Monday, March 21, 2011

A simple testimony

Our mission president attended our sacrament meeting last week. What a nice guy he is. His role in the times I’ve heard him speak seems to be cheerleader-in-chief. I’ve only known a couple of mission presidents with any more than passing acquaintance, but the ones I’ve known have been genuinely kind and loving men with deep respect for the gospel, for the missionaries they shepherd, for the members they serve and for the non-members they teach.

Our mission president here is no different, though I judge that only from a very few interactions I’ve had with him.

Our bishop invited the president to share his testimony, which he did just before the youth speaker. He was gracious, succinct and eloquent as he spoke very briefly and in a way that did not overshadow the young woman who followed him or the rest of the program.

Here’s basically what he said (from my hastily written notes; I’ve not captured it all word for word): My testimony is simple. There is a God. He creates worlds and he knows us individually. He knows our individual burdens, struggles and victories. He parted the heavens to speak to the prophet Joseph Smith. The fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored, and evidence of that restoration is in the Book of Mormon. I rejoice in the power of that book.

His testimony was simple, straightforward and powerful. I do not recall his using the word “know.” But I do recall the spirit which testified with him.

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