I was very blessed by the Lord to be a convert to this Gospel, and even more blessed to have been called to serve in the future home of Zion where the Lord will one day have more converts than from all english speaking missions combined, the southern US.
Many children grow up with a testimony of Christ in the south but not a testimony of or a means to discern doctrine as there are literally thousands of doctrines down south - its so common people don't really think about it or if they do they don't know what to make of it or what to do about it.
It was amazing of the thousands of times I knelt with families and prayed with them "To ask a yes or no question, Is Joseph Smith a Prophet?" and to ask the Lord to "Please manifest it in our hearts by the power of the Holy Ghost" how much more perceptive children were of the Holy Ghost - I had heard about it it, but I have seen it after my mission...it is hard to believe this year will mark ten years since I entered the mission field in November - at the ripe old age of "about-to-not-get-to-go-because-you're-too-old-if-you-wait-a-few-more-weeks".
To share a story, I remember kneeling with the "Green" family, Marla and Sedrick - they lived right across from us in Baton Rouge and I was getting used to stopping people just walking by and asking if they wanted to hear a message about Jesus Christ. Sedrick was walking his dog when I stopped him and he said ".....sure! Why not?" and invited us in. Over the course of several discussions, it was very clear that Satan was very determined to keep us from working this part of the Lord's vineyard as the social and societal pressures began to mount on the family over their continued interactions with us, but the Holy Spirit is true.
When it finally came to kneel and ask "a yes or no question" we knelt with them and asked outright, "Is Joseph Smith a true prophet? Is the Book of Mormon more of your word?"
As we knelt in contemplation, their daughter who I believe was about 7 or so, I believe she may have been a bit older than that, was kneeling with us.
As we waited for an answer, her chin came up as we waited in silence and her eyes got really big and she gasped and said "OHMYGOSHIFEELSUCHAWARMFEELINGINSIDEANDASOFTVOICEISSAYING YES! YES! YES! YES! ITS TRUE! THEY ARE TELLING THE TRUTH!!! I KNOW IT!!! GOD TOLD ME!!!!"
Children are so trusting and so open!
On my mission we were so faithful thanks to the teutelage of my trainer that I have literally controlled and directed the elements by faith and have seen the rain stop, storms abate and even the heat become subdued so we could work - all things happened by faith to where we would literally step out into a typical but nasty Louisiana Rainstorm - the types that would flood the streets with 2 feet of water in several minutes and make working very difficult- from under an overhang and the rain would literally stop hitting the ground as we stepped out in faith.
On that note, I also found and declared that "Those streets are MINE" when the rain poured because all the Jehovas Witnesses and everyone else called it quits at those times - mine by divine decree of an apostle of the Lord! Mine above all otherson the earth to work with the Spirit of the Lord!
I made it a point to drag my companions out in to the nastiest weather because there was no competition, and had literally gone riding in two and feet of water - and even being out in an annoying tornado or twenty - just to get out without the competition beating us to the door a half hour before we got there - a common problem down south.
Those rainstorms were some of the greatest blessings Heavenly Father sent as many people thought we were "insane" and wanted to know what we were out doing in suits riding in that weather and we told them "We have a very important message....there is another testament of Jesus Christ and the prophets have returned....would you like to hear about it?" I got to teach at bus stops and invited in so often in those rainstorms.
But what was the point of my story?
Often we would pose a question to children or people when it came to the points of doctrine "but what if they are wrong?"
We would get asked "Why would they lie?"
And we would reply to something they all knew very well and were very aware of even if they hadn't noticed it "everyone says its true but they all teach different things....haven't you noticed? So they can't all be right if they are all teaching different things.....who would know who's right?"
"....God...."
"Lets ask HIM then...and let him tell us, if GOD HIMSELF told you what we were telling you was true, would you follow it?"
"Well...I...er...."
"Not me...not him...GOD HIMSELF....."
"Oh...well....yeah if GOD said so..."
"Then let's ask....a yes or no question....ready?"
"....."
"We're talking the answers to the universe here! GOD talking! If nothing happens, FINE! But if he answers, what an amazing gift that would be! Knowledge from God himself! Shall we?"
".....all right.....lets do it! You go first!"
And that was how it began - a first discussion - we were commanded to by the Apostles and Seventy to be so direct and we did sort the wheat from chaff on a very first discussion - you were on one side of the fence or the other when we got done with the very first discussion - we taught so clearly as to remove doubt as to where we stood or what this was about.
I have NEVER ever knelt with anyone who did not receive an answer from God that this work was true - and it was much to the chagrin of several preachers who apparently didn't believe that God would answer us as we knelt, to the surprise of several athiests, and to the shock of many who were making fun of us and to the discomfort of one very devout Jehova's witness (and I'll throw myself in this category at one time).
Going back to the rain, about a year or so ago when Matthew was about four, some of you may remember when I told the story about teaching Matthew faith in the Lord when we were headed out to an outing to play in a park and the typical Oregon storm clouds came over and threatened our outing and we didn't have coats and our outing would have been ruined.
Having seen and done "it all" by the priesthood and faith on my mission, I had seen an opportunity to teach matthew that his prayers WERE answered by God and taught him how to pray that the rain would stop and to explain to Heavenly Father that we didn't have coats, that he wanted to go, and that if it rained we would have had to go home (we were seeing some waterfalls on a river) and knowing that if anyone was worthy to have that prayer answered it would be a child, and so he did. And right on cue, the rain stopped when he was done, and the clouds parted and the sun returned. And we thanked the Lord when it was over.
He has since used "his powers" on I don't know how many outings and I know others have seen it, my sister in law has commented on this several times how quickly he is to pray for sun so he can stay out - and what a Loving Heavenly Father who will listen to a little boy who wants to play and has faith and even change the weather for him!
And so, I recently asked Matthew how he knew the book of Mormon was true, whether President Monson was a prophet, and he told me that "my teacher told me!"
We discussed the dilemma this posed as described above in terms a 5 year old could under stand and his 4 year old sister with him - she's just a bit more hyperactive than he is.
Being a convert myself and having seen thousands receive answers to this question, as well as having seen many hundreds of LDS that I know personally having struggled with this prospect of having not had an answer for much of their life until late teens or whenever, as a father I decided to help him with what I was blessed to see on my mission.
We read in the scriptures the same verses we read on our mission tonight, Galatians 5 where it describes the fruit of the spirit, and Ephesians where it talks about the fruit of the spirit being in all righteousness and truth, and we knelt to ask God a "yes or no question, is Joseph Smith a prophet, is Thomas Monson a prophet, is this Your church, is the book of Mormon true?"
When we knelt to pray, we all three took turns asking those "yes or no questions" and we waited.
And though I felt an answer, and I felt the spirit, it was time to teach my five year old son (daughter's still kinda following along a bit and watching) how to listen.
We talked about being still and listening.....and sister was having a hard time holding still as was he....and when we got done.....
He didn't receive an answer.
I told him, "I got an answer.....God told ME it was true....does that mean God didn't answer you?"
And he looked very sad and said "yes.....he didn't answer me...."
And I asked him, "or....maybe you weren't listening...you were fidgeting around a bit....but I heard it......the spirit is VERY quiet....you have to learn to pay attention to it.....be quiet....."
I am always teaching my children to be quiet - not just for convenience....part of it is my military training as I am always listening to accoustics off buildings and ptiches of engines, voices and goings on in houses, speed of footsteps, and paying attention to how loud I walk and what noise I make and am teaching my children to be still and listen to those things....to pay attention to the world around them....be quiet.....it paid off this last week when by being still and quiet - quite the task for a 4 and 5 year old! - they were approached by a couple chipmunks several times over a couple days that came right up to their shoes while we were in the outdoors!
Well now we got to practice something else we've been working on and they have already seen the physical blessings of - (being quiet brings wildlife up to you) - being quiet and listening.
And now we got to talk about being quiet allowing us to hear the spirit....we can tie it all in! "See what happens when you are quiet and listen??? WOW! The world begins to open up to you!"
So now, when Matthew realized that maybe he wasn't paying attention, I asked if we should try again.....
He said, to my surprise actually because they were tired..."Yes..."
So we did....and I prayed and asked....
We sat for a while....daughter was having a hard time holding still but was being quiet.....Matthew's arms were folded and his eyes closed in intense concentration.....I don't think I've ever seen him concentrate so hard in a prayer....and as we waited.....after about a minute....suddenly Matthew's head came up and his eyes got wide and he got a HUGE grin on his face and he took a deep breath with a HUGE smile and said "I GOT AN ANSWER!!! HE TOLD ME YES!!!!"
"What did it feel like?"
"It felt HAPPY!" and he was smiling and shaking his head up and down. Not only did the spirit witness to me as a Father that this just happened, but given that earlier he told me quite honestly that he didn't get an answer and wasn't going to just make something up on this....I knew he had received his First Testimony.
And I pointed out to him, "Now you have seen that your prayers are HEARD by God through the rain that you've prayed to stop, do you remember?" He nodded vigorously yes! "And now you have also been answered and heard the Lord, GOD HIMSELF, Heavenly Father, just talked to YOU. This is how you learn the things of God....you can ask Him....and he WILL tell you like he just did....you can learn to ask a YES OR NO question....learn to listen....the Holy Ghost is very quiet....but he WILL talk to you if you listen carefully...."
He kept nodding and smiling....and just looked thrilled and happy!
We then had to kneel and thank Heavenly Father for answering our prayers and for hearing us and teaching us.
I guess what I've learned through my conversion and the blessings of having served a mission is that we don't have to leave the testimonies of our children to chance and time....we can and should as parents take the time to give them that guided tour and experience an answer WITH them and discuss it - just as we do with investigators.
We don't have to wait until our children are 15 or so and HOPE that they get an answer in time in their own prayers and that someday it clicks....it's too much to leave to chance....and having seen I don't know how many "seeds" trampled under foot in the mission field and watch the weeds choke them.....I really like the Apostles' and Seventies' counsel on this topic as they pushed the Southern missionaries to be more direct and not leave testimonies to chance and to do it right there...and help them discover it themselves and discuss it with them. Its not something I've heard in the church (maybe they discussed it but getting to church on time is a real chore for us so maybe we missed it) but is a blessing I was blessed to discover.
Today as I reflected on my own life and felt like was becoming very aware of my shortcomings as a father - seems to be the typical feeling of being a parent quite often - at least it is for me - and I reflected on the words of the doctrine and covenants that if we do not teach our children these things, then the sins of the children be upon the heads of the parents - I thought "I've got enough on my plate from my OWN shortcomings......I'd better work even harder on making sure I do this right....ohhhhhh no! No Laman and Lemuels in this family! Lehi must still be rolling over in his grave! We're going to go knock this out...."
Young children CAN know these things are true and CAN have a testimony - and now Matthew knows (Gonna work with Rachel some more - I think she got it but she was tired to and so was dad - but I wanna make sure it sticks) it is true and he knows he knows because he felt and recognized the spirit himself and declared it himself.
Does that mean he knows everything? Of course not. Line upon line precept upon precept. But he DOES know and he knows he knows - (and in time will come to know what that means) - things that some of the most powerful men on earth have not yet come to a knowledge of: that Joseph Smith was a true prophet, and how to get an answer from God Himself.
And knowing these things, he can now begin to learn other things.
We have to teach them while they can still learn...before its too late and the sounds of the world are so loud in their ears that they can't hear the things of God anymore - is my testimony as a parent.
I haven't ever been told to do this specifically, but I'm thankful for the experiences of a mission to have taught me these things.
I was amazed at how little training we received in the mission field and yet how universal the revelations were as we grew in the word and work.
I know the church is true....Because God Himself has told me!
