Moroni 10:29

And God shall show unto you, that that which I have written is true.

Moroni appeals to God to prove his words. Or rather, he challenges us to look to God to prove that his writings are true. He knows the source of the truths he had written, and he directs us to go to that source to learn for ourselves. We do not have to take the word of any human. We can appeal to God himself. Moroni promises that God will give us an answer. No other book in the world makes such a bold assertion. No other book claims that God will testify of it. The test is infallible. The results are miraculous.

Moroni 10:26

And wo unto them who shall do these things away and die, for they die in their sins, and they cannot be saved in the kingdom of God; and I speak it according to the words of Christ; and I lie not.

If Joseph Smith made up these words as a fraud, he is the boldest liar in history. He is either a liar or a prophet. He does not quibble on the middle ground. It is so simple to take him at his word and put him to the test. Ask God. Surely the Lord would not let such a liar take his name in vain and not make the fraud known to any honest seeker. An evil man could not write such a book and a good man would not try -- unless it were true.

Moroni 10:4-5

And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.

If Joseph Smith was a fraud, this promise of a testimony from God would be the most audacious, outlandish, bold-faced lie ever perpetrated on the public. Joseph was either a lunatic or a prophet. He lays it all on the line. He invites us not to take his word for it nor to rely on the words of any other human. He says we should go to God and put it in his hands. Joseph was confident of the outcome. Millions have put this promise to the test and have found it to be true.

3 Nephi 20:24

Verily I say unto you, yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have testified of me.

The primary message of every prophet is his testimony of Jesus Christ. Not all spoke of him directly or by name, but all have testified one way or the other of the Redeemer, the Savior, our Advocate with the Father, the sacrificial Lamb, the resurrected Lord. All prophetic messages point us to Christ. Christ is the only One who can bring us to the Father, and true prophets always lead us to Christ. We thank the, O God, for a prophet, to lead us to Christ in these latter days.

3 Nephi 19:9

And they did pray for that which they most desired; and they desired that the Holy Ghost should be given unto them.

Though these people had been in the very presence of the resurrected Christ and had heard him speak with his own voice, they wanted more than anything to have the Holy Ghost. Why? Because the Holy Ghost is the manifestation of the spirit of Christ, which he had promised they could always have with them. As life-changing as seeing the Savior would be, the Holy Ghost can change our lives even more. He does not address our eyes and ears but rather our minds and hearts. He will work continuously, if we let him, to change us and purify us and sanctify us. Though we may see with our eyes that Christ lives, that is no proof that we will live. The Holy Ghost testifies to us, however, that we will live, and it is that testimony, combined with faith in Christ, that gives us hope. These disciples wanted that hope that comes through the Holy Ghost.

3 Nephi 18:25

And ye see that I have commanded that none of you should go away, but rather have commanded that ye should come unto me, that ye might feel and see; even so shall ye do unto the world; and whosoever breaketh this commandment suffereth himself to be led into temptation.

Jesus invites us all to come and feel and see. This invitation has meanings on many levels. We come unto Christ through the saving ordinances of the gospel. We feel his spirit and influence through the power of the Holy Ghost. We see him work in our lives through powerful evidences. We repeat, remember, and grow until the day comes when we come into his presence, feel his wounds with our hands, and see his countenance with our eyes. First spiritual and then physical. He will turn no one away or deny anyone who approaches with humility and real intent. We do not have to be perfect, for he will make us perfect. We do not have to be worthy, for he will make us worthy. But we must come to him worthily, meaning with the right desire and attitude, with a willingness to submit. He cannot ignore anyone who comes to him in this way.

3 Nephi 4:33

And their hearts were swollen with joy, unto the gushing out of many tears, because of the great goodness of God in delivering them out of the hands of their enemies; and they knew it was because of their repentance and their humility that they had been delivered from an everlasting destruction.

Repentance and humility always qualify us for the saving grace of Christ's atonement. Just as the Nephites were delivered from the overwhelming odds of the Gadiantons, Christ will deliver us from the overwhelming odds of mortality and sin. Every story of rescue, protection and deliverance in the scriptures testifies of this truth. Our very lives can testify of it if we repent and humble ourselves.

Helaman 8:20

And behold, also Zenock, and also Ezias, and also Isaiah, and Jeremiah, (Jeremiah being that same prophet who testified of the destruction of Jerusalem) and now we know that Jerusalem was destroyed according to the words of Jeremiah. O then why not the Son of God come, according to his prophecy?

The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. A seer may predict many things, and a prophet may receive many revelations, but the ultimate purpose of all prophecy and revelation is to testify of Christ, the atonement, and the resurrection. As helpful as other knowledge may be, knowing that Jesus is the Christ and has paid for our sins is the supreme knowledge of time and eternity. Anything else a prophet may reveal is merely evidence that his testimony of Christ is true.

Helaman 8:11

Therefore he was constrained to speak more unto them saying: Behold, my brethren, have ye not read that God gave power unto one man, even Moses, to smite upon the waters of the Red Sea, and they parted hither and thither, insomuch that the Israelites, who were our fathers, came through upon dry ground, and the waters closed upon the armies of the Egyptians and swallowed them up?

When the Holy Spirit prompts us to testify, we should not avoid or ignore the prompting. To be constrained is to be compelled or driven forcefully to do something. For Latter-day Saints, the familiar feeling in fast and testimony meeting that forces you out of your seat to make the long walk to the pulpit is the constraint of the Spirit.

Alma 57:27

Now this was the faith of these of whom I have spoken; they are young, and their minds are firm, and they do put their trust in God continually.

Helaman's warriors were faithful because they chose to be. Their minds were firm, meaning they were made up and not open to doubt. In a life and death situation, one cannot afford to vacillate. He must know his objective and clearly understand the strategy, the tactics, and the immediate orders. If he stops to think and evaluate, he is dead. 


We are in a battle of spiritual life and death. The adversary would have us think that obedience is closed-minded. We should be ever doubting and always questioning and never satisfied. Such an attitude of cynicism works to his advantage. He doesn't care what we believe as long as we don't believe the truth. He wants us to be weak and infirm because then he doesn't have to work so hard. If we can confuse ourselves, he can just sit back and watch us flounder. A firm mind does not mean we never ask questions. But we ask in faith and look to God as the source of our answers. We do not let what we don't know overshadow what we do know.

Alma 31:38

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And the Lord provided for them that they should hunger not, neither should they thirst; yea, and he also gave them strength, that they should suffer no manner of afflictions, save it were swallowed up in the joy of Christ. Now this was according to the prayer of Alma; and this because he prayed in faith.

The Lord did not exempt his missionaries from afflictions, but he strengthened them to be able to bear them. He promised them perspective. They would recognize that preaching Christ is more important than being comfortable. They would suffer afflictions, not as a punishment, but as a way for them to bear testimony and witness for Christ. They would be comforted because they would know the purpose of their suffering. This can be true for all of us who bear witness of Christ. Our afflictions will be swallowed up in the joy of Christ.

Alma 30:40-41

And now what evidence have ye that there is no God, or that Christ cometh not? I say unto you that ye have none, save it be your word only. But, behold, I have all things as a testimony that these things are true; and ye also have all things as a testimony unto you that they are true; and will ye deny them? Believest thou that these things are true?

The absence of something is practically impossible to prove. The existence, however, is relatively easy to prove. So it is with the existence of God. Everything we see suggests a mindful, purposeful design. What's more, we have witnesses who claim to have a direct knowledge of God. To stare the evidence in the face and still claim God does not exist is to be illogical and dishonest. It takes a wilder imagination to believe that the universe, the earth, and life came about by random chance than it does to accept the concept of a Supreme Being and Creator. Accepting that God exists, however, is a much different thing than listening to him and obeying him. Obedience comes from faith.

Alma 17:2

Now these sons of Mosiah were with Alma at the time the angel first appeared unto him; therefore Alma did rejoice exceedingly to see his brethren; and what added more to his joy, they were still his brethren in the Lord; yea, and they had waxed strong in the knowledge of the truth; for they were men of a sound understanding and they had searched the scriptures diligently, that they might know the word of God.

Keys to the complete and steadfast conversion of the sons of Mosiah were diligently searching the scriptures, fasting and praying for knowledge. It came not from seeing an angel but from doing the work. We gain testimonies the same way. And since God is no respecter of persons, he will bless our diligent efforts just as he blessed theirs.

Alma 4:19

And this he did that he himself might go forth among his people, or among the people of Nephi, that he might preach the word of God unto them, to stir them up in remembrance of their duty, and that he might pull down, by the word of God, all the pride and craftiness and all the contentions which were among his people, seeing no way that he might reclaim them save it were in bearing down in pure testimony against them.

To bear down is to apply a steady pressure in order to get something to move. Pure testimony is a witness born from the heart in all sincerity, untainted by rhetoric and swelling words and sophistry. It is plain truth, exactly what you know and nothing more. No embellishment, no mystery, no fluff. Alma's objective was to apply constant pressure on the people with his plain, simple testimony of what he knew to be true from personal experience in the hopes moving the people towards repentance. This is always the role of a prophet. How grateful I am for the prophets who have touched my life for nearly fifty years.

Mosiah 5:2

And they all cried with one voice, saying: Yea, we believe all the words which thou hast spoken unto us; and also, we know of their surety and truth, because of the Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent, which has wrought a mighty change in us, or in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually.

One form of a testimony is a mighty (powerful) change of heart that makes evil unattractive and creates in us a desire to do only good. The natural man, the enemy to God, loses his grip on us, and the Spirit of God gets a firmer hold upon our hearts and our desires. Remember that king Benjamin's people were already believers. So this mighty change can happen to us throughout our lives in the Church. It can happen many times and any time that we try to get closer to the Lord.

Mosiah 1:6

O my sons, I would that ye should remember that these sayings are true, and also that these records are true. And behold, also the plates of Nephi, which contain the records and the sayings of our fathers from the time they left Jerusalem until now, and they are true; and we can know of their surety because we have them before our eyes.

King Benjamin's testimony of the scriptures of his day echoes my testimony of the Book of Mormon today. We have it before our eyes. We do not have to take anyone's word for it. We can handle the book, turn its pages, and read its words for ourselves. It is tangible evidence that Joseph Smith was a prophet, that God speaks, and that the fullness of Christ's gospel has been restored. The Book of Mormon is either true or it is not. It is the acid test. If it is true, we are duty bound to learn what God wants us to do about it. If it is false, we don't need to spend another second worrying about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and all the weird things the Mormons say and do. The third option, of course, is to simply ignore it. We can pretend like it doesn't exist and go about our daily business in comfortable ignorance. Willful ignorance is not comforting, however, to the honest in heart when knowledge is within reach. The promise of the Book of Mormon is that we can read it and then ask God to know for ourselves whether it is true. If it is s fraud, he will not let us believe a lie. But if it is true, it is the greatest news since the resurrection of Christ. People who want to know God should want to know about the Book of Mormon.

Jarom 1:2

And as these plates are small, and as these things are written for the intent of the benefit of our brethren the Lamanites, wherefore, it must needs be that I write a little; but I shall not write the things of my prophesying, nor of my revelations. For what could I write more than my fathers have written? For have not they revealed the plan of salvation? I say unto you, Yea; and this sufficeth me.

Jarom didn't think he had anything new or interesting to write. Nevertheless, I think everyone should write his testimony for his children. It doesn't have to be new doctrine or an amazing vision or revelation. If it is authenticate, every testimony is valuable. It doesn't matter that it is the same as everyone else's. A testimony, like love, is deeply personal and unique for each individual. A million love songs have been written, and there is still room for one more. The same is true of testimonies.

Jacob 7:12

And this is not all—it has been made manifest unto me, for I have heard and seen; and it also has been made manifest unto me by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, I know if there should be no atonement made all mankind must be lost.

More powerful than hearing and seeing is the power of the Holy Ghost to convince us of the truth. We hear and see things all the time that are not true. The film making industry thrives on the ability to show us things that are not real. Yet despite how real the images on the screen look, we know they are the product of computers, props and engineering. The Holy Ghost, on the other hand, has the power to not just make us think something is real, but to testify to the reality. Seeing an angel is not convincing unless the Holy Ghost testifies to our hearts and mind that we have seen an angel. That is why Laman and Lemuel could see angels and hear the voice of God and still rebel. They did not allow the Holy Ghost to testify to them. Which suggests another principle about the power of the Holy Ghost, namely, that it is never coercive. He never exercises his power without an invitation. If we do not ask, he does not act.

Second Nephi 25:4

Wherefore, hearken, O my people, which are of the house of Israel, and give ear unto my words; for because the words of Isaiah are not plain unto you, nevertheless they are plain unto all those that are filled with the spirit of prophecy.

The “testimony of Jesus which comes by the power of the Holy Ghost is the spirit of prophecy” (Revelation 19:10). The spirit of prophecy, however, is far more than just a belief that Jesus lives. It includes an understanding that Jesus is the literal Son of God. It includes a correct knowledge of His purpose in coming into mortality and of the significance and nature of His mission. It includes an understanding of the gospel plan for His children, particularly those who spiritually become His sons and daughters through the covenant of baptism. All of this comes through the power of the Holy Ghost. The prophet Isaiah wrote under the influence of the spirit of prophecy. His writings must be interpreted under the influence of that same spirit. Those who desire to understand Isaiah should learn of Christ and seek the companionship of the Holy Ghost. The Book of Mormon teaches the way to obtain the spirit of prophecy. Righteous people who are serving the Lord and seeking to do His will can obtain the spirit of prophecy by searching the scriptures diligently and giving themselves “to much prayer, and fasting” (Alma 17:3). The Lord will give knowledge to those who prepare themselves and sincerely seek it.