"Behold, I say unto you that none of the prophets have written, nor prophesied, save they have spoken concerning this Christ." (Jacob 7:10-11)

Day #13

As a journal keeper, these particular verses make me stop and ponder the purpose of the scriptures, who wrote them, and why they took the time to do so.

"And I said unto him: Believest thou the scriptures? And he said, Yea. And I said unto him: Then ye do not understand them: for they truly testify of Christ. Behold, I say unto you that none of the prophets have written, nor prophesied, save they have spoken concerning this Christ." 

(Jacob 7:10-11)

When we read the scriptures, what we are really reading is the testimony of prophets of God. Men who have had their own spiritual witness of the Son of God, even Jesus Christ. That He is the Savior and Redeemer of all mankind.

I love that we have the witness of the prophets from Israel and Jerusalem, even the record of the Old and New Testament. I love that we also have the record of the prophets who testified of Christ in the Ancient America's as recorded in the Book of Mormon. And I am so very grateful, on a daily basis, for a living prophet today, who talks and walks with God, and has revelation for the Church and the entire world. All prophets testify of Christ.

I add my witness to the prophets. I testify that as you follow the example of Jesus Christ in your actions, thoughts, and how you speak, then you will be happier and more at peace with others and yourself. I have learned from personal experience that when I truly try to love as He loves, and live as He did, His ways are always better. Jesus Christ is the Savior and Redeemer of the World. His purpose is "to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man" (Moses 1:39). He died for me and for you because He loves us more than words can express. This I testify.

I love reading and studying the scriptures on a daily basis. They testify of Jesus Christ and as I have read and learned of Him, my life has changed in more ways than I can explain. All I know is that I am happier and more at peace the more I learn and study about Him. I invite you to learn for yourself. 

Yea, all things which come of the earth... are made for the benefit and the use of man, both to please the eye and to gladden the heart" (D&C 59:18)

My 10 year old son will still ask me to come and listen to him say his nightly prayer every once in a while. (I know this isn't going to last much longer, I will enjoy it while it does last). When he prays he will sometimes say, "Thank You for this wonderful world we have to live in". My son is spot on, we do have a wonderful world to live in, especially with all its modern conveniences and life of ease and comfort. "And it pleaseth God that He hath given all these things unto man" (D&C 59:20). There aren't words to describe the world God created for us that is filled with beauty and joy.

As I have pondered my sons gratitude to Heavenly Father I have thought of so many blessings we now enjoy and possibly take for granted in our busy, everyday lives. I remember in my teenage years my grandfather would tell me how he remembered when television was first invented. Think of all the information that is shared through television (let alone through books, computer, classes, people) for our benefit and good: news, weather, educational shows, we can learn about every kind of animal and bird, plants, herbs, gardening, building and construction, the seasons, and the earth, cooking shows, cycling, and we can watch  General Conference, just to name a few things. All this is "made for the benefit and the use of man, both to please the eye and gladden the heart. Yea, for food and for raiment, for taste and for smell, to strengthen the body, and to enliven the soul." (D&C 59:18-19).

I love these words: "for the benefit and the use of man, both to please the eye and gladden the heart...and to enliven the soul". The Lord has blessed us with an incredible world in which to live. I only listed a few of the things that make my everyday life easier, let alone gladden my heart, taste good, please my eye, smell good, strengthen my body, may use for clothes, or enliven my soul. I am sure you can come up with a few of your own items or ideas which bring any if not all of these blessings into your life daily.

Another quick thought about this "wonderful world we live in" is that not only do these items bless our lives by making it easier, more joyful and "gladden our hearts", but they also testify that there is a God. "And behold, all things...are created and made to bear record of [Christ], both things which are temporal, and things which are spiritual; things which are in the heavens above, and things which are on the earth, and things which are in the earth, and things which are under the earth, both above and beneath: all things bear record of [Christ]" (Moses 6:63). The prophet Alma also taught: "...All things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator" (Alma 30:44).

What a blessing to have all these witnesses of Christ surround us, to gladden our hearts, for our benefit and use, for taste and for smell and to strengthen our bodies and "enliven the soul" (D&C 59:18-19). We really can "feel [our] Savior's love, in all the world around [us]" (Children's Songbook #74) as we give thanks for the beauty and creations that have been given to us.

~Here are a few items/blessings that gladden my heart, enliven my soul, or otherwise...

Indoor plumbing...it gladdens my heart because its indoors and it got fixed.

Cycling...this particular picture was taken just before a ride with my dad and my brother-in-law around Bear Lake. Love  this sport!!!

Basket weaving...definitely cheaper than therapy.

Cherry pie our 10 year old son made, with gluten free crust so his sister could eat it, too. It tasted as good as it looks!

Roses from my back yard neighbors. I love yellow roses! 

The temple is a place I love to attend. (Click here to learn about why I attend temples.)

This little group of people...let me just say, my heart soars when I think of them. I love spending time with them.

After looking at all of these incredible blessings in my life, I testify, there is a God. He lives. He loves us. And He knows our needs, our pains, our desires, our hopes, our dreams, our every thing. He also knows what is best for us. Our challenge is to trust Him, The Creator of this beautiful world we live in.

"In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established" (2 Cor 13:1)

As I was reading from The Book of Mormon today in 3 Nephi 11, I reread the account when Jesus Christ shows Himself unto the people of Nephi. When they first see the resurrected Lord it reads, "they saw a Man descending out of heaven; and he was clothed in a white robe; and he came down and stood in the midst of them; and the eyes of the whole multitude were turned upon him, and they durst not open their mouths, even one to another, and wist not what it meant, for they thought it was an angel that had appeared unto them" (3 Nephi 11:8). Every eye is turned towards Him, and everyone sees Christ. They witnessed with their eyes the Savior of the world, but they were not sure if it was Christ. They thought it might have been an angel. Gratefully, God is a merciful God and follows patterns and in this case, the law of witnesses. 

Paul taught the law of witnesses and we are taught it as well in our day. It reads: "In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established" (2 Cor 13:1; D&C 6:28; see also Deut.19:15; talks here and here). We don't need to rely on just one voice or one witness to tell us if something is true. What a blessing the Holy Ghost is to confirm for us things we have felt, seen, and heard. This is the role of the Holy Ghost, to testify and witness of Jesus Christ (see 2 Nephi 31:18). The people of Nephi also get to experience the law of witnesses. I will continue to explain.

The people of Nephi then hear the voice of the Lord (see 3 Nephi 11:10-11). They hear His voice and He identifies Himself saying: "Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world. And behold, I have drunk out of that bitter cup which the Father hath given me, and have glorified the Father in taking upon me the sins of the world, in the which I have suffered the will of the Father in all things from the beginning" (3 Nephi 11:11). This is the second witness for the people of Nephi. They hear the voice of the Savior of the world with their own ears. Their reaction is heartfelt and humbling. "When Jesus had spoken these words the whole multitude fell to the earth; for they remembered that it had been prophesied among them that Christ should show Himself unto them after His ascension into heaven" (3 Nephi 11:12). 

The people of Nephi had been taught for 400 years by prophets that Christ would appear to them after His resurrection. They fell to the earth and worshiped Him. His great love for them is manifested in His reaction to this testimony of realizing that the prophesies had been fulfilled and Christ was indeed before them. Christ, the God of the whole world didn't expect them to just rely upon their eyes and ears, which would have been enough, according to the law of witnesses. But their Savior, and ours, goes farther than that; He invites them to come and feel and then know.

 "The Lord spake unto them saying: Arise and come forth unto me, that may thrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know that I am the God of Israel, and the God of the whole earth, and have been slain for the sins of the world" (3 Nephi 11:14). And the people, all of them, "went forth, and thrust their hands into His side, and did feel the prints of the nails in His hands and in His feet; and this they did do, going forth one by one until they had all gone forth, and did see with their eyes and did feel with their hands, and did know of a surety and did bear record, that it was He, of whom it was written by the prophets, that should come" (3 Nephi 11:15). They were able to see, hear,  come, and feel that they may have their own witness of Jesus Christ. After which, they "did bear record" that it was Christ. 

I add my own witness and record, that I too, have seen and have read the words of the prophets and apostles that testify of Christ. I have come to Christ by trying my best to keep His commandments and follow Him. As I have done this I have felt the Holy Ghost witness to me that "This is the Christ". The Savior of all mankind. Without Him, all mankind would be lost (see 1 Nephi 10:6). But we are not lost. There is great hope and we need not fear as we see, hear, come, feel and know Jesus is the Christ. This I Testify.

This is one of my favorite Hymn's "This Is The Christ"

words written by  Elder James E. Faust (July 31, 1920 – August 10, 2007)