I shared the following on YouTube after viewing Steve and Chelsea Scott sharing from Canada 'We Believe' in their post Come Follow Me (Articles of Faith, Official Declarations) WE BELIEVE (Dec 6 - Dec 12)
I really appreciate the effort that you put into sharing your testimony and insights with so many people. I learn a lot from you. I feel that it is important to share that I have learned lots of things from the Spirit that no man had taught me - and it is especially comforting when some of those things are then declared by someone in General Conference, sometimes decades later!
One of my most powerful learning experiences was when I was wondering why I was upsetting the apple carts of really good people when I taught them as a missionary that there were important things that they had not yet received. I received an answer through my own personal revelation through D&C 1:30 that it was absolutely appropriate for me to be teaching those good people because the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth with which He is well pleased, speaking unto the church collectively and not individually, for He cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance. This experience spanned a few days that went from real anguish to real peace. Now, nearly 50 years later the Spirit has taught me that there are many really faithful disciples of Jesus Christ, Jehovah, God, Allah, who earnestly strive to share the words of, and to do the works of, the God of Abraham and that, as Jesus said in both Mark 9 and Luke 9, those that are not against Him are for Him, and that they will not lose their reward for giving you or me a cup of water in the name of the God of Abraham. I really appreciate this expanding testimony that continues to grow as the decades pass - the more that I ponder and prayerfully seek personal revelation.I appreciate your comment that reminded me that the priesthood was not always held by every worthy male in God's ancient covenant people. I have grown up in South Africa among many faithful African people who have been so blessed by the declaration of 1978.I love the insight that I received that the person who stood on the banks of the Red Sea saying that Moses was deluded and that water is really dangerous and millions of people could not go across the waters! Well, he was not wrong, was he? But the Lord does wonderful things despite what might be 'right' or 'wrong' in our experience. Following the prophet when he says to obey the law and be vaccinated is a leap of faith for some and I grieve that some 'stone the prophet' when he says to follow various guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID.I really appreciate how gracious and merciful the Lord has been to the children of men from the creation of Adam down to this day and age. I love how we always study all of the Old Testament and New Testament as well as modern scripture so that we can be familiar with how merciful He has been, blowing on the faintest of embers of repentance to create a roaring flame that leads to forgiveness. He is indeed merciful.I have also seen really wonderful growing experiences as I have sat with members and others sharing the 13 Articles of Faith and asking them to sincerely and honestly declare their own personal 1st, 2nd on to 13th article of their faith. I remember one less active sister who started then to pay tithing and continues to do so, preparing for her next steps on the covenant path, including preparing to go to the Temple.One of the most important things that I have come to realise, among several that I have shared in my blog http://personaltouchworks.blogspot.co.za/, is that God is merciful to the individual that seeks to be His disciple, worshiping how, where or what they may, helping to prepare the way for His Kingdom to come and His Will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. Our responsibility is to share the restored gospel - the true and living church - and to help those on both sides of the veil to receive the ordinances that will enable them to be welcomed by a loving embrace as they go back into the presence of God, the Eternal Father.
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