You've seen us before walking down the streets through rain, sleet, snow, or shine, riding bikes in suits or even in skirts, knocking door to door, and talking to EVERYONE and ANYONE who passes. You might have tried to dodge us. You might even think that we're crazy. We're the Mormon missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. So why do we do what we do? Why do we leave our families for 18 months to 2 years to spread this message with everyone? Because we know that the true gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored to the earth.
Throughout the history of time God has sent us prophets, right? We can read about these prophets in the Bible...like Adam and Noah and Moses. These prophets had the power and authority to act in the name of God to lead and guide his children, a power that is called the
priesthood. They performed miracles. Do you remember when Moses parted the Red Sea? It's because he had that special priesthood power and was able to act in God's name. And just like the children of Israel who walked through the Red Sea on dry ground, when people listen to the prophets, they are blessed. Sometimes they don't listen and fall into a period of spiritual darkness, or a period of apostasy.
When Jesus Christ came to the earth, He was the perfect example, and he showed us to have faith in Him, repent, be baptized, and receive the Holy Ghost. He died for our sins and made the ultimate sacrifice. He established His true church on the earth. You can think of this perfect church as a beautiful glass window. Everything he taught was so clear and full of truth. He called a Prophet, Peter, and 12 apostles and gave them that priesthood power to act in His name and stay true to His teachings. These men supported and protected this glass window, the church, from breaking.
Though many believed Jesus and accepted His teachings, many rejected Him and He was crucified. Peter continued to act in Christ's name to lead and guide the people. He still held up that glass window for all to see. But as we know, people eventually rejected Peter and the apostles, which led to a great period of spiritual darkness. The beautiful glass window was no longer supported, and it fell, shattering into a million pieces. No more was there one perfect true church on the earth. Many people saw those small shards of truth. They picked up a piece of truth and saw it was good, and formed a church out of it.
Since then many have searched for this truth. Many have questioned, is there one true church on the earth? What church is right for me? In 1820, a boy by the name of Joseph Smith had those same questions. After reading in James 1:5 "If any of ye lack wisdom let him ask of God" he decided the only way to know was to ask. So he went into a grove of trees and humbly knelt in prayer, earnestly seeking an answer. When suddenly he says "I saw a pillar of light, exactly over my head above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me. When the light rested upon me I saw two personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air, one of them spake unto me, calling me by name, and said pointing to the other: This is my beloved Son, hear Him."
This is the glorious message that we bear, that Christ lives! He has once again established His true church upon the earth today. He called a prophet to act in His name, to lead and guide us today. This is what brings me the greatest happiness, and there is no storm that I wouldn't trudge through, no desert I wouldn't walk to bring this message to His children. The greatest part is you don't have to take my word for it, but you can ask God, just as Joseph did, if this is true. I know that you will receive an answer and that it will change your life.
