Johanna’s Testimony – July 2008

I believe in God, the Eternal Father; and in His Son, Jesus Christ, who atoned for the sins of all the world; and in the Holy Ghost, who testifies of truth. I believe that I am a child of God, with the potential to become like Him, and that my experiences here on the earth are designed to help me to grow in the ways I need, in order to move towards this goal.
I believe that God speaks to His children – through prophets called by Him, and by personal revelation. I believe in God’s plan for His children, as revealed through his prophets through the ages – that we come to earth to gain experience and to be tested to see if we will be obedient to Him and if we will TRUST Him.
I believe in the miracle of Christ’s atonement and resurrection and that it is only reason that God’s plan works. Because Christ died for my sins, I have the chance to practice – to make mistakes, to learn from consequences, to become the person God has planned for me. Each time I fail to meet God’s expectations, I can call on the grace of my Savior for cleansing, for mercy, for healing, and for strength as I resume my journey. I know Christ will be with me each step of the way, fully capable of understanding my life and able to give me exactly what I need in every moment. He is my ultimate friend in that He will never give up on me. He fully believes in me and my potential, and He always gives the best gifts.
I believe in the priesthood of God – the delegated power of God given to man on the earth in order to administer saving ordinances such as baptism, the sacrament (or communion), and sealings. I believe that this power is essential to make these ordinances effective and acceptable to God.
My intention in my life is to cultivate and develop a trust in God that allows me to follow His will no matter what He asks of me – knowing through the Holy Ghost that I’m being directed in His ways. I believe that God regularly asks us to do the “hard thing”, the “thing that doesn’t seem fair”, the “illogical thing” – precisely because they require more faith. I know from experience that if I trust in God and do that “hard thing”, He makes it work to my benefit. I really believe that any issues I might have with commandments or counsel from leaders of my church are not really issues with my church, but things I need to work out with God. Ultimately, for me it comes down to knowing who God is and trusting in Him.