All the easy things have been done...

I have recently received a few emails from different people who I don't know, but who are searching for an understanding of what the church believes or who are investigating the gospel.  They stumbled on my blog in that search and emailed me with their questions.

I always try to answer their questions as best I can, but one person, who is investigating the church for the second time asked me to tell her why I am a member of the church.  I thought that was a funny question (no offense to her intended), but I thought, if that's not obvious after over 1,000 blog posts that I have written on the subject, then I don't know what I could say more.

I've thought about her questions though and her situation on and off for a few days, but yesterday, as I was sitting quietly after taking the Sacrament, I was reading through the notes that I took during the General RS Broadcast, and I found the answer that I need to give to this person. 

Quoting the Savior, Linda K. Burton said, "If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine." And in my notes I wrote, "that it is true."

There is no other way to gain a testimony.  We must follow the commandments and do what Christ and his prophets have asked us to in order to get an understanding of their words.  No one can talk us or explain us into an understanding, unless we are willing, through our actions, to follow Him.

This goes for each one of us, who have already entered into covenants with the Lord.  If there are parts of the doctrine that we won't understand or counsel from our leaders which are hard for us to accept, we cannot expect to gain a testimony of them until we follow them in faith.

Not talk about them, or blog about them, or gripe about them, or reason away our disagreement with them...FOLLOW THEM.

In her remarks, Sister Burton also quoted Elder Neal A. Maxwell saying, "All the easy things that the Church has had to do have been done.  From now on, it's high adventure, and followership is going to be tested in some interesting ways."

Our willingness and ability to follow the prophets is going to be tested in some interesting ways.  Can you feel it already?  I think I can.  It's exhilarating and sometimes a little scary to know that the time is at hand.  Our "four minutes" to perform the duties we came here to perform is now!!

I love what Bishop Gary E. Stevenson said about our "four minutes" of mortal performance.  He said, "Self-discipline is needed.  Daily prayer, scripture study, and church attendance must be the foundation of your training.  A consistent pattern of obeying the commandments, keeping the covenants you have made, and following the Lord's standard found in For the Strength of Youth is required."

When is a good time to start doing these things?

Bishop Stevenson said, "Don't wait.  Your four minutes will pass quickly, and you'll have eternity to think about what you did in this life."

I can certainly feel our leaders asking us to fall in and to stand with the Savior in every possible circumstance, every single time.  Are we ready for high adventure?  Are we spiritually fit to be tested?  The only way I can think of to prepare for this is to be obedient to his counsel now, to "do His will" now, so that we too can KNOW of His doctrine, that it is true.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got some scriptures to read...