WEBVTT 00:00:02.320 --> 00:00:04.660 Welcome to closer to Christ through general conference 00:00:04.660 --> 00:00:06.719 where two friends who love Jesus share our own 00:00:06.719 --> 00:00:08.539 approach to studying the most recent general 00:00:08.539 --> 00:00:11.519 conference talks. This is Abby and Amy. Let's 00:00:11.519 --> 00:00:32.439 jump into it. Today we get to discuss the awesome 00:00:32.439 --> 00:00:34.780 talk the eternal gift of testimony by elder Kevin 00:00:34.780 --> 00:00:37.439 G Brown of the 70 I was gonna be like my favorite 00:00:37.439 --> 00:00:39.840 talk and I know we shouldn't have those but Everybody 00:00:39.840 --> 00:00:41.939 we've all been waiting was amazing. I've talked 00:00:41.939 --> 00:00:44.939 about it to other people many times I think everybody 00:00:44.939 --> 00:00:47.960 was equally excited about it So I've noticed 00:00:47.960 --> 00:00:51.100 it's one that just got a lot of attention and 00:00:51.100 --> 00:00:53.460 memes and stuff quickly after that the talk was 00:00:53.460 --> 00:00:56.320 given So I think it's fair to say it was a favorite 00:00:56.320 --> 00:00:59.539 for most people for sure top favorite He touched 00:00:59.539 --> 00:01:01.240 on the fact that every son or daughter of God 00:01:01.240 --> 00:01:03.340 can gain a deeper, firmer and sure knowledge 00:01:03.340 --> 00:01:05.959 for themselves. And he testified with so much 00:01:05.959 --> 00:01:07.920 passion and fervor that I think everyone within 00:01:07.920 --> 00:01:10.079 the sound of his voice was touched and they believed 00:01:10.079 --> 00:01:13.060 him. And I think, man, that's such a beautiful 00:01:13.060 --> 00:01:17.239 gift to have. Agreed, Abby. He was on fire with 00:01:17.239 --> 00:01:19.359 that talk, I feel like, and it came straight 00:01:19.359 --> 00:01:21.400 from his heart. I love that every speaker has 00:01:21.400 --> 00:01:22.840 their own specific, and we've talked about this 00:01:22.840 --> 00:01:25.920 before, their own specific gifts. that are specific 00:01:25.920 --> 00:01:28.439 to them. Spiritual gifts. Yes. And I feel like 00:01:28.439 --> 00:01:32.540 he has a gift of testimony. And that's coupled 00:01:32.540 --> 00:01:34.420 with speaking from the heart and a contagious 00:01:34.420 --> 00:01:39.760 excitement. The trifecta. Seriously. Let's discuss 00:01:39.760 --> 00:01:42.260 the three points that he shared. Abby, can you 00:01:42.260 --> 00:01:44.680 take that first one? Yes. The first one was God 00:01:44.680 --> 00:01:48.519 is our loving Heavenly Father. God is omniscient 00:01:48.519 --> 00:01:50.480 and he's omnipotent. Through the light of Christ 00:01:50.480 --> 00:01:52.439 and the ministrations of the Holy Ghost, his 00:01:52.439 --> 00:01:54.459 influence is everywhere. It is his nature to 00:01:54.459 --> 00:01:57.939 bless us. So some things we pull out. He sees 00:01:57.939 --> 00:01:59.739 our past, he sees our present and our eternal 00:01:59.739 --> 00:02:02.319 destiny. Nothing can be hidden from him. And 00:02:02.319 --> 00:02:04.120 from President Russell M. Nelson's invitation 00:02:04.120 --> 00:02:06.920 to think celestial, we're encouraged to emulate 00:02:06.920 --> 00:02:09.259 our Heavenly Father's vision and nature. Because 00:02:09.259 --> 00:02:10.979 of his divine attributes, our Heavenly Father 00:02:10.979 --> 00:02:13.500 gives us every good gift, each with his eternal 00:02:13.500 --> 00:02:16.750 perspective and vision in mind. That's the first 00:02:16.750 --> 00:02:18.949 point. Let's move to the second point. You want 00:02:18.949 --> 00:02:22.199 to take that one? Sure. Agency is the gift to 00:02:22.199 --> 00:02:25.539 choose and act for ourselves. It's also the responsibility 00:02:25.539 --> 00:02:28.800 to choose well. Jesus Christ paid the ultimate 00:02:28.800 --> 00:02:32.020 price for that privilege with his precious blood. 00:02:32.379 --> 00:02:34.520 And sometimes we might believe the agency means 00:02:34.520 --> 00:02:36.860 that we get to do whatever we want to do. But 00:02:36.860 --> 00:02:39.900 the fact that the price was paid means that agency 00:02:39.900 --> 00:02:41.979 is a sacred gift. It's interesting because when 00:02:41.979 --> 00:02:45.000 I grew up, we would always say free agency and 00:02:45.000 --> 00:02:48.060 we don't say that anymore because it was, there's 00:02:48.060 --> 00:02:50.020 a price for it. It wasn't our price. but there 00:02:50.020 --> 00:02:52.979 was a price. We're agents and agents are responsible 00:02:52.979 --> 00:02:55.520 for something. I love how he said that. In this 00:02:55.520 --> 00:02:57.259 case, we're responsible for the choices that 00:02:57.259 --> 00:03:01.020 we make based on the knowledge we have and also 00:03:01.020 --> 00:03:03.599 the gifts that we are given. We cannot make a 00:03:03.599 --> 00:03:05.900 choice without being responsible for the consequences. 00:03:06.240 --> 00:03:08.319 And then he asked a really awesome question that 00:03:08.319 --> 00:03:11.159 each of us could ask ourselves. Why do we have 00:03:11.159 --> 00:03:14.680 agency? And then he gave his answers that are 00:03:14.680 --> 00:03:17.460 so powerful and I felt them to be true in my 00:03:17.460 --> 00:03:21.139 heart as he spoke them to choose good To choose 00:03:21.139 --> 00:03:24.479 Christ and to choose eternal life and he said 00:03:24.479 --> 00:03:27.139 again and again So that tells me that every day 00:03:27.139 --> 00:03:30.199 the choices we make determines what we're choosing, 00:03:30.360 --> 00:03:32.610 right? Do we want to? Um, live with heavenly 00:03:32.610 --> 00:03:35.150 father forever. Do you want something else again? 00:03:35.189 --> 00:03:36.789 His teaching style is something that I really 00:03:36.789 --> 00:03:39.409 appreciate I love his clear teachings that are 00:03:39.409 --> 00:03:42.310 very simple and like nephi aglory and plainness 00:03:42.310 --> 00:03:43.969 And i'm referring to the definition the elder 00:03:43.969 --> 00:03:46.469 bednar used for plainness, which is clear to 00:03:46.469 --> 00:03:48.909 understand I feel like he has that gift as well. 00:03:48.909 --> 00:03:54.169 Very good teacher Yeah What i'm glad for is that 00:03:54.169 --> 00:03:56.789 I don't feel like I have to duplicate him for 00:03:56.789 --> 00:04:01.930 sure to fire me and he's like like be firm Question 00:04:01.930 --> 00:04:04.110 your testimony. What things am I passionate about 00:04:04.110 --> 00:04:06.490 that I can testify of? But for me, it's totally 00:04:06.490 --> 00:04:09.430 cool to just appreciate the way that he delivers 00:04:09.430 --> 00:04:14.199 his testimony that he's gained by. difficult 00:04:14.199 --> 00:04:16.120 situation that he was raised in. He really had 00:04:16.120 --> 00:04:19.199 to refine that testimony. I'll go to the third 00:04:19.199 --> 00:04:20.980 point here. Our testimony comes through the power 00:04:20.980 --> 00:04:23.079 of the Holy Ghost. A witness from the Holy Ghost 00:04:23.079 --> 00:04:25.620 is greater than sight. He is the preeminent witness 00:04:25.620 --> 00:04:27.800 of the Father and the Son. President Nelson taught, 00:04:27.839 --> 00:04:29.779 in coming days it will not be possible to survive 00:04:29.779 --> 00:04:31.620 spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, 00:04:31.800 --> 00:04:34.399 and constant influence of the Holy Ghost. Testimony 00:04:34.399 --> 00:04:36.160 through the Holy Ghost can come in many ways. 00:04:36.699 --> 00:04:39.199 Light bulb in a dark room can come on dramatically. 00:04:39.319 --> 00:04:42.040 And suddenly, Like the sunrise gradually and 00:04:42.040 --> 00:04:44.660 over time can come like rays and light, intermittent 00:04:44.660 --> 00:04:47.019 exposure to pure intelligence. I like the fact 00:04:47.019 --> 00:04:48.860 that he emphasizes that a testimony comes through 00:04:48.860 --> 00:04:51.720 the Holy Ghost. His words were this, whatever 00:04:51.720 --> 00:04:54.300 the way, it comes through the Holy Ghost. His 00:04:54.300 --> 00:04:55.860 teaching is so clear and his points are pure 00:04:55.860 --> 00:04:58.199 doctrine. And I don't think an individual always 00:04:58.199 --> 00:05:00.939 has the sunrise moments or the light switch moments, 00:05:01.100 --> 00:05:04.000 I think throughout our lives. It just kind of 00:05:04.000 --> 00:05:06.959 changes. We got to sit with our daughter as she 00:05:06.959 --> 00:05:10.170 received her patriarchal blessing today. There's 00:05:10.170 --> 00:05:12.170 a discussion as the patriarch was kind of coming 00:05:12.170 --> 00:05:13.990 to understand her and learn a little bit more 00:05:13.990 --> 00:05:15.850 about her. And then he said, now I just want 00:05:15.850 --> 00:05:17.790 to have a conversation with Lily. So we're in 00:05:17.790 --> 00:05:19.089 the room and he's just kind of directing it. 00:05:19.089 --> 00:05:21.269 And he just looks at her and he says, Lily, I 00:05:21.269 --> 00:05:22.670 want you to know that your heavenly father would 00:05:22.670 --> 00:05:25.250 like to communicate with you today. And she just... 00:05:25.199 --> 00:05:27.319 Like, she felt that and she had that emotion. 00:05:27.480 --> 00:05:29.040 I'm like, we need to follow up tonight and make 00:05:29.040 --> 00:05:30.800 sure she knows that that feeling that she felt, 00:05:30.819 --> 00:05:32.500 that's not us saying, you should have an emotion 00:05:32.500 --> 00:05:34.139 about this. You should feel this way about this 00:05:34.139 --> 00:05:36.259 thing. That she had her own personal witness 00:05:36.259 --> 00:05:37.879 that the patriarchal blessing was going to be 00:05:37.879 --> 00:05:39.720 coming from her heavenly father. And that's so 00:05:39.720 --> 00:05:41.980 sweet, Abby. I love it. Like we've talked about 00:05:41.980 --> 00:05:43.500 it with primary music. We've talked about it 00:05:43.500 --> 00:05:45.959 in a lot of ways. It's important for us as adults 00:05:45.959 --> 00:05:48.079 who know what that experience with the spirit 00:05:48.079 --> 00:05:50.959 looks like to emphasize it to, you know, new 00:05:50.959 --> 00:05:53.959 members of the church or our children or You 00:05:53.959 --> 00:05:55.600 know, anybody within the opportunity, when we're 00:05:55.600 --> 00:05:58.439 filling it, point it out and let them recognize, 00:05:59.060 --> 00:06:02.819 oh, he is, I have felt that more often than I 00:06:02.819 --> 00:06:05.439 thought. For sure. Start stacking those up so 00:06:05.439 --> 00:06:09.500 that you recognize, you know, that isn't my parents' 00:06:09.740 --> 00:06:11.680 testimony to carry on. I have that witness for 00:06:11.680 --> 00:06:14.939 myself that this thing that I'm doing is true 00:06:14.939 --> 00:06:16.980 and correct. That's great, Abby. I love that 00:06:16.980 --> 00:06:20.009 you had that experience today. The gift and witness 00:06:20.009 --> 00:06:22.170 of the Holy Ghost are available to everyone. 00:06:22.589 --> 00:06:25.930 So he tells each of us that I love this, that 00:06:25.930 --> 00:06:28.529 he says, Jamaica is to me like Palmyra was to 00:06:28.529 --> 00:06:30.610 Joseph Smith. It is my sacred grove. He says, 00:06:31.069 --> 00:06:32.870 I do not know the exact spot where Joseph knelt 00:06:32.870 --> 00:06:35.029 to pray in the sacred grove, but I know exactly 00:06:35.029 --> 00:06:38.430 where I was when my sacred grove became a reality. 00:06:38.589 --> 00:06:41.290 And then he says this, it happened at four Grove 00:06:41.290 --> 00:06:46.000 road. in my bathroom at 6 a .m. on a Wednesday, 00:06:46.060 --> 00:06:48.680 three years after my baptism. And then he says, 00:06:49.000 --> 00:06:51.379 this sacred experience happened because two weeks 00:06:51.379 --> 00:06:55.480 earlier an inspired sister missionary invited 00:06:55.480 --> 00:06:58.939 me to read the Book of Mormon. These are two 00:06:58.939 --> 00:07:01.449 things I like about this. Number one, I want 00:07:01.449 --> 00:07:04.269 to ask, what is my sacred grove? Do I have a 00:07:04.269 --> 00:07:06.290 time, a place of something that the Holy Ghost 00:07:06.290 --> 00:07:08.750 bore truth to my heart? Someone could say, well, 00:07:08.810 --> 00:07:10.129 I've been in the church all my life and I don't 00:07:10.129 --> 00:07:12.089 really have one, but there probably is a time 00:07:12.089 --> 00:07:16.209 when he, the Holy Ghost, bore truth to your heart 00:07:16.209 --> 00:07:19.149 on any part of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It 00:07:19.149 --> 00:07:22.720 can be any aspect of it. Number two, I love that 00:07:22.720 --> 00:07:24.920 he shared what happened before this experience. 00:07:25.120 --> 00:07:27.360 He thought to let us in on the fact that he had 00:07:27.360 --> 00:07:29.279 read the Book of Mormon, and it's interesting 00:07:29.279 --> 00:07:30.759 because this could have gone a different way. 00:07:30.879 --> 00:07:32.519 Someone telling the story could have said, I 00:07:32.519 --> 00:07:34.480 prayed and nothing happened because they weren't 00:07:34.480 --> 00:07:37.000 waiting the two weeks and had not put together 00:07:37.000 --> 00:07:39.620 these two corresponding instances. It reminds 00:07:39.620 --> 00:07:41.740 me of when someone said the gospel is best understood 00:07:41.740 --> 00:07:43.779 looking backwards, meaning that after we followed 00:07:43.779 --> 00:07:46.660 the spirit, and lived the principles of the gospel 00:07:46.660 --> 00:07:48.779 and acted, used our agency to act upon these 00:07:48.779 --> 00:07:51.060 things, then you later look back and you can 00:07:51.060 --> 00:07:53.939 connect the dots where God touched our lives 00:07:53.939 --> 00:07:59.740 and led us through. Do you think that this is 00:07:59.740 --> 00:08:02.300 factual? He was already a member of the church 00:08:02.300 --> 00:08:05.279 for three years, but two weeks from the invitation 00:08:05.279 --> 00:08:07.100 to read the Book of Mormon is when he received 00:08:07.100 --> 00:08:10.329 the witness, which means to me... something sparked 00:08:10.329 --> 00:08:12.290 in him a desire to be baptized without knowing 00:08:12.290 --> 00:08:14.790 everything and all the paths and all of the history. 00:08:15.110 --> 00:08:16.829 Well, he was a teenager. Yeah, he was young. 00:08:17.069 --> 00:08:18.750 I think that's what I want to point out to people 00:08:18.750 --> 00:08:20.949 too. This is one of those situations where clearly, 00:08:21.269 --> 00:08:23.470 you know, why do you do these things? I know 00:08:23.470 --> 00:08:25.329 not say that the Lord's command of me. He must 00:08:25.329 --> 00:08:26.470 have prayed and said, is this the right thing 00:08:26.470 --> 00:08:28.410 for me to do without knowing all of the details? 00:08:29.009 --> 00:08:31.050 He allowed the spirit to get him into the church. 00:08:31.069 --> 00:08:33.570 And then probably he was doing, making some life 00:08:33.570 --> 00:08:35.090 changes and doing things a little bit differently 00:08:35.090 --> 00:08:36.950 than he'd done previous to that point. And maybe 00:08:36.950 --> 00:08:40.580 age appropriate steps, right? Yeah, the Book 00:08:40.580 --> 00:08:43.080 of Mormon is, you know, pretty hefty reading. 00:08:45.000 --> 00:08:47.100 Like nowadays, it's like put, put, put on the 00:08:47.100 --> 00:08:49.019 speaker and like listening to it or whatever. 00:08:49.120 --> 00:08:50.440 Maybe, you know, maybe the cassettes weren't 00:08:50.440 --> 00:08:52.059 available. I'm just saying it was maybe more 00:08:52.059 --> 00:08:53.720 of a challenging thing. So when the invitation 00:08:53.720 --> 00:08:55.700 came, he was totally prepared to use his agency 00:08:55.700 --> 00:08:58.259 to say, yeah, I'll do that thing. And I love 00:08:58.259 --> 00:08:59.620 that you brought up the point. It wasn't like 00:08:59.620 --> 00:09:01.379 he reads and then all of a sudden it's like, 00:09:01.379 --> 00:09:04.159 oh, it's done. But he has this experience for 00:09:04.159 --> 00:09:05.639 whatever reason. I don't know what per was in 00:09:05.639 --> 00:09:07.860 his heart, but that he's showing a time lapse 00:09:07.860 --> 00:09:09.460 in between asking the question and receiving 00:09:09.460 --> 00:09:12.500 the answer. And that happens a lot in our lives. 00:09:13.000 --> 00:09:17.940 Right. He shares a few things why his testimony 00:09:17.940 --> 00:09:20.960 is not, why his particular testimony is not temporary. 00:09:21.879 --> 00:09:23.539 Well, a testimony doesn't have to be temporary. 00:09:23.659 --> 00:09:26.080 He says, a testimony is not given for temporary 00:09:26.080 --> 00:09:28.620 use. This gift from our loving Heavenly Father 00:09:28.620 --> 00:09:30.799 is meant to be eternal because Heavenly Father 00:09:30.799 --> 00:09:34.220 is eternal. A testimony does not, should not 00:09:34.220 --> 00:09:36.320 have an expiration date. It should not weaken 00:09:36.320 --> 00:09:38.139 or diminish because something in my life has 00:09:38.139 --> 00:09:40.019 changed or something in the world has changed. 00:09:41.279 --> 00:09:43.919 And I appreciate this. It's basically saying, 00:09:44.480 --> 00:09:46.179 when you have a testimony of Jesus Christ, it 00:09:46.179 --> 00:09:47.759 doesn't mean that things are going to be peaches 00:09:47.759 --> 00:09:49.240 and cream. It doesn't mean that it's not going 00:09:49.240 --> 00:09:50.840 to be challenged. It means that you're going 00:09:50.840 --> 00:09:53.659 to be forced to treasure that, like the eternal 00:09:53.659 --> 00:09:57.100 gift that it is, and always be working to adding 00:09:57.100 --> 00:10:00.820 to it and studying what you need to, like if 00:10:00.820 --> 00:10:02.860 something's trying to punch a hole at it, like 00:10:02.860 --> 00:10:06.120 let that be an opportunity to strengthen it. 00:10:06.460 --> 00:10:09.320 Yeah, recommit. I love that. Elder Brown talks 00:10:09.320 --> 00:10:12.379 about gifts three times in his talk. But then 00:10:12.379 --> 00:10:15.919 I went back and he said the word 16 times in 00:10:15.919 --> 00:10:18.419 eternal five times. So the first is a gift of 00:10:18.419 --> 00:10:23.740 testimony the second he He likens it unto the 00:10:23.740 --> 00:10:27.799 parable and he says that where did I write this? 00:10:31.720 --> 00:10:33.580 Okay, growing growing our testimony rather than 00:10:33.580 --> 00:10:37.690 burying yeah rather than very exact words I'm 00:10:37.690 --> 00:10:39.610 bringing that up because the parable of the talents, 00:10:39.669 --> 00:10:41.710 I think it's come up so many times in this conference. 00:10:41.710 --> 00:10:44.629 I didn't necessarily pick that out when I was 00:10:44.629 --> 00:10:46.110 thinking of the conference weekend right after 00:10:46.110 --> 00:10:48.789 it happened. Yeah, but testimony being that too. 00:10:49.009 --> 00:10:52.090 I love that he refers to testimony as a gift 00:10:52.090 --> 00:10:54.370 and a choice. You know what I mean? Well, my 00:10:54.370 --> 00:10:57.250 experience, it was probably at four in the afternoon. 00:10:58.429 --> 00:11:00.870 I can't say the address on the podcast, but blank, 00:11:01.049 --> 00:11:04.350 blank, blank, blank, Idaho. Anyway, I know where 00:11:04.350 --> 00:11:07.080 I was when I received my testimony. of the gospel 00:11:07.080 --> 00:11:09.220 of Jesus Christ because I was wanting this aha 00:11:09.220 --> 00:11:11.139 moment, but I'd been raised with it all of my 00:11:11.139 --> 00:11:12.820 life. And so I know that I've already shared 00:11:12.820 --> 00:11:15.460 this on the Pillars and Right Talk, but the second 00:11:15.460 --> 00:11:17.639 you start talking about where you were when you 00:11:17.639 --> 00:11:19.159 knew the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter -day 00:11:19.159 --> 00:11:21.519 Saints was the true gospel, those emotions and 00:11:21.519 --> 00:11:23.879 those feelings that I had, I was typing to a 00:11:23.879 --> 00:11:25.179 person that was going through a hard time and 00:11:25.179 --> 00:11:26.960 I was testifying with things that I needed to 00:11:26.960 --> 00:11:29.940 be true. If I'm being honest, when I was typing 00:11:29.940 --> 00:11:31.519 them, I was hoping that they were true. They 00:11:31.519 --> 00:11:33.539 were things that brought me a lot of peace and 00:11:33.539 --> 00:11:36.669 comfort. But as I'm typing it, I'm... Instead 00:11:36.669 --> 00:11:39.070 of burying my talents or the testimony and just 00:11:39.070 --> 00:11:41.009 like knowing these things for myself, it was 00:11:41.009 --> 00:11:42.909 in the process of typing a letter to somebody 00:11:42.909 --> 00:11:45.610 that I was hoping could benefit from my testimony 00:11:45.610 --> 00:11:48.809 of those things that it was like kind of packaged 00:11:48.809 --> 00:11:52.200 for me to say. I was just typing the letter and 00:11:52.200 --> 00:11:54.220 I was just like emotional and just crying and 00:11:54.220 --> 00:11:55.799 I was like, holy cow, these things are true. 00:11:56.399 --> 00:11:58.200 Yeah. So isn't that cool? You took the effort. 00:11:58.200 --> 00:12:00.039 Yeah. It wasn't like, just tell me that it's 00:12:00.039 --> 00:12:03.080 true. 100%. It was me testifying that it was 00:12:03.080 --> 00:12:05.279 true. Me saying, I know this to be true and him 00:12:05.279 --> 00:12:07.080 being like, yeah, you know it to be true. How 00:12:07.080 --> 00:12:08.860 can I tell you that it's true? You already know 00:12:08.860 --> 00:12:12.129 it's true. Totally. It was this sort of... It 00:12:12.129 --> 00:12:13.929 was the right way for me to get the answer that 00:12:13.929 --> 00:12:15.889 I kind of had always wanted. I love that. And 00:12:15.889 --> 00:12:17.649 it did take a little bit of effort. Yeah. And 00:12:17.649 --> 00:12:20.090 it took you processing and actually writing it 00:12:20.090 --> 00:12:21.990 down. And then, yeah, he said, you've got to 00:12:21.990 --> 00:12:23.149 give me something to work with. Yeah. Maybe if 00:12:23.149 --> 00:12:25.269 I'd been impressed to bear my testimony often 00:12:25.269 --> 00:12:27.389 in sacrament meeting, I would have been accustomed 00:12:27.389 --> 00:12:29.029 to getting up there. And one day I'd been like, 00:12:29.029 --> 00:12:30.570 oh, these things that I'm saying at the pulpit, 00:12:30.690 --> 00:12:33.529 they're mine. That's my truth. I probably wasn't 00:12:33.529 --> 00:12:36.889 doing that. It was this moment, sharing it, putting 00:12:36.889 --> 00:12:38.570 it out there, knowing that I was intending to 00:12:38.570 --> 00:12:40.929 give that testimony to somebody in a hard time. 00:12:41.309 --> 00:12:43.289 that he was like, yep, you know it for yourself. 00:12:44.149 --> 00:12:46.029 Here's the spirit to confirm that. I won't ever 00:12:46.029 --> 00:12:53.769 forget those emotions. Let me go here. Here's 00:12:53.769 --> 00:12:55.929 a grand truth, he says, in whatever way a testimony 00:12:55.929 --> 00:12:58.070 is given, whether it's distilled like a sunrise 00:12:58.070 --> 00:13:00.389 or comes in a glorious vision, it still requires 00:13:00.389 --> 00:13:03.110 a choice to receive this precious gift. Saying, 00:13:03.190 --> 00:13:04.909 I choose to believe makes it easier to receive 00:13:04.909 --> 00:13:07.700 a witness from God. This just pairs with right 00:13:07.700 --> 00:13:10.080 exactly what he's saying if we find our testimony 00:13:10.080 --> 00:13:12.159 weakening remember that it is the choice we make 00:13:12.159 --> 00:13:14.419 that diminishes the power of the testimony Yeah, 00:13:15.019 --> 00:13:17.379 I I totally know there are there are things that 00:13:17.379 --> 00:13:20.460 have come my way in life that I've questioned 00:13:20.460 --> 00:13:22.799 Question things about the gospel of Jesus Christ, 00:13:22.879 --> 00:13:26.460 but I always Say I have a testimony of this thing. 00:13:26.480 --> 00:13:29.759 That's unshakable How do I reconcile with that 00:13:29.759 --> 00:13:31.840 if I'm ready to reconcile I do if I'm not I put 00:13:31.840 --> 00:13:34.470 it on a shelf And I work on the things that I 00:13:34.470 --> 00:13:37.330 have a testimony of. Oh, yeah. It's good to start 00:13:37.330 --> 00:13:40.990 with the things you do know. Testimonies do not 00:13:40.990 --> 00:13:43.529 have to go anywhere. We just need to choose to 00:13:43.529 --> 00:13:44.970 reconnect with it. Because in that same token, 00:13:45.009 --> 00:13:47.090 I can say, I don't understand this thing, and 00:13:47.090 --> 00:13:49.110 I'm going to sit and fester on this and focus 00:13:49.110 --> 00:13:51.090 all of my energy and effort to that thing that 00:13:51.090 --> 00:13:53.309 I don't understand, rather than all the things 00:13:53.309 --> 00:13:55.450 I do understand. Because as we focus on the things 00:13:55.450 --> 00:13:57.690 we do have a testimony of, our faith increases 00:13:57.690 --> 00:13:59.710 and our capacity to understand the thing that 00:13:59.710 --> 00:14:02.360 we don't understand. Also, that's kind of like 00:14:02.360 --> 00:14:04.639 watering the weeds, right? Where we put our intention, 00:14:04.720 --> 00:14:07.879 that's what grows. So it's good to put your intention 00:14:07.879 --> 00:14:09.919 in your, you know, water the flowers and the 00:14:09.919 --> 00:14:13.879 grass. Some people probably hear that and they 00:14:13.879 --> 00:14:16.100 think that you're kind of wiping away things 00:14:16.100 --> 00:14:17.700 that should really bother you. They want you 00:14:17.700 --> 00:14:19.340 to be equally bothered by the things that are 00:14:19.340 --> 00:14:21.100 bothering them. I think everyone is bothered 00:14:21.100 --> 00:14:23.340 at a different level with different things and 00:14:23.340 --> 00:14:24.580 at different times of your life. You know what 00:14:24.580 --> 00:14:26.860 I mean? Because that's how this life is. Sometimes 00:14:26.860 --> 00:14:28.259 you're like, oh, I'm totally good right now. 00:14:28.480 --> 00:14:30.419 And then maybe another season you're like, wow. 00:14:30.320 --> 00:14:33.019 I don't want it to sound like I'm not willing 00:14:33.019 --> 00:14:36.720 to address the things that bother me. I'm just 00:14:36.720 --> 00:14:39.039 saying the way that I found to deal with them 00:14:39.039 --> 00:14:41.419 is to double my efforts on the things that I 00:14:41.419 --> 00:14:44.600 do understand. If I have to speculate to get 00:14:44.600 --> 00:14:46.679 an answer to the thing that I'm eating, then 00:14:46.679 --> 00:14:49.340 it's not the time. Like if the brethren speak 00:14:49.340 --> 00:14:52.080 on it or I can find like a search in my gospel 00:14:52.080 --> 00:14:55.159 library app, that's great. I go to a podcaster 00:14:55.159 --> 00:14:57.309 that's written some... You know, they've stepped 00:14:57.309 --> 00:14:59.330 away from the church. They've shown that's where 00:14:59.330 --> 00:15:01.830 their agencies led them to step away from it. 00:15:02.330 --> 00:15:04.610 They're not tied to this. They don't have to 00:15:04.610 --> 00:15:06.529 be tied to it. They go on their way, but they 00:15:06.529 --> 00:15:07.730 can never leave the church alone. They're trying 00:15:07.730 --> 00:15:10.429 to pull you with them so they can have some company. 00:15:11.169 --> 00:15:13.190 But I'm like, what are you here to offer me? 00:15:14.289 --> 00:15:16.769 And that's always kept me wanting to make my 00:15:16.769 --> 00:15:18.370 focus on the things I do know and understand. 00:15:19.169 --> 00:15:22.450 It's magical how he helps. Something said and 00:15:22.450 --> 00:15:24.960 you're like, oh. Well, that reconciled that thing 00:15:24.960 --> 00:15:27.139 that I was bothered by. It could be like way 00:15:27.139 --> 00:15:30.039 later and it's not like you wake up every day 00:15:30.039 --> 00:15:32.220 like bothered by this thing, but you put it in 00:15:32.220 --> 00:15:35.559 a place when the time when the answers around 00:15:35.559 --> 00:15:37.460 for that or I come to it or we come on board 00:15:37.460 --> 00:15:41.389 documents to support or teach something. That's 00:15:41.389 --> 00:15:43.470 when the time is yeah, I love that he can make 00:15:43.470 --> 00:15:46.230 it not something I lose sleep over until that 00:15:46.230 --> 00:15:49.409 exactly well also What it feels like to me Abby 00:15:49.409 --> 00:15:51.330 when you say quote you put it on a shelf. Yeah, 00:15:51.330 --> 00:15:53.230 it's a mental thing It's a mental thing. But 00:15:53.230 --> 00:15:55.029 also what that tells me is that you're putting 00:15:55.029 --> 00:15:57.230 it you're saying I'm not dealing with this right 00:15:57.230 --> 00:15:59.389 now meaning all my focus isn't here But it's 00:15:59.389 --> 00:16:01.210 also telling Heavenly Father. This is something 00:16:01.210 --> 00:16:04.549 I'm working on Send me things as I continue to 00:16:04.549 --> 00:16:06.789 live the gospel of Jesus Christ. Holy send me 00:16:06.789 --> 00:16:09.649 things that will help to resolve that That is, 00:16:10.049 --> 00:16:12.330 if I were a parent and I was having, and I had 00:16:12.330 --> 00:16:14.490 a child who was having an issue, I would say, 00:16:14.570 --> 00:16:16.889 continue going on the path you know, and hopefully 00:16:16.889 --> 00:16:18.990 something's gonna come along your way that's 00:16:18.990 --> 00:16:20.730 gonna help you out with that thing. But sitting 00:16:20.730 --> 00:16:22.129 and stewing in something, you're not gonna get 00:16:22.129 --> 00:16:23.929 anywhere. Do you know what I mean? 100%. And 00:16:23.929 --> 00:16:26.129 because he's perfect and omniscient and wonderful, 00:16:26.250 --> 00:16:28.970 then he's going to channel those things your 00:16:28.970 --> 00:16:30.750 way and help you. Like you said, whether it's 00:16:30.750 --> 00:16:33.809 now or in 10 years or whatever, you will be able 00:16:33.809 --> 00:16:35.929 to resolve that. Yeah. And the same token, I 00:16:35.929 --> 00:16:38.289 have a mental bookshelf. That means I have every 00:16:38.289 --> 00:16:40.409 intention of coming back to it until it can fit 00:16:40.409 --> 00:16:42.450 into just the normal bookshelf. You didn't burn 00:16:42.450 --> 00:16:44.110 it. You didn't bury it. Yeah. But there are other 00:16:44.110 --> 00:16:45.769 things that like I hear and I'm just like, that 00:16:45.769 --> 00:16:47.690 is the dumbest thing I've ever heard. And it's 00:16:47.690 --> 00:16:50.049 not even going to, it's in a trash can. I mentally 00:16:50.049 --> 00:16:52.210 put it, I carry it and put it in a trash bin. 00:16:52.370 --> 00:16:55.190 I'm like, good try buddy. That was not worth 00:16:55.190 --> 00:16:57.889 the time. Get a better argument for me to lose 00:16:57.889 --> 00:17:02.190 this testimony that I've worked hard for. Yes. 00:17:02.669 --> 00:17:05.589 So he says this, I invite you to think about 00:17:05.589 --> 00:17:08.109 your path to assure witness of Jesus Christ and 00:17:08.109 --> 00:17:11.009 his gospel. He's asking each one of us within 00:17:11.009 --> 00:17:14.109 the sound of his voice to think about our path, 00:17:14.490 --> 00:17:17.150 take charge of your testimony, use your agency 00:17:17.150 --> 00:17:20.549 wisely and acknowledge the giver and all glory, 00:17:20.789 --> 00:17:23.390 all of his glorious attributes. I bear witness 00:17:23.390 --> 00:17:26.430 that the power is within you. No one can choose 00:17:26.430 --> 00:17:29.930 for you. No one can take this gift away. you 00:17:29.930 --> 00:17:31.650 can choose to believe. Abby, I think this is 00:17:31.650 --> 00:17:33.450 one of the reasons you said, I listened to him 00:17:33.450 --> 00:17:35.210 and he gave it in a certain way. He gave it with 00:17:35.210 --> 00:17:37.549 his own gifts and in his own way. I think another 00:17:37.549 --> 00:17:39.990 thing he, the reason you feel empowered is because 00:17:39.990 --> 00:17:42.670 he talked, he spoke to each one of us and said, 00:17:43.549 --> 00:17:45.950 yeah, you, you, you, you know, saying like, take 00:17:45.950 --> 00:17:48.650 charge of it. Yes, this I'm sharing my testimony. 00:17:48.829 --> 00:17:51.930 Find yours, use yours and bring it to life if 00:17:51.930 --> 00:17:54.279 it's not right now. I love it. He makes us a 00:17:54.279 --> 00:17:56.819 promise. He says, as you do this, your testimony 00:17:56.819 --> 00:17:59.140 will be a well of living water springing up onto 00:17:59.140 --> 00:18:01.839 everlasting life. It's great. It's like when 00:18:01.839 --> 00:18:03.680 you have that moment and that connection and 00:18:03.680 --> 00:18:05.839 you find that testimony for yourself in whatever 00:18:05.839 --> 00:18:08.700 way that it comes, sometimes an aha, sometimes, 00:18:08.839 --> 00:18:10.599 you know, just like the sunrise, sometimes a 00:18:10.599 --> 00:18:12.930 light switch or whatever. That is not a singular 00:18:12.930 --> 00:18:14.890 experience. It's meant to be eternal. So like 00:18:14.890 --> 00:18:17.670 the refreshing of that should happen regularly. 00:18:18.309 --> 00:18:21.029 So I love that he used well of living water on 00:18:21.029 --> 00:18:23.289 that one. It will be an anchor and a motivator. 00:18:23.349 --> 00:18:25.109 It'll sustain you through difficult times. It 00:18:25.109 --> 00:18:27.009 will enable you to develop spiritual gifts. It 00:18:27.009 --> 00:18:29.130 will help you in your personal ministry and service. 00:18:29.369 --> 00:18:31.569 It will be a weapon against Satan and your adversaries. 00:18:31.910 --> 00:18:34.569 Your testimony will be a joy as you see it replicated 00:18:34.569 --> 00:18:36.609 in your children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, 00:18:36.609 --> 00:18:39.130 and in those you love and serve. It will be powerful 00:18:39.130 --> 00:18:41.569 when you share it and use it to test. justify. 00:18:42.109 --> 00:18:47.470 So that promise makes it so obvious why a lot 00:18:47.470 --> 00:18:49.710 of people struggle with grasping what their spiritual 00:18:49.710 --> 00:18:54.609 gifts are. They're taught by Satan that they 00:18:54.609 --> 00:18:57.509 don't have any, or that that gift isn't worth 00:18:57.509 --> 00:18:59.519 anything. that are like less important, like 00:18:59.519 --> 00:19:01.700 it's a stacking of gifts that aren't that great. 00:19:02.099 --> 00:19:04.819 You can tell why he does that. He's afraid that 00:19:04.819 --> 00:19:06.940 once you find out what your spiritual gifts are, 00:19:07.380 --> 00:19:10.500 Oh, he's absolutely afraid of it. When you recognize 00:19:10.500 --> 00:19:13.880 what they are, you will be a thorn in his side. 00:19:13.960 --> 00:19:16.319 You will be a weapon against Satan with these 00:19:16.319 --> 00:19:19.099 awesome spiritual gifts that we have, with a 00:19:19.099 --> 00:19:22.099 body to utilize that spiritual gift, then paired 00:19:22.099 --> 00:19:24.099 with a physical body to do something about it. 00:19:24.319 --> 00:19:28.079 Very powerful. I'm getting like tingles in my 00:19:28.079 --> 00:19:30.799 head thinking about what that looks like from 00:19:30.799 --> 00:19:34.099 the mouth of elder Kevin G Brown when he I mean, 00:19:34.299 --> 00:19:37.380 I'm sure he was one of those guys in heaven when 00:19:37.380 --> 00:19:39.000 some of us were like, I don't know if this is 00:19:39.000 --> 00:19:42.279 a good idea. He's like, let's do this. Send me 00:19:42.279 --> 00:19:44.299 to the hardest place on earth. Make it difficult 00:19:44.299 --> 00:19:46.960 to get that testimony. You can send me anywhere. 00:19:47.200 --> 00:19:48.960 I believe in Jesus. I believe he's going to do 00:19:48.960 --> 00:19:51.960 what he's going to do. I'll help you. For sure. 00:19:52.019 --> 00:19:55.440 He was testifying then and he had that testimony. 00:19:55.519 --> 00:19:58.599 So he found it when he got to earth. He's found 00:19:58.599 --> 00:20:00.700 that voice and he has used it for such good. 00:20:01.700 --> 00:20:05.980 Satan's afraid of him. I love that Abby. Um, 00:20:06.859 --> 00:20:10.240 I also, okay, this is so fantastic. So this is 00:20:10.240 --> 00:20:12.700 one last thing to think about. He says, if you 00:20:12.700 --> 00:20:15.819 know, you know, which we, for our past three 00:20:15.819 --> 00:20:18.619 testimony meetings, it has been brought up. And 00:20:18.619 --> 00:20:20.519 they reference a person that re -brought it up. 00:20:21.460 --> 00:20:24.140 So I love it. And I know it comes from this. 00:20:24.220 --> 00:20:26.380 It was so powerful. When something's powerful, 00:20:26.539 --> 00:20:29.299 it moves you to take action. We have seen that 00:20:29.299 --> 00:20:32.160 in our own ward, in our own community. He says, 00:20:32.319 --> 00:20:35.079 we need more sure witnesses of Jesus Christ in 00:20:35.079 --> 00:20:38.859 his gospel. Get there. Seek it. It is urgent. 00:20:39.240 --> 00:20:42.160 This is the final dispensation, the dispensation 00:20:42.160 --> 00:20:44.619 of the fullness of times." Just saying those 00:20:44.619 --> 00:20:46.960 words, I feel the strength of them. And I love 00:20:46.960 --> 00:20:50.019 that he's calling, like you said, Abby, he's 00:20:50.019 --> 00:20:53.420 testifying loudly and boldly and clearly with 00:20:53.420 --> 00:20:56.680 very clear doctrine. And I love that he says, 00:20:57.819 --> 00:21:00.680 we need more sure witnesses of Jesus Christ in 00:21:00.680 --> 00:21:03.779 his gospel. I totally want to stand up with him 00:21:03.779 --> 00:21:08.079 and say like, Yeah, I'm on the team. You know? 00:21:09.160 --> 00:21:11.680 It's late in the game to be switching sides. 00:21:11.740 --> 00:21:14.339 And if you've picked a side, do it more boldly. 00:21:14.400 --> 00:21:20.200 Do it more. Do it more. Yeah. Love it. In closing, 00:21:20.339 --> 00:21:21.799 I'll just end with his words. He says, Brothers 00:21:21.799 --> 00:21:24.720 and sisters, a testimony of Jesus Christ was 00:21:24.720 --> 00:21:27.220 never meant to be a temporary gift. Nothing about 00:21:27.220 --> 00:21:29.779 it is temporary. Not the giver, not the gift 00:21:29.779 --> 00:21:33.200 itself, not the deliverer of the gift. not who 00:21:33.200 --> 00:21:36.359 the gift is about. Wow. May your testimony be 00:21:36.359 --> 00:21:38.579 described in this way, though heaven and earth 00:21:38.579 --> 00:21:41.559 shall pass away, your testimony and witness of 00:21:41.559 --> 00:21:43.880 the gospel of Jesus Christ will not pass away. 00:21:44.339 --> 00:21:46.599 Now is the time to lay hold on this precious 00:21:46.599 --> 00:21:49.660 gift in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. Amen. 00:21:50.519 --> 00:21:52.859 Spend this week figuring out the weapon that 00:21:52.859 --> 00:21:56.380 you've been blessed with to fight off Satan. 00:21:56.640 --> 00:21:58.259 Thanks for being with us. We'll catch you next 00:21:58.259 --> 00:21:59.400 time. See you next time.