MY TESTIMONY

Over the years, since joining the Church, I have made remarks to my wife that I have no doubts of anything I’ve learned of the gospel...except for the thought that “I” could ever become a God.

I know ME pretty well and can easily say that, knowing my weaknesses, I certainly wouldn’t ever make me a GOD.

She would always just say, “Don’t you think that Satan is the one putting these thoughts in your head?

Maybe, but they are there.

This has been my thought process for the past 50 years...but it has not made me doubt the Church or our leaders or the scriptures.

We are told that we are taught by line upon line, precept upon precept and since I didn’t seem to be learning, I believe that Father prompted a friend, Fred Hawn, that I work with, (in whom I had never discussed these doubts) suggested that I listen to a talk given to the students at BYU by Brother Tad R. Callister.

His talk explained more fully the admonishment of the Savior that we should, “Become perfect even as our Father in Heaven is perfect.”

Brother Callister, quoting scripture and prophets, helped me understand MY “Identity And My Destiny” and this short life is meant to put us on our path to Godhood.

As we follow the Savior we will become like Him and Father and will eventually fulfill our destiny.

Our purpose on this earthly experience is to learn to perfect the attributes we need and to develop ourselves as we learn to become Gods.

The lessons we must start with, as we learn, are necessary to to prove ourselves worthy of becoming like Father.

At my High School in San Francisco, there was a quote on a mural at one end of the football field that I read often and liked...

"For a man to conquer himself is the first and noblest of all victories."

Plato...

Embracing the doctrines and teachings of the Church gives new meaning to Plato’s thoughts.

We are placed in family units to be nurtured and support us as we begin to learn to put others needs above our own selfish inclinations.

We are brought into the church to experience serving others and to continue to prove ourselves as having the capacity of becoming a God.

Joseph Smith said that there never was an offspring that could not become like their parents.

A simple but wonderful truth.

MY BAPTISM

My thoughts of my baptism.


Irene asked me what about any thoughts I might have had when I was baptized

My first thoughts were of the service that we had just gone through,

but as I thought I remembered the events of that day.

It was the ONLY time in my life that I "knowingly" received direct revelation from Father.

For weeks prior to my baptism I had been going to Father in prayer earnestly asking for forgiveness for the things in my life that were contrary to the gospel.

After my baptism, sitting in my chair, I asked again for forgiveness and I received this answer from Him...
“Your sins are forgiven you, ask no more.”

It was not an audible voice but it entered my soul as strongly as if it were 
being a LOUD declaration that those around me could have surely heard.


And I was at peace.