I have a testimony of our Father in Heaven. I know He watches over us always. Sometimes it feels as though He has forgotten about us, but He never forgets us. We can pray to him any time, anywhere. Sometimes He doesn't answer when we want or the way we want him too, but He always has an answer. It's not always easy to see what His plan is for us. Sometimes it is near impossible until much later. It takes faith to find His plan. Sometimes it also takes patience. Sometimes it takes extreme circumstances and we find ourselves in the midst of trials or hard times. But I know that if we are patient and pray for guidance that Heavenly Father will answer our prayers and we will be able to see His hand in our lives.
I have a testimony of Jesus Christ. I know he came to this earth and lived an exemplary life and then died for us so that we can return to our Heavenly Father. He, more than anyone else, knows what we are going through. No matter our situation, Christ understands. He understands our pain, sorrow, and heartache. He suffered so we would not have to ever feel completely alone. He always understands. He also understands our joys and triumphs. He is on the sidelines cheering us on. He rejoices with us when we are happy. He cries with us when we are sad. He is our Savior, the only one who can really understand everything in our lives. I am thankful for His infinite love for me and for every individual. Through His atonement we can be healed, forgiven, and ultimately, reunited with our Father in Heaven.
I have a testimony of the temple and of the sealing power that binds us together as families for eternity. Death is not the end. We can be with our family forever. I believe that is the ‘happily ever after’ we hear about so often. It takes a lot of hard work to reach that ending, but it is definitely worth it. I am so grateful for my eternal family. This includes not only my husband and my two boys, but my extended family as well. It includes my grandmother who passed away a year and a half ago. It includes the baby we lost over 3 years ago. It includes future children that aren't here yet. It includes ancestors I never got a chance to meet. The sealing power of the temple is amazing. I can't imagine where I would be without it. Death is a hard part of life, especially death of loved ones. It is hard when it was someone we have known and loved our entire lives. It is hard when it is a baby we never got to meet. But because we are sealed together we can continue our relationships after death. It doesn't really make losing a loved one easier, but it does give us a hope for the future and a dream of a wonderful reuniting.
I have a testimony of Joseph Smith. I remember the first time I heard someone say that he either had to be a fraud or he was telling the truth. I remember how my first thought was that I didn't believe he was a fraud, so that must mean I believed he was telling the truth. That he saw God the Father and Jesus Christ when he was 14 year old. He gave his life for this gospel and I am so grateful for his sacrafice.
I have a testimony of the power of the Priesthood. I know it is the authority of God on earth. Through righteous Priesthood holders we can, through the laying on of hands, hear messages straight from our Heavenly Father directly to us, individually.
I am so grateful for the many blessings the gospel brings into my life. I am so grateful for my family, that they can be my family forever. I am grateful for the power of the priesthood. I am so grateful for a Heavenly Father and a Savior who love me more than I can imagine.
In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.