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The Three Nephites This powerful book provides answers about the mission, purpose and activities of the Three Nephites. The book also shares well-documented visits with both the Three Nephites and other translated beings. This easy-to-read book provides a wealth of historical information about translated beings--information that is finally brought together under one cover. >> CLICK HERE |
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THOU HAST TESTIFIED OF ME by Ted L. Gibbons  Part of the baptismal covenant is a commitment to “stand as a witness of God at all times and in all things, and in all places . . . even unto death.” The construction of this phrase appeals to me. We are to “stand” as witnesses: not sit, not kneel, not recline—stand! The selection of this word to be a part of this covenant is more than grammatical fortune. Most of the time when we deliver our witness of God and his work, especially to a hostile audience, we will be standing.I was in a college Sociology class following my mission. The teacher was engaging. His lectures reached into my heart and mind and I enjoyed almost everything he did. Almost. In spite of repeated claims that he was a member of the church and an active one (he told us he taught Gospel Doctrine in a local ward), he seldom skipped an opportunity to criticize the church. He may have done this from an inflated sense of the need to make his students (who were mostly Latter-day Saints) to think for themselves, or from a sincere belief that the church was too autocratic . At any rate, I learned early in the course that he would challenge my willingness to “stand as a witness”from time to time. The first time it happened, the discussion had turned to the Mountain Meadows Massacre. I am not sure now, at a distance of 34 years, how we got from sociology to Iron County but we were there and Dr. Whoeveritwas directed a searching discussion into the causes of that tragic event. At one point, because of a comment from an interested but uniformed non-member student, the professor observed that to his certain knowledge, the death of the wagon train members at Mountain Meadows had been ordered by Brigham Young himself. I was jerked from my cautious interest in the discussion–a non-participant anxious to get on to other less controversial things–to a position of responsibility. I knew that what I had just heard was not true. I had studied enough church history and read enough of the documents about this event to know that Brigham Young tried desperately to prevent the least inconvenience from coming to the members of the wagon train. I thought about making that very point. I has just returned from two years of standing as a witness. But I was in a class of perhaps one hundred and seventy students (this was a required undergraduate class) and I was surrounded by strangers. I was reluctant to make a display of myself, and besides, my declaration would not matter that much anyway, would it? I sat, wrestling with myself in the silence following this statement, hoping the discussion would turn in another direction. And then, exactly in front of me, a young woman stood. Her hands gripped the back of the chair before her. Her voice was tight and she quivered with emotion. “Dr. Whoeveryouare, I’m a new member of this church. I was baptized less than a year ago. I’ve never even heard of the Mountain Meadow Massacre, so I don’t know what you’re talking about. But I know you are wrong!” And she sat down. This was, I believe, the most powerful lesson I learned in college. No teacher ever reached into my heart the way her simple, powerful testimony did. She was willing to stand as a witness when I was not. But I made a promise to myself that day, studying the back of her head, consumed by my own shame. I told myself that I would never sit again when it was time for me to stand. This is a promise I have tried to keep. As we study Acts 21-28, we will see again and again Paul standing as a witness. He would have been on his feet in an instant in that class, his eyes blazing, his voice like “the roaring of a lion.” Joseph Smith described Paul in this way: “He is about five feet high; very dark hair, dark complexion; dark skin; large Roman nose; sharp face; small black eyes, penetrating as eternity; round shoulders; a whining voice, except when elevated, and then it almost resembled the roaring of a lion. He was a good orator, active and diligent, always employing himself in doing good to his fellow man.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 1839–42, p.180) When you finish this lesson and your study of these scriptures, perhaps you will describe him as Alma said all baptized disciples should be described–as one who was willing to “stand as a witness of God at all times and in all things, and in all places . . . even unto death.” > Read the Entire New Testament Lesson
 DESERT BLOSSOMS #105by Ted L. Gibbons A few weeks ago I shared an account from Wilford Woodruff’s journalsabout his experience with fly-fishing in Preston, England. Reflecting on that event reminded me of another incident when missionaries went fishing. The account comes from the March 1948 Improvement Era. Two missionaries, working among farm folk where they were not well-liked, had been without food for twenty-four hours. At 2 o'clock in the afternoon, they decided to do the only thing they knew of to do."Well," said one, "let's go tell the Lord about it."It was a thing they did frequently, not out of habit but out of necessity.One of the missionaries wrote, "Who but the Lord could help us in these hostile country areas?We were without purse or scrip.We were on our own.But, He in whose work we were engaged was ever within reach, the unfailing resource." They found a secluded spot, knelt, and prayed.There were no trite cliches in this appeal, no threadbare phrases.They were praying for urgent needs.It did not take long to express them. As they stood and replaced their hats, one of them noticed a small ripple in the stream that gurgled through their prayer chamber."Oh, for a fishing pole," he remarked. His companion replied, "What's wrong with what you have in your hand?"What he had was a broken-down, ragged umbrella.And his companion was not smiling. They had thread, a safety pin . . . they doubled and redoubled the thread, fashioned a hook with the pin and fingernail clippers, sharpened it with a fingernail file, and located a worm under a stump.They tied the line to the umbrella and crept to the stream. As the worm floated down the creek, they wondered if this might be the way the Lord would answer their prayers, or if they simply had an inclination for the dramatic.And then, wham! The elder with the pole pulled fast and a fish sailed over his head and off the hook onto the grassy bank.He stared, unbelieving, until the other elder cried, "Find another worm!"They caught six fish, fish "that hit that line as though they hadn't seen a fly or a worm in weeks." In a few moments, the trout were The missionaries thanked the Teacher for the food, and when they said it, they meant it.No meal ever tasted better! As they picked up their suitcases and began trudging down that country road, one remarked, "You know, the Lord is a mighty generous employer." (Truman Madsen, Improvement Era, March 1948, p. 151.) |
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