Evans - The Truth of All Things - October 2017

Elder Evans speaks about learning for ourselves, the truths of the gospel.  He notes that we all have questions about the church and over time, we can obtain our own answers to these questions through the Holy Ghost.

• Through study, prayer, and keeping the commandments, I found that there are answers to all of my important questions. I also found that for some questions, continuing faith, patience, and revelation are needed.
  

Patience is part of the Lord's plan of revealing truth.  Some questions might not be answered quickly, but will be as we seek with pure intent.

• Willingness to be patient is part of our search for truth and part of the Lord’s pattern of revealing truth.

Elder Evans gained a testimony of the gospel in the mission field once he read the Book of Mormon.  He wrote this passage in his missionary journal after learning the truth for himself.

• “I have pledged with my Father in Heaven and with myself to do my very best, to give it 100 percent for the rest of my life, whatever I am asked, I’ll do, but for now I have the rest of my mission and I am going to make it a great mission, one that I won’t feel bad about, but not for me, for the Lord. I love the Lord, and I love the work, and I just pray that that feeling will never leave me.”

He notes that once we find out the truth, we have to continually nourish our testimonies for our commitment to live the gospel to remain strong.

• I came to know that constant nourishment and continuing effort to repent and keep the commandments are needed to never have that feeling leave.

Elder Evans talks about things we can do in our lives to make it easier to hear the Holy Ghost.

• Repentance, coupled with a determination to keep the commandments, is an important part of each individual’s search for truth.
• Our search for truth should focus on “the best books” and the best sources. Among the very best are the scriptures and the words of living prophets.
• Each of us has a personal responsibility to do what is necessary to obtain and keep a strong testimony.
• Patient covenant keeping brings the blessings of heaven into our lives.

He concludes with letting us know that we can come to gain our own testimony of certain truths from the Holy Ghost.  These truths include:

• We can know that God is our Father, who loves us, and that His Son, Jesus Christ, is our Savior and Redeemer.
• We can know that membership in His Church is to be cherished and that weekly partaking of the sacrament will help us and our family be safe.
• We can know that through temple ordinances, families really can be together forever.
• We can know that the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the blessings of repentance and forgiveness are true and real.
• We can know that our dear prophet, President Thomas S. Monson, is the Lord’s prophet and that his counselors and the members of the Quorum of the Twelve are apostles, prophets, seers, and revelators.

Patience is vital to obtain a testimony of the gospel.  Elder Evans talks about the need for us to be living the way we know we should in order for the spirit to be able to communicate with us.  He talked about a lady who had many questions about the church but knew, despite her questions, that she should attend church, partake of the sacrament, serve in her callings, attend the temple, and read her scriptures.  Over time, as she lived the gospel, the Holy Ghost was able to use those righteous decisions to help her learn the answers to her questions.  We can all learn from this example, if we live the doctrine of Christ, it will be easier for us to learn for ourselves the truthfulness of the doctrine.