it plays some part in his plan for us that we can't always comprehend (Mosiah 4:9), and that we should take heed of the counsel of the prophet and apostles. This can also stress me out a bit; especially when things don't go as WE plan... but prayer and my testimony of our Savior also calms me and gives me hope. I know He lives and is there for us always.

~Lorna Gillespie

Listening to the Prophet has Filled Me with Peace

With all the fear, change and uncertainty in the world right now, I Choose to Believe. There have been few times in my life that I have felt the spirit stronger than when President Nelson has addressed us during this pandemic. With his tender council and concern for us, I know that my Heavenly Father is aware of me and that He has never left my side. Listening to President Nelson has filled me with peace and assurance that things will be okay. When I listen to the prophet I am given the strength to have faith over fear.

 ~Mandi Richins

He Knows My Need

"I choose to believe because I see His hand in my life every day, even in small things if I look. Right before all this craziness broke out, we started redoing our family room. To make a long story short, there were issues with the painting and our painter told us we would have to refinish some walls because the paint wouldn’t work. He said he would try but he didn’t think it would work. I was devastated! My husband had worked really hard and we didn’t have the energy or time to redo it. I broke down in tears in prayer to my Heavenly Father asking if there was any chance for a miracle, even in this little thing that the painting would work. I left to take care of my mom. While there, I received a text from the painter that it looked great! It didn’t need redone. It was a little miracle to me. I believe because I know the power of prayer and fasting. Even in things that seem trivial, He knows they are important to me. I choose to believe because I can look back at the recent changes in the church and what we have been asked to do by the prophet and see that we were being trained and prepared to handle the trials for this crazy time. It’s such a turbulent time with the uncertainty of the economy and jobs, as well as the illnesses, but the more I remember Him, the more peace I have and am hopeful for the future." -Nancy C.