My Testimony

 Excerpt from my personal memoir, chapter 22—Marcella: The One Who Observed, Felt, and Wove

Long before I knew God, I knew the feeling of being held—

because my father’s hands taught me that.

The Hand That Led Me

     I can still feel them wrapped around mine, warm and steady, guiding my small fingers beneath the running water. His hands were strong—strong enough to lift me effortlessly, strong enough to steady me without strain—yet they held me with a gentleness that made me feel weightless, safe, wanted. It was a strength that felt familiar even then, the same kind of strength I imagine my Papou carried in his own hands when he lifted the pillar to Ayios Nikolaos by himself. I didn’t know that then, of course; I only knew the warmth and the safety. But now I can see the lineage of it, the inheritance of strength passed from him to my father and then to me. The firmness of my father’s grip, the quiet power in the way he supported me, the soft pressure of his skin against mine as he taught my hands how to move—all of it lives in me as clearly now as it did then. In those simple moments at the sink, I learned what tenderness felt like, what protection felt like, what it meant to be guided by love. I didn’t have words for it then, but that memory became the first language my heart ever learned for God. Before I knew His name, I knew His touch—because I had already felt it in my father’s hands.
     Even though I lost him at such a young age, I still feel the part of him that stayed. Not as a presence in the room, not as something mystical or imagined, but as something woven into me. His steadiness settled into my bones before I even understood what loss was. His tenderness shaped the way I learned to love. His strength—that quiet, effortless strength—became the strength I reach for now when life asks more of me than I think I can give. I didn’t know, at sixteen, how much of him I would carry forward. I only knew the ache of losing him. But now, all these years later, I can feel the imprint he left inside me, the way his hands taught my heart what safety felt like. That part of him never left. It became part of who I am.
     My father taught me about family long before he ever used words. He carried a quiet authority that shaped the rhythm of our home, a steadiness that made everything feel safe. And it’s not to say he never raised his voice—he did, and when he did, it came with a force that could stop a room. But even then, there was something soft beneath it, a kind of strength wrapped in gentleness, like thunder cushioned in velvet. He wasn’t a man without worries; providing for us weighed on him, and I could feel that even as a child. But through all of it—the thunder, the worry, the responsibility—the love was always present. It was the undercurrent of everything he did. Obedience wasn’t something he demanded; it was something he inspired. Following him wasn’t about fear—it was about belonging, about respect, about honoring the man who held our family together with both power and tenderness.
     What my father taught me about family and obedience became the foundation for how I later understood God Himself. I never feared God in the way some people speak of “fear and trembling.” That was never my experience. Just as I didn’t obey my father out of fear, I don’t obey God out of fear either. I obey Him because I respect Him, because I trust Him, because I want my life to show Him how deeply I love Him. My covenants matter to me because He matters to me. The steadiness I saw in my father—the strength wrapped in tenderness, the authority rooted in love—became the first language my heart understood for God. Not a God to hide from, but a God to honor. Not a God to appease, but a God to love. Not a God who demands obedience, but a God who inspires it.
     But the truth is, not every man who preached of God reflected the God I had come to know through my father. The Greek priest in my youth did the opposite. His arrogance, his lack of compassion, the way he carried himself with pomposity and sharpness—none of it felt like the love or steadiness I had known at home. His demeanor didn’t resemble my father’s, and I couldn’t believe it resembled my Heavenly Father’s either. Instead of drawing me closer, it pushed me away. It made me question the faith I had been handed. But it also awakened something deeper in me—a determination to search for the God I understood Him to be through the example of my father. A God whose strength was never cruel. A God whose authority was never demeaning. A God whose love was always present through it all.
     I was sixteen, and my Babas was gone. The faith I had been loosely raised in—we were never devout—fell away in the grief and confusion that followed his death. I couldn’t stay in a church where the man who preached of God bore no resemblance to the God I had come to know through my father. So I walked away. And for sixteen years, I searched—not for a new religion, but for the God I already knew was real. A God who was living, present, and above all, loving. A God whose character matched the tenderness and strength I had learned from my father’s hands. It took me sixteen years to find a place where that God was reflected back to me without distortion.
     It wasn’t until I found The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, that I finally understood the Godhead clearly. For the first time in my life, there was no confusion about who was who. Three distinct personages—separate, real, and united in purpose. That clarity changed everything for me. It was here that I truly came to know Jesus, not as an idea or a distant figure, but as someone with identity, purpose, and a love that reached directly into my life. Growing up, we often said we wished we had a brother. I didn’t realize until then that I did. In learning who Jesus was—His role, His mission, His sacrifice—I came to understand that His love wasn’t abstract or symbolic. It was personal. It was directed toward me. And for the first time, I felt the God I had been searching for: living, distinct, and above all, loving.
     And with that clarity came something even more profound: an understanding of the Father, His Son, and the Comforter that finally made sense to my heart. Three distinct personages, united in purpose, each with a role that touched my life in a different way. What a powerful threesome of love and dedication. A Father who guides and protects. A Son who walks beside me as Brother, Savior, and Friend. And the Holy Ghost—the Comforter—who brings peace, truth, and quiet reassurance when I need it most. For the first time, I could see how They worked together, how Their love was not abstract but intentional, directed, and deeply personal. This wasn’t confusion or mystery anymore. It was relationship. It was belonging. It was the God I had always known in my heart, finally coming into focus.
     My father often spoke of the need for order. It was one of the steady truths of our home, even though we weren’t raised reading the scriptures. I don’t think we even owned a Bible—a Greek liturgy book, yes, but not the scriptures themselves. So when I began to study the scriptures later in life, I was stunned by what I found. Page after page revealed the very principles my father had tried to teach us long before I ever knew they were written in holy words. “Mine is a house of order,” saith the Lord. And suddenly I understood: the order my father lived, the structure he created, the steadiness he insisted on—it wasn’t just his personality. It was a reflection of divine truth. He had been teaching us principles he didn’t even have the language for, truths he carried in his bones. And as I learned the scriptures, I realized that what my father had modeled in our home was the very order God desired for His children.
     And woven through all of that order was the very love my father desired most. He just wanted us to be present when he was home. He loved us, missed us, and wanted to be with us every chance he had. There was nothing complicated about it. His longing for us wasn’t about control or duty—it was about love. And as I studied the scriptures, I began to see that same longing in the words of God. A Father who desires His children near Him. A Father who invites, who calls, who gathers. A Father whose house is a house of order, not for the sake of rules, but for the sake of relationship. The more I learned, the more I realized that the love my father carried—the desire to have his children close—was a reflection of the divine love written in those pages. My father had been teaching me God’s heart long before I ever opened the scriptures.
     As I continued to study and learn, I began to see the blessings that flow from the order God asks of us. Everything He commands, every covenant He offers, is designed to open the door to blessings. I came to understand that through obedience, He is bound—not because He is limited, but because He is loving. A Father who keeps His promises. A Father who honors His word. A Father who desires to bless His children far more than they even know to ask. The covenants and promises He extends are not burdens; they are pathways. They lead to “great and marvelous things,” to a life shaped by His presence, His protection, and His love. And the more I walked in obedience, the more I saw that every step toward Him was met with a blessing already prepared, already waiting, already promised.
     And when I think about blessings, I can’t help but return to that night so many years ago. I was lying in bed, the boys asleep, Paul still in California trying to sell the business, when a voice or impression came over me with a power that startled me awake: “Many great and marvelous blessings…” I don’t remember the rest, only the strength of those words and the certainty that they were meant for me. In the years that followed, that promise became buried under hardship and heartache, almost forgotten beneath the weight of everything we endured. But as I came to understand God—His order, His covenants, His love, His Son, and the Comforter—I began to see that those words had never left me. They were waiting. They were tied to obedience, to covenant, to the very blessings He is bound to give. And now, looking back, I can see that the “great and marvelous blessings” He whispered to me in the dark were not a dream. They were a promise. A promise He fully intended to keep.
     And of course, all of this—my father’s love, the love I learned through motherhood, the blessings that came through obedience—all of it leads to the greatest love of all. “Greater love hath no man than this.” The ultimate love. The ultimate sacrifice. The love that defines every other kind of love and gives it meaning. It is through Him—through His willingness to lay down His life, through His perfect obedience to the Father, through His infinite compassion—that I came to understand who my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ truly is. Every lesson I learned as a daughter, every lesson I learned as a mother, every blessing I received through covenant and obedience, all of it pointed me toward Him. And in Him, I finally understood the depth of divine love: a love that saves, a love that sanctifies, a love that reaches into the smallest corners of my life and says, “You are Mine.”
     And I cannot speak of love without speaking of what I learned as a wife. Marriage taught me a different kind of devotion—one shaped by loyalty, forgiveness, and the quiet strength required to walk beside someone through seasons of uncertainty and change. It refined me in ways motherhood could not, stretching my capacity to love with steadiness and grace. And in those moments when I chose patience, when I stayed present, when I carried more than I thought I could, I began to sense another dimension of the Savior’s love for me. Not in comparison, but in reflection. The constancy I offered became a small glimpse of His constancy. The grace I extended became a window into His grace. Marriage became its own sacred classroom, teaching me not only how to love, but how deeply I am loved—with a devotion that is steady, loyal, and unwavering.
     Looking back over my life—as a daughter, a mother, a wife, and a disciple—I can see how every experience, every sorrow, every joy, and every blessing was leading me toward a clearer understanding of God’s love. The promise whispered to me so many years ago, the “great and marvelous blessings,” was never about ease or perfection. It was about becoming. It was about learning to recognize His hand in the ordinary and the extraordinary, in the refining and the restoring. And now, standing at this point in my life, I can see that He has been with me in every chapter—patiently shaping me, healing me, teaching me, and loving me with a devotion far greater than I ever understood. This is the God I searched for. This is the God I found. And this is the God who has carried me all the way home.
     I know that God lives. I know that Jesus is the Living Christ, my Savior and Redeemer. And I know that we are blessed with the Holy Ghost—the Comforter—to guide, protect, and teach us throughout our lives. This knowledge has shaped every chapter of my journey, and it is the truth I leave with you, in the sacred name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
     

Jesus Christ Is Not Our Burden; He Is Our Relief

Elder David J. Wunderli, April 2026 General Conference

Marcella Molnar

Sacrament Talk 

August 16, 2026

Sugarmill Ward

We hear certain scriptures so often that their meaning becomes diluted—softened by repetition, familiar to the ear but distant from the heart. “Come unto me… and I will give you rest” is one of those verses. We quote it easily. We teach it confidently. But there are seasons when those words feel far away—when the weight we carry is heavier than our strength, when rest feels impossible, and when we quietly wonder if His relief is meant for everyone else… except us.

I have lived such a season. I once sat on a bench beneath a black walnut tree in my front yard in Orem, Utah, carrying a burden that felt impossible to continue bearing. Fear rushed through me so suddenly it took my breath away. I wept. I prayed. I pleaded. I didn’t have eloquent words—only a cry from the deepest place in me that the Lord would lift what I could no longer carry.

What happened next is difficult to describe. It felt as though something warm and encompassing moved through me, surrounding my whole body. And then, just as quickly, the weight I had been carrying—the fear, the strain, the heaviness—lifted completely off my shoulders. My tears stopped. My breathing steadied. I sat there for a moment, stunned by the suddenness of the relief.

And then… I stood up.

I’ve learned that doctrine is only the beginning. Relief doesn’t come from concepts—it comes from the living presence of God moving within us. There is a Greek word that has stayed with me this year: entheos—God within. When His relief comes, it isn’t just something we understand; it’s something we feel. It’s the moment when our spirit recognizes Him before our mind can catch up.

When the Savior says, “I will give you rest,” the Greek word He uses is anápausis. It doesn’t mean sleep. It doesn’t mean inactivity. It means relief—the lifting of heaviness, the inner refreshment that comes from being held by Him. It is the pause that restores the soul. That is exactly what I felt under the walnut tree. Not escape. Not numbness. Relief.

As parents, many of us feel sorrow when our children step away from the Church. A former bishop once told me, “It’s a sign of the times.” And yet, Elder David J. Wunderli, in his April General Conference talk, Jesus Christ Is Not Our Burden; He Is Our Relief, reminds us that another sign of the times is emerging—a rising generation choosing to abide with Jesus Christ. They gather in temples in record numbers. They wake before sunrise for seminary. They serve missions in greater strength and compassion. They are becoming lifelong disciples of Jesus Christ. They are choosing to walk with Him.

We live in challenging times, and we know the prophecies surrounding the last days. More difficulties will come. I don’t like to give the adversary attention, but his influence is real, and his time is running out. He wants us to believe that life would be easier without commandments, without leaders, without parents and friends encouraging us to hold to the iron rod. He whispers that discipleship is heavy, that obedience is restrictive, that faith is a burden. But Elder Wunderli teaches the exact opposite truth: Jesus Christ is not the weight—He is the RELIEF.

We have been taught again and again that Jesus Christ has overcome the world. He has taken upon Himself the pains and sorrows of His people. He has suffered afflictions and temptations of every kind, so that He Himself would know exactly how to comfort us. His invitation is simple, loving, and powerful: “Abide with me. Stay with me.” That is His greatest desire for each one of us. But we also know that abiding with Him is not always easy.

So how do we abide with Him? How do we stay with Him through our joys, sorrows, successes, and trials? The scriptures show us a pattern which we have spoken of in my primary class this year, as we study the Old Testament—the Apostasy Cycle. The word apostasy comes from the Greek apo + stasi, meaning “to move away from where you once stood.” Over and over, we see people who follow God, then gradually drift through pride or apathy. Consequences increase, humility returns, and they turn back to Him—only for the cycle to repeat. Abiding with Christ means interrupting that cycle. It means choosing to stay where He is, instead of drifting away.

And this is why Christ’s invitation matters so deeply. “Abide in me, and I in you.” He is not asking us to be perfect—He is asking us to stay. To remain. To walk with Him. To let Him lift the heaviness we cannot carry alone.

But it requires praxis (prax’sees)—the lived, daily actions of discipleship. Abiding is not passive. It is practiced. It is lived. It is the daily walk that keeps us from drifting into apo‑stasi—moving away from where we once stood.

And this is what praxis looks like. Elder Wunderli teaches us exactly how we keep Christ with us—how we abide, how we stay, how we refuse to drift into apo‑stasi.

We keep Him with us when we kneel and pray with real intent.

We keep Him with us when we study the scriptures daily—especially the Book of Mormon—and let its witness of Christ guide us through our mists of darkness.

We keep Him with us when we exercise faith in Him, trust Him, and turn to Him in sincere, daily repentance.

We keep Him with us when we live our covenants every day and renew them every week.

This is praxis. This is abiding. This is the daily walk that keeps us from drifting away from where we once stood.

Abiding with Him eases your burdens. Walking with Him shapes your character and helps you become even as He is. It brings real and lasting joy.

Elder Wunderli pleads with us:

“My dear young friends, may we together continue to walk with Jesus Christ, even in our most difficult moments—when we question our worth, doubt our capabilities, or question our faith. When we feel that we are alone, when the weight of life’s challenges sends us backward, may we hold strong to our resolve to keep Him with us.”

“Let us allow the Savior to ease our burdens—allow Him to help remove the rocks of addiction and the weight of our sorrows. Let Him contend with those who would contend with us. Let Him cleanse us from our sins again and again and, yes, even again. Let Him move the mountains before us and change the course of the powerful rivers in our lives that carry us away from Him.”

“Jesus Christ is not the weight; He is our relief; He is our strength; He is the way. May we all walk with Him.”

This is anápausis—His relief. This is entheos—His strength within us. This is praxis—the daily walk that keeps us from drifting into apo‑stasi. Jesus Christ is not the weight; He is the way.

He does not ask us to carry Him. He asks us to walk with Him. And when we do, He carries us.

My brothers and sisters, I testify to you that Jesus is the Christ. He is our brother and our Redeemer. His love for us is so great that He gave it ALL. He suffered it ALL, that we may return to live with Him, our Father in Heaven, and our loved ones again. It wasn’t just a performance… it was a sacrifice—deliberate, infinite, and offered in love.

I testify that His invitation to abide is real. I have felt His relief—His anápausis. I have felt His strength within me—His entheos. And I have seen how daily praxis, the lived actions of discipleship, keeps me close to Him.

And I know this: in seasons when I felt isolated—by my own actions or the actions of others—He drew closer. He became my counselor, my understanding, my compassion, and my RELIEF.


I leave these words with you,

In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

 

Nourishing Our Testimonies

Sacrament Talk
Inspired by Elder S. Mark Palmer, Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf, and President Russell M. Nelson
Date: August 31, 2025
Ward: Sugarmill Ward

My Brothers and Sisters,

As I prayed, studied, and pondered Elder S. Mark Palmer’s General Conference talk, “Return Unto Me…That I May Be Healed,” I found myself wrestling with what message Heavenly Father wanted me to share. Speaking to my ward family about the invitation to return to church left me—well—stumped. No pun intended, as you’ll soon hear the story of the willow tree.

But I sensed there was more. So I turned to the footnotes. Through the Spirit, it became clear: this message wasn’t just for those who’ve stepped away. It’s for their loved ones. For our “friends” learning about the gospel. For new converts. For those quietly struggling. And for the rest of us, wherever we are on the path of discipleship. We all need deeper nourishment at the roots of our testimonies.

Elder Palmer begins his message with a story about a willow tree in his yard that was nearly destroyed by a storm. It lay toppled, its roots torn and exposed. He was ready to cut it up for firewood when his neighbor rushed over and stopped him. Pointing to a single root still anchored in the ground, the neighbor urged him to give the tree a chance: “Prop it up, trim the branches, nourish it—and the roots will take hold again.”

Skeptical but moved by his neighbor’s faith in the tree’s future, Elder Palmer followed the advice. And in time, signs of life returned—the tree began to take root once more.

Brothers and Sisters, I believe many of us know someone whose testimony was once strong and vibrant, like that willow tree. Then, through personal trials or quiet drift, their spiritual roots weakened, and faith was lost. Others still cling to the gospel with the slimmest of roots—barely holding on, yet still drawing life from the soil of truth.

Elder Palmer shared several poignant stories of individuals who confided in him about why they had left the Church—and how they found their way back. What stood out most to me wasn’t the reasons they left, but the way they returned. The common thread in each story was the quiet power of love. Their families and ward members created an environment rich in spiritual nutrients: love, acceptance, and patience.

Just like the willow tree, these individuals didn’t need judgment or pruning from others—they needed nourishment. And when they received it, their roots began to take hold again.

Elder Palmer speaks directly to those who once felt the Spirit but now wonder if there’s a way back—or even a place for them—in the restored Church of Jesus Christ. He also reaches out to those barely hanging on or tempted to step away.

“This message,” he says, “is not a challenge, and it is not a condemnation. It is an invitation—extended with love and a sincere desire to welcome you back to your spiritual home.”

He offers five gentle pieces of counsel, each one echoing the healing of the willow tree:

1. Focus your faith on Jesus Christ and His gospel—the trunk and the roots that anchor everything.
2. Be patient as your faith and testimony begin to grow again.
3. Nourish your testimony with spiritual sunlight—scripture, prayer, and connection.
4. Stay sensitive to the Spirit, just as the willow needed sunshine to regrow its branches and leaves.
5. Trust in the Savior’s healing power—because the Lord knows your divine potential and will never give up on you. Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, all that is broken can be healed.

In his October 2024 General Conference address, Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf offered a powerful reminder: “Nourish the roots, and the branches will grow.” He taught that “Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice are the root of our testimony. All other things are branches. Without a connection to the Savior, to the nourishment found in the roots, a branch withers and dies.”

If we want our testimonies to grow and bear fruit, we must nourish the roots—our relationship with Jesus Christ. That means seeking clarity through faith, striving to understand, and following Him with humility. As our faith deepens, the branches of our testimony will draw strength and begin to flourish.

Elder Uchtdorf reminds us that strong faith doesn’t happen overnight. In this mortal world, it’s the thorns and thistles of doubt that grow effortlessly. A healthy, fruitful tree of faith requires intentional effort—and that effort begins with being firmly rooted in Christ.

He also invites us to reflect on what our testimonies are built upon. Are they rooted in Jesus Christ, or are they dependent on the actions and attitudes of others? Are they steady in all circumstances, or do they sway with the winds of disappointment?

Elder Uchtdorf gives two examples that struck me deeply:

First, we may be initially drawn to the gospel because of the warmth of the missionaries, the kindness of the members and the bishop, or the beauty of the chapel. But, if our testimony never grows deeper than those surface impressions, what happens when the missionaries are transferred, a member or the bishop says something that offends us, or the building isn’t quite as welcoming?


Second, it’s natural to hope that keeping the commandments and being sealed in the temple will lead to a picture-perfect life—a large, happy family, obedient children, and joyful service in the Church. But what if it doesn’t happen that way? Will we remain bound to the Savior, trusting His timing and His plan, even when life unfolds differently than we expected?

To those who feel spiritually uprooted or weary, Elder Palmer and Elder Uchtdorf offer reassurance: “Our testimony will be tested and tried. Faith is not faith if never tested. Faith is not strong if never opposed.” So if you’re facing trials of faith or wrestling with unanswered questions—don’t despair. That struggle is part of the growing process.

A testimony isn’t something we build once and expect to stand untouched. It’s more like a living tree—one that must be nourished constantly. Planting the word of God in our hearts is only the beginning. As Alma teaches, once our testimony begins to grow, “then ye must nourish it with great care, that it may get root, that it may grow up, and bring forth fruit.” That takes “great diligence” and “patience.”

Storms will come. Branches may break. But if even one root remains—anchored in Christ—there is hope. And with love, light, and spiritual nourishment, life can return.

President Russell M. Nelson, in his April 2022 General Conference address “The Power of Spiritual Momentum,” reminds us: “Momentum is a powerful concept. We all have experienced it in one form or another.”

He warns that “we have never needed positive spiritual momentum more than we do now,” as the speed and intensity of evil in the world continue to escalate. Amid pandemics, natural disasters, and armed conflict, spiritual momentum is what keeps us moving forward—what helps us withstand the adversary’s relentless efforts to erode our foundation of faith.

President Nelson teaches that spiritual momentum is not accidental—it’s built through intentional choices. Obedience, love, humility, service, and gratitude are just a few of the actions that ignite it. He offers five specific ways to maintain and build that momentum:

1. Get on the covenant path—and stay there.
2. Discover the joy of daily repentance.
3. Learn about God and how He works.
4. Seek and expect miracles. Few things accelerate spiritual momentum more than recognizing that the Lord is helping you move a mountain in your life.
5. End conflict in your personal life.

These actions nourish our spiritual roots. They help us grow strong, resilient branches—capable of bearing fruit even in stormy seasons.

In closing, I’d like to speak directly to the parents—especially those whose hearts ache for children who have wandered. There is a quote that has given me deep hope, understanding, and faith. In his April 1929 Conference Report, Elder Orson F. Whitney said:

“You parents of the willful and the wayward! Don’t give them up. Don’t cast them off. They are not utterly lost. The Shepherd will find His sheep. They were His before they were yours—long before He entrusted them to your care; and you cannot begin to love them as He loves them… Though some of the sheep may wander, the eye of the Shepherd is upon them… Either in this life or the life to come, they will return… Pray for your careless and disobedient children; hold on to them with your faith. Hope on, trust on, till you see the salvation of God.”

This is the promise of the gospel. This is the power of spiritual momentum. Whether we are nourishing our own roots or praying over the roots of someone we love, the Savior is near. His grace is sufficient. His timing is perfect. And His love is deeper than we can comprehend.

My Brothers and Sisters, may we be diligent in nourishing the roots of our testimonies. May we move forward with momentum—anchored in Christ, guided by our Prophet, and strengthened by the Spirit. As we do, we will be able to withstand the fiery darts of the adversary and help others find their way back to the fold.
 

I leave this with you with love and in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Never Give Up and Opportunity to Testify of Christ

President Bonnie H. Cordon, Young Women General President

Sacrament Talk by Marcie Molnar

May 28, 2023

“14 Arise and come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know that I am the God of Israel, and the God of the whole earth, and have been slain for the sins of the world.

15 And it came to pass that the multitude went forth, and thrust their hands into his side, and did feel the prints of the nails in his hands and in his feet; and this they did do, going forth one by one until they had all gone forth, and did see with their eyes and did feel with their hands, and did know of a surety and did bear record, that it was he, of whom it was written by the prophets, that should come.”

In her April 2023 General Conference talk, Sister Bonnie H. Cardon, shared:

“We live in a fallen world, with distractions coaxing our eyes and hearts downward instead of heavenward. Much like the Nephites in 3 Nephi 11, we need Jesus Christ. Can you imagine yourself there, among people who had experienced so much chaos and destruction?”

I might add Brothers and Sisters, are we not ourselves witnessing chaos and destruction in our world today?

She goes on to say: “What would it be like to hear the Lord’s personal invitation…” to ARISE AND COME FORTH UNTO ME.”

“These Nephites eagerly went forward to thrust their hands into His side and feel the prints of the nails in His hands and feet so they could witness for themselves that this was the Christ…”

Twenty-three years ago, our youngest son Peter had the opportunity to play the very small role of “Fish Boy” in the Church production of “Finding Faith in Christ.” Since he was just a young 7-year-old, I had the opportunity to escort him while on the set. We were handed his costume from a large circular clothing rack, and directed to the trailer for make-up. There we were in the company of the actors who played the twelve apostles. The only makeup Peter required with his already very tanned summer body, was to dirty up his fingernails and parts of his recently showered face and extremities. We then all loaded up into a cargo van, and were shuttled to the site on the far side of Utah Lake. When we arrived, the extras were already dressed and in their places, sitting on the boulders and rocks waiting for the arrival of the actor, Thomas Kofod, who played the Savior in the Church production of The Testaments: Of One Fold and One Shepherd. 

It was exceptionally quiet on the set and I was immediately touched by the Spirit. Peter was directed to his spot in the midst of the crowd. Unannounced, at least within my earshot, Thomas Kofod ascended from the other side of the boulders and proceeded down the hill until he approached my son. My tears flowed freely as I realized what a sacred experience this was for me. There was my small child being asked by the Lord if he would share his basket of bread and fish with him. Peter responded with a simple, “Yes!”

Brothers and Sisters, I did not have the opportunity to touch the Savior or feel the prints on his hands or his feet, but with this experience, I felt perhaps an inkling of what it must have been like for those who had been in the physical presence of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Sister Cardon asked, “Are WE as anxious to witness for ourselves as the multitudes did in the scriptures? Are the blessings we seek less needful than theirs?”

“When Christ physically visited the Nephites at their temple, His invitation was not to stand at a distance and look upon Him,” as I had to on the set, “but to touch Him, to feel for themselves the reality of the Savior of humankind. How can WE draw close enough to gain a personal witness of Jesus Christ? While we may not enjoy the same physical proximity as those who walked with Christ during His earthly ministry, through the Holy Ghost we can experience His power every day! As much as we need!”

Sister Cardon shared with us the story of her father who once counseled her with urgency, “Bonnie, never give up an opportunity to testify of Christ.”

She said, “It seemed as though he was saying, “Bonnie, don’t let the world overtake you! Stay true to your covenants with the Savior. Seek to experience His blessings every day, and be able to testify through the Holy Ghost of His power and presence in your life!”

“Through President Russell M. Nelson, we have received countless invitations and have been promised glorious blessings if we will center our lives on our Savior, Jesus Christ.”

“As we choose to seek Christ, the Spirit will witness of Him in many different situations. These witnesses of the Spirit occur as we fast, pray, wait, and continue forward. Our closeness to Christ grows through worshipping frequently in the temple, repenting daily, studying scriptures, attending church and seminary, pondering our patriarchal blessings, worthily receiving ordinances, and honoring sacred covenants. All of these invite the Spirit to enlighten our minds, and they bring added peace and protection. But do we honor them as sacred opportunities to testify of Christ?”

Sister Cardon resumes: “ Feast on the Spirit with purpose. There is power in making these holy habits less of a checklist and more of a witness. The process will be gradual but will grow with daily, active participation and purposeful experiences with Christ. As we consistently act on His teaching, we gain a testimony of Him; we build a relationship with Him and our Heavenly Father. We begin to become like Them.”

We are a covenant people brothers and sisters, and we are admonished to stay on the covenant path. But it’s more than that. We need to understand that this is a covenant RELATIONSHIP with our Savior and we need to build and strengthen that relationship with him and with our Father in Heaven and with the Holy Ghost.

Many of you are aware of the great excitement we felt as we prepared ourselves to join our Lecanto Ward family in the summer of 2021. I especially felt great joy to be back in what is often referred to as “The Mission Field”. Having joined the church in California, but living in Utah for 22 years, I was ready to share the gospel with the people in Florida. Life however often throws a curve ball. Like most of you, we are no strangers to adversity and within a month of being here, our trials hit us hard. Then as a typical reaction, one began to doubt:

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland once shared, “Beware the temptation to retreat from a good thing. If it was right when you prayed about it and trusted in it, it is right now. At times there is nothing more we can do but muster up enough faith, strength, and courage to forge ahead.”

Then I was once again reminded of the following scripture:

“And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things; I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.” Ether 12:6

As Sister Cardon said, “The adversary creates so much noise that it can be difficult to hear the Lord’s voice. Our world, our challenges, and our circumstances will not get quieter, but we can and must hunger and thirst after the things of Christ to “hear Him” with clarity. We want to create muscle memory of discipleship and testimony that will bring into focus our reliance on our Savior each day.”

Let me repeat that, “We want to create muscle memory of discipleship and testimony that will bring into focus our reliance on our Savior each day.”

Ironically, in January of 2022, our dear Bishop called us to be ward missionaries. Because of our individual medical situations, I wasn’t certain how well we would be able to perform our responsibilities. I do know however, that when the Lord calls you, he qualifies you and provides you with that mantle and the abilities and tools to do all that he desires for you to accomplish IF you have the faith, roll up your sleeves, and get to work.

Over these past 16-plus months, I have worked hard to focus on HIM and not on my challenges. They are still there and at times often raging, but just as Sister Cardon’s father counseled her to never give up an opportunity to testify of Christ,” I have found that by sharing my testimony as a Ward Missionary with our new friends, neighbors and even strangers on the street, that I have been blessed with incredible relief, strength, tender mercies, and even miracles.

I take comfort in the words of President Russell M Nelson as he has warned us that “In the coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting and constant influence of the Holy Ghost.”

Sister Cardon has invited us to “look for Christ everywhere–I promise He is there. True joy rests on our willingness to come closer to Christ and witness for ourselves.”

She goes on to say, “We know that in the last days, “every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess” that Jesus is the Christ. I pray this witness will become a normal and natural experience for us now—that we will take every opportunity to joyfully testify: Jesus Christ lives!

During the October 2022 General Conference, our dear prophet Russell M. Nelson shared the following words:

“I assure you that our Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, love you. They are intimately aware of your circumstances, your goodness, your needs, and your prayers for help. Again and again, I pray for you to feel Their love for you.

Experiencing Their love is vital, as it seems that we are accosted daily by an onslaught of sobering news. You may have had days when you wished you could don your pajamas, curl up in a ball, and ask someone to awaken you when the turmoil is over.

But, my dear brothers and sisters, so many wonderful things are ahead. In the coming days, we will see the greatest manifestations of the Savior’s power that the world has ever seen. Between now and the time He returns “with power and great glory,” He will bestow countless privileges, blessings, and miracles upon the faithful.”

What incredible blessings we have as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. People often say, “I don’t know where I would be without the Church and the Gospel in my life. My brothers and sisters, I do. I was there, but there are so many who are in need of what we have. They need to hear from us. So again, Never Give Up an Opportunity to Testify of Christ, to share what you have, your story, your knowledge, your testimony. Do not be reluctant to be bold and invite others to attend Game Night, come to church, meet with the missionaries, and join our family and the Lord’s true Church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The blessings are there for ALL.

This I say in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Why Marriage, Why Family

 

Elder D. Todd Christopherson, 

General Conference, April 2015

Sacrament Talk, February 27, 2022

One Christmas from the pulpit, a dear childless sister in our ward sang a beautiful musical number, from Michael McLean’s The Forgotten Carols. My tears flowed freely as I heard the familiar words:

Mary let me hold her baby

Her newborn son

Though I'd never be a mother

I felt like one

After sacrament, I approached this dear sister to offer a hug and express my sincere appreciation. Her words were sharp as she coldly gazed into my eyes and asked how I could possibly relate since I had my boys. My response was simple, at least it was to me, as I replied, “Because there was a time I thought I would never have children of my own.”

The topic of marriage and family can be painful to many brothers and sisters in the church. I want YOU to know that I am sensitive to this. Like many of you, I am a convert. I did not come from pioneer heritage. I did not have parents who were members of the church; the priesthood blessings were therefore not in my home growing up. I had no experience in Primary or Young Women’s, and for ten years of marriage, five of those being a member of the Church, I did not believe that I would ever have children of my own. Although Paul and I have been married now for 42 years, we admit that we do not have the perfect marriage or family.

So, as I share with you words of wisdom from the talk by Elder D. Todd Christofferson on “Why Marriage, Why Family”, I do so knowing that this topic may be difficult for many in this congregation. So I want to begin by sharing the following words that are embedded within the body of this talk with the hopes that you will understand what is said here today with an open heart and with an understanding of how great the love our Heavenly Father has for each one of his children.

Elder Christofferson says, “To declare the fundamental truths relative to marriage and family is not to overlook or diminish the sacrifices and successes of those for whom the ideal is not a present reality. Some of you are denied the blessing of marriage for reasons including a lack of viable prospects, same-sex attraction, physical or mental impairments, or simply a fear of failure that, for the moment at least, overshadows faith. Or you may have married, but that marriage ended, and you are left to manage alone what two together can barely sustain. Some of you who are married cannot bear children despite overwhelming desires and pleading prayers.

Even so, everyone has gifts; everyone has talents; everyone can contribute to the unfolding of the divine plan in each generation. Much that is good, much that is essential—even sometimes all that is necessary for now—can be achieved in less than ideal circumstances. So many of you are doing your very best. And when you who bear the heaviest burdens of mortality stand up in defense of God’s plan to exalt His children, we are all ready to march. With confidence, we testify that the Atonement of Jesus Christ has anticipated and, in the end, will compensate all deprivation and loss for those who turn to Him. No one is predestined to receive less than all that the Father has for His children.”

Brothers and sisters, we likely all know someone who is struggling in their marriage or with their children. Families are falling apart and members are finding themselves attending church alone with their children, while their spouse is home claiming to have no more desire to be a part of the fold. We know who the enemy is!

Elder Christofferson says,

“In the premortal world, Lucifer rebelled against God and His plan, and his opposition only grows in intensity. He fights to discourage marriage and the formation of families, and where marriages and families are formed, he does what he can to disrupt them. He attacks everything that is sacred about human sexuality, tearing it from the context of marriage with a seemingly infinite array of immoral thoughts and acts. He seeks to convince men and women that marriage and family priorities can be ignored or abandoned, or at least made subservient to careers, other achievements, and the quest for self-fulfillment and individual autonomy. Certainly, the adversary is pleased when parents neglect to teach and train their children to have faith in Christ and be spiritually born again. Brothers and sisters, many things are good, many are important, but only a few are essential.”

The Prophet Joseph Smith stated that “Satan cannot seduce us by his enticements unless we in our hearts consent and yield. Our organization is such that we can resist the devil; if we were not organized so, we would not be free agents.”

Elder Christofferson refers to an article In the Wall Street Journal, The Global Flight from the Family by Nicholas Eberstadt, which reads: “People may be loyal to one another in nonmarital relationships, and children can be born and raised, sometimes quite successfully, in other than a married two-parent family environment. But on average and in the majority of cases, evidence of the social benefits of marriage and of the comparatively superior outcomes for children in families headed by a married man and woman is extensive.

Eberstadt catalogs the worldwide declines in marriage and childbearing and the trends regarding fatherless homes and divorce and observes: “The deleterious impact on the hardly inconsequential numbers of children disadvantaged by the flight from the family is already plain enough. So too the damaging role of divorce and out-of-wedlock childbearing in exacerbating income disparities and wealth gaps—for society as a whole, but especially for children. Yes, children are resilient and all that. But the flight from family most assuredly comes at the expense of the vulnerable young. That same flight also has unforgiving implications for the vulnerable old.”

The Family: A Proclamation to the World reads:

“...we warn that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets.”

It also states in The Proclamation that “The family is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan. Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity. Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities. By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners. Disability, death, or other circumstances may necessitate individual adaptation. Extended families should lend support when needed.”

In an article written by me in 2018 on The Wisdom of Grandparents, it reads: “Traditions can play a huge role in nurturing a healthy family. The experience of growing up with generations can be vital to a child’s well-being. It provides a sense of security in an often confusing and tumultuous world our little ones have to endure. Grandparents provide a child with a trusting resource in times of questions and concerns. The more pillars of strength in a family unit, the more stable one may feel.

The Proclamation blesses us with the knowledge that “The divine plan of happiness enables family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave. Sacred ordinances and covenants available in holy temples make it possible for individuals to return to the presence of God and for families to be united eternally.”

The final paragraph in The Proclamation reads: “We call upon responsible citizens and officers of government everywhere to promote those measures designed to maintain and strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society.”

And in my personal experiences might I be specific by adding to that list, lawyers, judges, therapists, clergymen, social workers, guardian ad litems, and the like. How wonderful it would be if all involved worked together in the best interest of the children and the family unit.

Elder Christofferson ends his talk with this, “May we each find approval in His sight. May marriages flourish and families prosper, and whether our lot is a fulness of these blessings in mortality or not, may the Lord’s grace bring happiness now.”

Brothers and sisters, whether you are part of a family, have a family of your own, have a circle of individuals who are a family by choice, remember that you are a member of this great ward family and worldwide church.

I would like to leave you with the words of the sweet primary song, “The Family is of God,”:

Our Father has a family. It’s me!
It’s you, all others too: we are His children.
He sent each one of us to earth, through birth,
To live and learn here in fam’lies.

God gave us families
to help us become what He wants us to be—
This is how He shares His love,
for the fam’ly is of God.

I leave these words with you in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Ice Cream

Christmas 2012

There are two little angels,
That are a part of me;
Two little angels,
Sitting near the tree.
Innocent and precious,
Filled with Christmas joy;
One little girl,
And one little boy.
Seven long years and waiting,
So hard to be apart;
But memories are forever,
And always in the heart.
The future holds the blessings,
Counting down the days;
God only, has the answers,
Trusting in His ways.
"Patience is a virtue",
Not always learned by choice;
To be endured in solitude,
Outwardly, with poise.
I wish you Merry Christmas,
From here upon the hill;
Looking down and forward,
I LOVE you --
ALWAYS will...
--YiaYia 12/18/19

Life Happens - The Importance of Self-Reliance

Sacrament Talk – August 12, 2018

South Pass Ward - Eagle Mountain

The Best Laid Plans

“The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.” - Robert Burns

According to legend, Robert Burns was plowing in the fields when he accidentally

destroyed a mouse's nest, which it needed to survive the winter. In fact, Burns's brother claimed that the poet composed the poem “To A Mouse” in 1785 while still holding on to his plow. 

In the early morning hours of mid-January, 1999, I received a powerful message from Heavenly Father to move to Utah. He then added a simple command, “and hurry!”

Fast forward. Nine months later, we unloaded our moving van in Orem, Utah. Two days later, Paul returned to California. That next morning the Lord spoke to me again, letting me know that “many great and marvelous blessings” were in store.

After 19 months of being separated as a family with Paul struggling to sell our business in California, he was finally able to join us in Orem. We knew that the Lord wanted us in Utah and with a leap of faith, followed his direction. Once here however, smooth sailing was not part of our experience.

The economy in Utah was struggling and finding employment was difficult for Paul. A few years later, we found ourselves in a financial crisis and my family began doubting that the prompting I had received was of God.

Angels Among Us

In addition to requiring assistance from the Church for a time, we found ourselves being recipients of homemade goodies, bags of food at Thanksgiving, and a jar of coins at Christmas-time, all anonymously left on our doorstep.

One evening our sons attended a combined youth activity. It was advertised as an International Dinner.  John and Peter complained about the theme, but I encouraged them to attend stating that at least they would get a good meal!  Sadly, that was not the case. The youth were divided up and our sons by the luck of the draw, ended up in second and third world countries.  While eating mush, rice and beans, those sitting right next to them were served steak and potatoes. Through tears, I had shared with my close friend in the ward what had happened.  Understanding why this was hard for me, she later showed up on our doorstep with a package of steaks and a bag of potatoes.

Being in a position where you are forced to put aside your pride is not easy. Paul and I have always enjoyed being able to be “givers”. Accepting help from the church and our neighbors was very difficult. There is a difference between eating hot dogs because you want to, as opposed to eating them because that’s all you can afford.

One of the changes we had to make with our finances was to eliminate car debt. Since I was a stay-at-home mom at the time, we decided to become a one-car family. Later, I started a pre-school in our home to help out while still being able to be there for our sons. To keep some sense of normalcy in our lives for the boys’ sake, we continued with their martial arts program trading my help at the dojo for a discount in their tuition. I grew up without a car in our home and we walked everywhere, so walking three-quarters of a mile to karate was not a huge sacrifice to me. With bags and equipment in tow, we were fortunate that at this point in time, that the weather was not an issue.  Paul was able to pick us up after work and we would worry about winter when the time came.

One day a neighbor approached Paul with keys and title to a used Nissan pick-up. The truck was rusty, had no power steering and no air-conditioning. He simply stated, “I should have done this a long time ago.” Paul then drove the truck to work and the boys and I were able to use the car.

The question is often asked, “do bad things always happen because of our choices or does God place experiences before us”? I believe both are true. While the prompting to move was real and every step of the way in the process was nothing short of a miracle, life happens. Like the little mouse who built his nest to survive the winter, things don’t always go as planned.  To be fair however, we made some poor choices leading up to this time in our lives and through this experience, we were forced to take a good hard look at them.

The State of Self-Reliance

Our family has been blessed with more in our lives than our parents had. As an uneducated immigrant, my father struggled to provide for our family. We never owned our own home or a car, but never had to reach out for assistance. While I have considered myself blessed to have more than my parents did, I have also found that we were not self-reliant. When met with financial challenges, one of the first things that we realized was our bondage to debt. Soon our ability to only make minimum payments on our credit cards, gave way to increased balances, due to accumulated interests.

While Paul and I both have some college under our belts, we have come to realize that one’s limitations are magnified when searching for employment without college experience beyond an Associate’s Degree. Not continuing my education is one of my biggest regrets. Each time I have committed to returning to school, life presented situations that prevented me from doing so.

Last January I signed up to take the Self-Reliance course offered through the Church, on Education for Better Work. I truly felt that it was going to happen this time. Shortly after the course started however, I learned that the company I was working for was in the middle of an acquisition. There was so much up in the air with my job that I knew once again that I could not make that commitment.

In May, as I had expected, my nearly 10 year employment with the company ended shortly after the acquisition was finalized. Again, life happens! Fortunately we had learned from our experience and are basically debt free. Although it feels virtually impossible to be 100% self-reliant unless your home is paid for and you are living off the land, doing your best is critical. While the course I selected for Self-Reliance, did not lend itself to obtaining my delayed degree, there was much gained by completing the course during the critical time.

Temporal and Spiritual

Some well meaning individuals will often say to one struggling financially, “It’s not about money.” Brothers and sisters, if you have not experienced this yet for yourself, I testify to you that when you are having to account for every penny that slips through your fingers and are doing without, especially when you have children to consider, it’s all about money.

President Dallin H Oaks said, “Whatever causes us to be dependent on someone else for decisions or resources we could provide for ourselves, weakens us spiritually and retards our growth toward what the gospel plan intends for us to be.”

In President Dieter F Uchtdorf’s talk, Providing in the Lords Way, he said, “The two great commandments—to love God and our neighbor—are a joining of the temporal and the spiritual. It is important to note that these two commandments are called “great” because every other commandment hangs upon them. In other words, our personal, family, and Church priorities must begin here. All other goals and actions should spring from the fountain of these two great commandments—from our love for God and for our neighbor.”

“Like two sides of a coin, the temporal and spiritual are inseparable.”

“... our spiritual progress is inseparably bound together with the temporal service we give to others.”

“The one complements the other. The one without the other is a counterfeit of God’s plan of happiness."

The Lord’s Way

President Uchtdorf goes on to say, “…the Lord’s way of caring for the needy is different from the world’s way. The Lord has said, “It must needs be done in mine own way.” He is not only interested in our immediate needs; He is also concerned about our eternal progression. For this reason, the Lord’s way has always included self-reliance and service to our neighbor in addition to caring for the poor.”

By following the Lord’s way, not only are our immediate needs met, but we also develop self-reliance, alleviate suffering, and grow in love and unity as we serve each other.

One of our first experiences of service in the church was to assist a ward family whose paint business had just burned to the ground. We all met at the site, were organized into several lines where we handed off buckets of paint with the last person dumping the contents into a large drum for removal.

Several years ago, a brother in our ward needed a new roof on his home.  Our Relief Society President had previously had the vision of putting together a booklet which included each member and their individual skills and areas of expertise. A group was then rounded up and the roof was installed in a day.

We Are All Enlisted

A former Bishop of ours once said from the pulpit, “What happens to one happens to all.”

President Uchtdorf said:“This very hour there are many members of the Church who are suffering. They are hungry, stretched financially, and struggling with all manner of physical, emotional, and spiritual distress. They pray with all the energy of their souls for succor, for relief.”

He goes on to say, “Brethren, please do not think that this is someone else’s responsibility. It is mine, and it is yours. We are all enlisted. “All” means all—every Aaronic and Melchizedek Priesthood holder, rich and poor, in every nation. In the Lord’s plan, there is something everyone can contribute.

The lesson we learn generation after generation is that rich and poor are all under the same sacred obligation to help their neighbor. It will take all of us working together to successfully apply the principles of welfare and self-reliance.

Too often we notice the needs around us, hoping that someone from far away will magically appear to meet those needs. Perhaps we wait for experts with specialized knowledge to solve specific problems. When we do this, we deprive our neighbor of the service we could render, and we deprive ourselves of the opportunity to serve…The Lord has placed His priesthood and its organization at our doorsteps in every nation where the Church is established. And, right by its side, He has placed the Relief Society.

The Lord’s way is not to sit at the side of the stream and wait for the water to pass before we cross. It is to come together, roll up our sleeves, go to work, and build a bridge or a boat to cross the waters of our challenges. You men of Zion, you priesthood holders, are the ones who can lead out and bring relief to the Saints by applying the inspired principles of the welfare program! It is your mission to open your eyes, use your priesthood, and go to work in the Lord’s way.”

Through our own personal trials, we have seen what financial bondage can do to a family and how it can rob you not only of temporal peace, but of your spiritual well being, for they are inseparable. I testify to you that I have seen the blessings that come from being independent and self-reliant, especially in the face of life’s storms. It may be extremely difficult, but we have the Lord on our side. “President Henry B. Eyring said, “When you do your part, the Lord adds His Power.”

John 10:10 reads, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”

Through the scriptures there are countless verses that express the Lord’s desires to bless us, both spiritually and temporally. It is important that we understand the purpose however. The importance of being independent and self-reliant is not just for our own sake but so that we can be strong and stable enough to provide help and resources to others when needed.

We know that Enoch built a Zion society through the spiritual process of creating a people of one heart and one mind and the temporal work of ensuring that there were “no poor among them.”