I have spent the greater part of my life not only
studying the principles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints, (the Mormon Church), but also in reading all the
anti-Mormon literature I come across.
In doing so, I have waded through some
really interesting stuff. Stories of gold digging, séances, magic mushrooms, plagiarism,
men on the moon, collusion, polygamy justifying
adultery, narcissistic behavior, piles of arrests, imprisonment, etc. These
fables continue to be expanded and embellished with each telling. He said, she
said, she said, he said, accusations abound from every quarter.
From my observation, the only consistent facts that
continue to rise to the top are:
- Those who would slander and malign Joseph Smith and the Mormon Church generally have a spirit of anger, hatred and lack of reverence for both the commandments of God and the laws of man.
- Those who support or sustain Joseph Smith and the Mormon Church generally are more even tempered, compassionate, and live lives that tend to be in harmony with the laws of God and the land.
No, wait a minute, there is no way for me to
untangle the jumbled web of contradiction, innuendos, and implied falsehoods. I
wasn’t there when Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon. I wasn’t there
when Joseph received any revelations or taught the principle of polygamy. I was
not to know if he was a gold digger. I was not there to know if Joseph was an
adulterer.
So, if I can’t unravel, expose, and document the truth
or error of the Restoration, why am I still a Mormon? If I can’t prove it, why
do I still believe and live it?
There is a simple answer. The Holy Ghost continues
to tell me it is true.
Well, the intellectual readers just left.
You see, when I am kind, thoughtful, generous, and
compassionate, I feel the Spirit confirm to me again that it is true. Whenever
I am angry, rebellions, selfish, and depressed, doubts arise.
Then, if I begin to believe my doubts; I cease to
pray, I don’t read the scriptures, and I stop serving others. But when my
testimony is strong; I seek guidance from God through the Spirit, I have hope
in the Atonement of Christ, I find joy in reading God’s word, and depression
flees. I am aware of those around me who need love and encouragement. Serving
God by serving others brings immense joy to my life. Those around me are ignited
by the Spirit I bring, they are happier, more fun to be with, and they brighten
my day even more.
When I believe it is true and exercise my faith
that it is, the Holy Spirit confirms to me that it is true, and I am filled
with indescribable joy. This happens all the time and it is not restricted to
just me. Anyone can do it. Jesus said that if any man would do his will he
would know of the doctrine, whether it was of God or whether it was of man.
I am still a Mormon because I prefer happiness and
joy over depression and despair, direction and confidence over apathy and doubt.
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