The Perfect A

Arturo Toscanini, the late, famous conductor of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, received a brief, crumpled letter from a lonely sheepherder in the remote mountain area of Wyoming:

“Mr. Conductor: I have only two possessions—a radio and an old violin. The batteries in my radio are getting low and will soon die. My violin is so out of tune I can’t use it. Please help me. Next Sunday when you begin your concert, sound a loud ‘A’ so I can tune my ‘A’ string; then I can tune the other strings. When my radio batteries are dead, I’ll have my violin.”

At the beginning of his next nationwide radio concert from Carnegie Hall, Toscanini announced: “For a dear friend and listener back in the mountains of Wyoming the orchestra will now sound an ‘A.’ ” The musicians all joined together in a perfect “A.”

The lonely sheepherder only needed one note, just a little help to get back in tune; he could go on from there. He needed someone who cared to assist him with one string; the others would be easy. Then, with all strings in tune—in harmony—the lonely sheepherder would have a source of companionship and joy and could play uplifting strains.
(David B. Haight, “People to People,” Ensign, Nov 1981, 54)

Where do we find our perfect A to tune our lives?

The scriptures tell us where we can find our perfect A. The scriptures tell us who to turn to and why we need to turn to Him.

Helaman 5:12
And now, my sons, (daughters, mothers, fathers), remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.

All we have to do is find the time to read and study the scriptures. In all honesty we don't have the time not to read them. We can gain a testimony from the scriptures and we can in turn help our children learn to love the scriptures and gain their own testimony of Jesus Christ. Nothing else in life matters. Our testimony will be the thing that will pull us through the trials that face us.

Stake Conference

We had a great stake conference.  One of the things talked about was testimony.  We must each develop our own testimony.  We can not live on borrowed light.  I know I have heard that many times but then something else was said that I have either not heard or just not remembered.  Our light must be original not reflective.  The glory of the celestial is that of the sun.  The sun gives off original light.  The glory of the terrestrial is that of the moon.  The moon's light is reflective.  

So where do I want my testimony to be?  Do I want original or reflective?  I was outside the other night when the moon was full.  I remember thinking it was enjoyable to see the beauty of the night sky and be able to walk around by the light of the moon.  Then I stepped on a small stick and almost tripped myself.  Hum.  I'll go for original light.  There are just too many things out there that will trip you up if you don't have enough light.

One of the other talks that I liked talked about the foundation of the Salt Lake temple.  They used sandstone to build the foundation then covered it up when Johnston's army came in.  When they uncovered the foundation they found it was cracked.  They redid the foundation with granite and not mortar.  The stones were fitted closely enough that they did not need mortar.  Next, they talked about how the church has been established on the foundation apostles and prophets.  The third foundation we need to establish is our personal life on the firm foundation of faith.  I like how the three foundations related to each other.  

One of my favorite scriptures talks about foundations.  Helaman 5:12

And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation:  that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.

So, faith, foundations, testimony.  How do we build them?  

1.  prayer

2.  scripture study

3.  family home evening

4.  listen to the prophets

When are the prophets going to talk about something else?  When we get these right!

Being Valiant in a Testimony of Christ Part 2

Ezra Taft Benson said:

A most priceless blessing available to every member of the Church is a testimony of the divinity of Jesus Christ and His church. A testimony is one of the few possessions we may take with us when we leave this life.

To have a testimony of Jesus is to possess knowledge through the Holy Ghost of the divine mission of Jesus Christ.

A testimony of Jesus is to know the divine nature of our Lord’s birth—that He is indeed the Only Begotten Son in the flesh.

A testimony of Jesus is to know that He was the promised Messiah and that while He sojourned among men He accomplished many mighty miracles.

A testimony of Jesus is to know that the laws which He prescribed as His doctrine are true and then to abide by these laws and ordinances.

To possess a testimony of Jesus is to know that He voluntarily took upon Himself the sins of all mankind in the Garden of Gethsemane, which caused Him to suffer in both body and spirit and to bleed from every pore. All this He did so that we would not have to suffer if we would repent. (See D&C 19:16, 18.)

To possess a testimony of Jesus is to know that He came forth triumphantly from the grave with a physical, resurrected body. And because He lives, so shall all mankind.

To possess a testimony of Jesus is to know that God the Father and Jesus Christ did indeed appear to the Prophet Joseph Smith to establish a new dispensation of His gospel so that salvation may be preached to all nations before He comes.

To possess a testimony of Jesus is to know that the Church which He established in the meridian of time and restored in modern times is, as the Lord has declared, “the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth.” (D&C 1:30.)

To possess a testimony of Jesus is to receive the words of His servants, the prophets, for as He has said, “whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same.” (D&C 1:38.)

A testimony of Jesus means that you accept the divine mission of Jesus Christ, embrace His gospel, and do His works; it means you accept the prophetic mission of Joseph Smith and his successors.

Speaking of those who will eventually receive the blessings of the celestial kingdom, the Lord said to Joseph Smith: “They are they who received the testimony of Jesus, and believed on his name and were baptized after the manner of his burial, being buried in the water in his name, and this according to the commandment which he has given.” (D&C 76:51.) These are they who are valiant in their testimony of Jesus, who, as the Lord has declared “overcome by faith, and are sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, which the Father sheds forth upon all those who are just and true.” (D&C 76:53.)

“Those who are just and true”! What an apt expression for one valiant in the testimony of Jesus. They are courageous in defending truth and righteousness. These are members of the Church who magnify their callings in the Church (see D&C 84:33), pay their tithes and offerings, live morally clean lives, sustain their Church leaders by word and action, keep the Sabbath as a holy day, and obey all the commandments of God.

Ezra Taft Benson, “Valiant in the Testimony of Jesus,” Ensign, May 1982, 62

Being Valiant in a Testimony of Christ

Here is what Bruce R McConkie had to say about being valiant.

Bruce R. McConkie, “Be Valiant in the Fight of Faith,” Ensign, Nov 1974, 33

Now what does it mean to be valiant in the testimony of Jesus?

It is to be courageous and bold; to use all our strength, energy, and ability in the warfare with the world; to fight the good fight of faith. “Be strong and of a good courage,” the Lord commanded Joshua, and then specified that this strength and courage consisted of meditating upon and observing to do all that is written in the law of the Lord. (See Josh. 1:6–9.) The great cornerstone of valiance in the cause of righteousness is obedience to the whole law of the whole gospel.

To be valiant in the testimony of Jesus is to “come unto Christ, and be perfected in him”; it is to deny ourselves “of all ungodliness,” and “love God” with all our “might, mind and strength.” (Moro. 10:32.)

To be valiant in the testimony of Jesus is to believe in Christ and his gospel with unshakable conviction. It is to know of the verity and divinity of the Lord’s work on earth.

But this is not all. It is more than believing and knowing. We must be doers of the word and not hearers only. It is more than lip service; it is not simply confessing with the mouth the divine Sonship of the Savior. It is obedience and conformity and personal righteousness. “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” (Matt. 7:21.)

To be valiant in the testimony of Jesus is to “press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men.” It is to “endure to the end.” (2 Ne. 31:20.) It is to live our religion, to practice what we preach, to keep the commandments. It is the manifestation of “pure religion” in the lives of men; it is visiting “the fatherless and widows in their affliction” and keeping ourselves “unspotted from the world.” (James 1:27.)

To be valiant in the testimony of Jesus is to bridle our passions, control our appetites, and rise above carnal and evil things. It is to overcome the world as did he who is our prototype and who himself was the most valiant of all our Father’s children. It is to be morally clean, to pay our tithes and offerings, to honor the Sabbath day, to pray with full purpose of heart, to lay our all upon the altar if called upon to do so.

To be valiant in the testimony of Jesus is to take the Lord’s side on every issue. It is to vote as he would vote. It is to think what he thinks, to believe what he believes, to say what he would say and do what he would do in the same situation. It is to have the mind of Christ and be one with him as he is one with his Father.

The Testimony of Jesus

I have been thinking about D&C 76 where it talks about the celestial, terrestrial, and telestial degrees of glory.  The phrase "the testimony of Jesus" is used about five times.  As I was reading these verses I was thinking about how many times we have been told that we will not be able to live on borrowed light.  That we must each have a testimony of our own.  

I thought of how often we are taught to bear a pure testimony in our meetings.  I thought of how often we give a travel log instead.  Yes, I am as guilty as the next of telling a story instead of bearing a pure testimony.  As of late I have been trying to do a better job of bearing my testimony.   

At any rate, back to my reading.  All of a sudden I came across an extra word.  It said, "valiant in the testimony of Christ."  That word valiant popped out at me.  It is not enough to be able to bear your testimony.  You must be valiant in that testimony!  Those people who enter the celestial kingdom are valiant in the testimony of Jesus.  Those who enter the other two kingdoms are not valiant.  

So here is my question:  What are the characteristics of a person who is "valiant in the testimony of Jesus?"  If you have an answer leave a comment.  As for me I think I will ponder the subject a little longer.

Jesus Christ, The Son of God - Special Witnesses - Video - President Gordon B. Hinckley (1910–2008)—Sacred Grove

Jesus Christ, The Son of God - Special Witnesses - Video - President Gordon B. Hinckley (1910–2008)—Sacred Grove

Standing as the 15th in line from Joseph Smith and bearing the prophetic mantle which came upon him, I solemnly declare my testimony that the Prophet Joseph’s account of these events is true, that the Father here bore witness of the divinity of His Son, that the Son instructed the boy prophet, and that there followed a train of events which led to the organization of “the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth, with which,” He declared, “I, the Lord, am well pleased” (D&C 1:30).
Of the reality and personality of the living God and of His Son, our Redeemer, I stand as a solemn and reverent witness, speaking these words by the power of the Holy Ghost, in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.