I want to thank everyone for being here today and how blessed I am. I didn't really know how joyous today would be until I sat down and I felt that joy coming to me. And funny enough the day where I needed to be doing some bending, my back was playing up and when we went into the waters of baptism and Elder Huntington baptized me, I want to say that it felt like the strength of God propelled me out of the water. The pain wasn't there when I was baptized. It is quite wonderful to be here and I have always felt welcome here among all of you, so I am thankful for that. This journey so far may seem short, but it's never felt strange or false to me. It started when I began to ask God for help. I would pray, then I would pray louder and then even louder until one day God answered. I can testify of how missionaries can change people's life. Sister Marshall and Sister Stanton have changed my life more than I can imagine, and I thank you with all my heart for that. I believe God answered me that day and sent the missionaries to me and I am eternally thankful to Him for that. Elder Huntington and Elder Yabut have inspired me to become a better man, worthy of our Heavenly Father's presence. In society we are meant to look up to our seniors for wisdom. However, I can tell you that I look up to them.
I can testify through the Book of Mormon that I have found peace, strength and perseverance. By reading the words within the Book of Mormon, I have felt closer to God than ever before. If such words pull me closer to God, then they must be the word of God. Joseph Smith is a true prophet of the Lord. I was asked just this Thursday by Elder Huntington and President Henderson to pray about any doubts that I have and then to read a revelation from our prophet Thomas S. Monson, then ask Heavenly Father if it is true. So that night, I prayed about the trials and challenges I faced in my life and then turned to Prophet Monson's revelations and the first thing I read instantly answered the questions I had asked to Heavenly Father. The Prophet proclaimed, "Whenever we are inclined to feel burdened down with the blows of life, let us remember that others have passed the same way, have endured, and have overcome." He goes on to say, "They have the the Gospel of Jesus Christ the centre of their lives, and this is what put them through whatever comes our way. We will still experience challenges, but we will be able to face them, meet them head on and emerge victorious." This is from the recent General Conference during his talk "I Will Not Fail Thee or Forsake Thee." I love this because it speaks truth, especially for me. No matter how much doubt or struggling I might have had, I can turn to the scriptures and teachings within to find peace to those doubts and strengths to those struggles. I guess for me, this is the first time that I can really testify that God still has prophets on earth, that He still speaks to us and send us messengers and that Thomas S. Monson is a true prophet of the Lord.
So now today, I have taken another step toward our Heavenly Father's kingdom and it fills me with much joy to continue walking in this path. And I would like to leave this with you in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Taught by Sister Marshall, Sister Stanton, Elder Huntington and Elder Yabut
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