A tale of two Testimonies: My first Utah and General Conference Experience

Salt Lake City Temple

I was blessed with the opportunity to attend General Conference in Salt Lake City Utah. For those who do not know what general conference is, it is when the Prophet, the 12 apostles and the rest of the general authorities gather together to reveal modern day revelation, and give incredible insight to the world! It is a powerful thing. I was lucky to be able to attend all 4 sessions of the conference, and I was blown away with how STRONG the spirit is, especially when you get to see the prophet stand up and speak to the world. I may or may not have balled like a baby when this happened...
Anyway, I flew in from Denver a few days early to re unite with some friends I haven't seen in a long time, and do some touring! While during my time there my testimony as a whole strengthened, but I would like to touch base on a couple things that really hit home for me.

I called this post a tale of two testimonies because I gained such a testimony for missionary work, and the power of bearing your testimony to EVERYONE every chance you get. So I will begin my story well... from the beginning.

1. BE A MISSIONARY! "if you're not a full-time missionary with a missionary badge pinned on your coat, now is the time to paint one on your heart--painted, as Paul said 'not with ink, but with the spirit of the living God'"- Elder Neil L Anderson general conference April 2013


Before I left for Utah I grabbed a stack of mormon.org cards,  wrote "ask and ye shall recieve, knock and it shall be made known unto you" on the back. I made it my goal to pass out every card before I got on the airplane. I put cards on the table where I ate, on the counters at gift shops and in bathrooms, phone booths and even the seat where I waited to board the plane

2. ALWAYS BEAR YOUR TESTIMONY!  Whether it is to a member of the church, a friend or even a stranger. You never know who the Lord has prepared for you, you never know who needs you and who is struggling. Your testimony can be the guiding light to bring others unto Christ.


I have such a testimony of missionary work, and it only grew larger as I walked through temple square on a very rainy morning. My friends had sent me off by myself (I promise it is not as horrible as it sounds) to tour temple square a second time while they were working and going to class. I was wondering around trying to find some shelter to keep myself from becoming drenched, when two sister missionaries with umbrellas came running up to me. I asked them when the temple gates opened, and that some how that led to me telling them about myself and my conversion story. I began to passionately bear my testimony for the church, not excluding any details of everything that I knew to be true. they told me how thankful they were to have met with me, and how grateful they were for the prompting from the holy ghost to come shield me from the rain with their umbrellas. Even though Utah is the place where the most amount of baptisms occur, being a missionary is hard. They said they needed to hear the testimony of a newly converted member, and see the bright spirit that I carried. They began to tell me the week had been a rough one for them, getting doors slammed in their face while tracting, and they began to loose some hope. I began to tell them how much I loved the missionaries that have taught me and are still currently meeting with me, and I reminded them the best that I could, that the Lord has prepared people for them to teach, they just needed to be patient.

I think back to catching a glimpse of Elder Anderson through the window of my neighbors apartment as they taught the new members living inside, and getting such a strong prompting to contact the missionaries one more time. I think back to the many sets of missionaries who had taught me before, or who I never got the chance to meet because I ignored their knocks. I know I was not ready or in the right place in my life to follow through with the first two baptism dates I had set, but I also have such a belief that I was one of the people prepared for Elder Anderson and Elder Pedro, and I am one of the reasons they came to Colorado, to teach me, and show me the way.

 Someone once told me that is takes an average of 7 times for someone to hear the gospel or investigate the church before they become committed. If we as members of the church did our job and gave missionaries referrals, told our friends and invited them to church, and bore our testimony every chance we got, imagine how much more efficient the missionary work would be? It is our obligation to share the gospel with everyone we know. Part of being a missionary can be as simple as offering one words of encouragement and love, helping someone who needs it, and by being a deciple of Jesus Christ. I always think, how many times was I made aware of the church before committing myself to becoming converted unto the Lord, and making those covenants we make at baptism? I can count several times actually, because I had several friends who were members of the church, giving me great examples, and I never made the connection. I remember the first night I met with Elder Anderson and let him teach me the lesson. His testimony was burned into my heart, and I will never forget the spirit I could see in his eyes, testifying of the truth.

Missionary work is important, and you do not have to wear a name tag in order to be a missionary. Without my missionaries and their sacrifice, I would be sitting in a dark and lonely abyss, hoping for someone to come turn on the light switch! I am living proof that missionary work is divine, necessary, and such a great example of the Love Christ has for all his children. However, one can not be a missionary, with a tag or not, without a testimony and with no spirit to guide their teachings. So I challenge you to to ask Heavenly Father to bring you to people who need you, who need the gospel and the light of Christ in their lives. He is preparing people who will be receptive to your testimony and will gladly bless you with the opportunity to bear your testimony and serve your fellow brothers and sisters. So go, go be a missionary, spread the gospel, and share your testimony! You will feel its power and your own testimony will strengthen just by doing so.

I testify that sharing the gospel with everyone you know is meant to strengthen your testimony of the church. I testify that the spirit can not be withheld from the truth and will shine ever so brightly when you be a 'missionary' and share the gospel. I know that this church can bring such joy and enlightenment to everyone's lives because God loves his children so much, and He wants  us to be happy. The love of Christ is the most amazing love imaginable, and if we allow the spirit to guide us we will share the love with others. Heavenly Father has prepared people to cross our paths, and I know that if we pray and ask God to bless us with the open hearts we need to be receptive, we will be  given the blessing to share this wonderful gospel with the souls who need it. I say these things in the name of the Son, Jesus Christ, AMEN!