My testimony

I feel the need today to write my testimony out; perhaps more for my own benefit and evidence of gratitude than anything, but perhaps it can benefit/uplift someone else in the process or down the road. So here goes:

THINGS I KNOW:

#1- I Know that God is Love (1 John 4)

#2- I Know that the way we show we are disciples of God is through our Love towards all around us and through our willingness to be obedient to the commands and counsels of God to both direct our own lives as well as to serve, uplift, bless, and help bring others unto salvation.

#3- I Know that God is in all and through all things. I Know that it is His Spirit that Gives Us Life, Light, Love, Joy- Health, Strength, Clarity of Mind, and Peace.

#4- I Know that our Greatest and most Painful Trials are specifically calculated to bring our souls to being able to receive forever our Greatest and most Significant Joys (aka- salvation!). They do not look like it or seem like it in the process, but they are God's Greatest Evidences of Love for us. I Know that without them we could not receive our salvation.

#5- I Know that there are 'many mansions' in the Kingdom of God, and I Know that there is one that has been prepared for me. I Know that the joy and peace and Love therein is beyond my greatest capacity to understand. And I Know that as I am obedient, as I repent for disobedience, and call out upon God and Christ for mercy, His Atoning Blood will come in and make it possible for me to get there.

#6- I Know that No One (..ah, tears)... NO ONE... is Fallen So Far or Rebelled Against God So much that they cannot call out to Him in Faith to be Redeemed. The road may not be easy and the price will not be cheap, but I Know that AS we turn from disobedience and unto obedience we will *immediately* feel God's hand Lifting us with His Grace. We will not deserve it; we will Know we do not deserve it. And we will be astounded at the manifestation of God's abundant mercy and Love towards us.

#7- I Know that while 'man looketh on the outward appearance, God looketh on the heart.' I Know that this life is the proving point to reveal to us what and where our hearts really are. Are they set upon selfishness and the 'lusts' of the world? Or are they set upon God- are they set upon Love?  When it really comes down to it, stock comes to barrell- Which do we choose?

#8- I Know that even if we have chosen wrong before, the choice is always ours to begin choosing God and Love over selfishness, pride, and lust. I Know that as we call out to God to change our hearts, to help us to choose 'the better part', His grace will cover us and lift us where we cannot manage on our own.

#9- I Know that "Perfect Love" "casteth out All fear;"  "He that feareth is not made perfect in Love."

#10- I Know that God allows us to make mistakes because He loves us. I Know that He gives to us our agency and while He may warn or indicate danger to us, the choice is ours whether we will act in line with what He wants or whether we will do what we want instead. I Know that Even the mistakes we make/ have made will be consecrated for our good and the good of others when we choose to  start making steps towards God instead.

#11- I Know that the Holy Ghost testifies of All Truth. It sees things 'as they were, as they are, and as they are to come'. I Know that as we continue in obedience and call upon Christ in faith we can receive personal witnesses and revelations from God through the Spiritual Power of The Holy Ghost as to these same things: 'things as they were, as they are, and as they are to come.' (Jacob 4:13, Mosiah 5:3-4).

#12- I Know that God is the force for All Good within this world. It is man that destroys, destructs, hinders, and hurts. It is God who heals, uplifts, forgives, redeems, sanctifies, and blesses. It is God who teaches us to do good. Who gives to us all gifts of intellect, spirit, or physical agility which we have. All talents, All languages, All capacity to understand and formulate them as well as other things that promote and uplift society and unite men together are Sourced from God.

#13 I Know that it is God who unites, and Satan who seperates.

#14. I Know that Jesus Christ Lives. I Know that HE IS The Way, The Truth, and The Life. HE IS our redemption. Without Him we are dead.

#15: I Know that The Restored Church of Jesus Christ is on the earth today. I Know That He stands at its head and directs its affairs, and that through Him the authority to bless and act in God's name has been given again to man. I Know that these powers can 'only be controlled and maintained upon the principles of righteousness: ....long-suffering, and love-unfeigned.' And I Know that as we consecrate ourselves to the Lord's work, call out upon His name in Faith that we 'might be saved, not through the righteousness of the law but through the righteousness that is of faith' that we will be able to perform miracles in His name and call down blessings(/cursings) from heaven.

#16- I Know that Faith is the first principle of the Gospel. That Repentance is the second. That Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins is the third and that then the laying on of hands by those who are in authority for the gift of the Holy Ghost is the fourth.

#17- I Know that as we act in obedience to the promptings of the Holy Ghost, to our baptismal covenants, and the commandments and counsels of God as communicated to us directly as well as through His words to others who have gone before us in the scriptures, that as we endure our trials well- That is, continue to be obedient, repent, and call upon God throughout them, through  the process of time we can experience a second baptism- The baptism of fire. This baptism not only washes away sin; it purifies it completely out of us. It sancitifies and seals us God's. And many more blessings pertain to it as well.

#18- I Know that God loves His children, 'nevertheless, i do not know the meaning of all things.' I Know that He hears and answers prayers of His obedient children who are striving to do all they Know is right. I Know that any question, any trial, any heartache, any ailment, sickness, disease, hurt, pain, can be answered by Him if we will put forth the spiritual work to be able to obtain it. I Know that the works of God are deep, and 'the depth thereof no man knows'. Each of us cannot here and now know All, But I Know that each of us can Know what we need to Know for ourselves, if we will call upon Him in Faith.

#19- I Know that Jesus Christ Loves Me. I Know that He has Redeemed Me; He has snatched (and continues to snatch) My soul from the bitterness of hell; He has released me from fear. And I Know, perhaps most importantly, That I Cannot Serve Him on my own; I Know that I am dependent upon Him. I am learning what is meant by 'the depths of humility'. I am praying for my soul to be fused into His and to have all evidence and will of 'me' taken and burned away. I am poison. I am destruction. Christ IS Life. To be sanctified, blessed, uplifted by the Fire of His Love and His Redeeming Grace is my daily goal towards which I hope to be inching closer in each moment.

#20- I Know that as a disciple of Christ it is up to me to share my testimony of Him and of the salvation we can gain from Him with the world. And I Know that as we serve and uplift and comfort those around us we open the doors to being able to ministers to them of that same joy and Love which we ourselves Know and Feel. :).