What I Believe

A couple days ago I had an experience completely new to me. Many others have experienced this before, but I had not. My husband and I were out with the sister missionaries and we started talking to a woman who walked past us. This woman was anti-mormon. I have never met anyone who was anti-mormon before. I have met plenty of people who are not members of the church, some of my very best friends growing up are not members. That is just fine with me because we respect each other. Needless to say, my experience with someone who is anti-mormon shook me up quite a bit.

As we were talking to this woman, the missionaries and my husband were trying to explain our beliefs to the best of their ability. They had all been confronted with this before. I pretty much just stood there and said nothing. I didn't know what to say. I felt like in her eyes I was subhuman for the things that she thinks I believe in. I don't understand. And yes I did just say what she thinks I believe in because it was very obvious that she had a very twisted version of the truth. Anyway, I don't want to go into everything that was said or done that day. I will just say that the spirit was not there and I was so glad that the sister missionaries could feel that to and so they promptly ended the conversation. There was no joy or peace at that time. The comfort and gladness that comes from the Spirit of the Lord was gone and I wanted, no I needed it back.

Basically all day I was pretty upset by what had happened. I must be super sensitive. I talked and cried with my husband about it and he helped me to cope with what I had just been through. This might seem silly to some people, but once again I say that I have never been full on attacked or persecuted for what I believe. This was new to me. I have been teased or questioned about my beliefs and that is something I can handle. Persecution is harder.

Anyway, today I read a talk by Elder Neil L. Andersen entitled "Joseph Smith." It was given in this last session of general conference. More than just telling the story of Joseph Smith, he talks about how Joseph's name will be had for both good and evil. He talked about how people will persecute you for believing that Joseph Smith restored the gospel. He talked about how we can answer people who have sincere and honest questions. The whole talk was absolutely beautiful and absolutely what I needed to hear.

I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet a of God. I know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord's church on earth today. I know that Thomas S. Monson is a prophet. Most of all I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior. My relationship with Him is the most precious and sacred part of my whole life. To those who have questions about what I believe in, do not look to the internet or those who have left the church. Ask those who believe. This is the only way to know what we know.