Dec. Ensign Question

Have any of you ever noticed the question posted on page two of the Ensign in a little blue box. The heading says, "Do you have a story to tell?" Then it proceeds to ask a question and call for comments. I like to answer those questions. I don't ever send my responses into the Ensign, but I like to think about my answers to the questions, and then the answers go into my Book of Remembrance as little pieces of my testimony.

I loved the question in the December Ensign, so I thought I would share the question and answer with anyone who wants to take the time to read it. Probably no one, but therein is the paradox of the blogger world.

The question: "Has a story or verse in the scriptures ever changed your outlook, brought comfort, or provided an answer to a question or problem? How have such experiences affected the way view scripture study?"

My answer:

I never really understood baptism—its significance and the reasons for it—until I was a sophomore/junior at BYU. I am not sure why this particular principle seemed troublesome to me, but I wanted to really understand why baptism was so important. I prayed about it off and on, and thought about it periodically, but I didn’t do anything really purposeful to find the answer. I think that is what made this whole experience so important to me—I had the question and I had asked it, but it was not something hindering my testimony or keeping me up at night, and I put very little time into figuring out the answer.

However, Heavenly Father heard my prayers, despite my lack of great spiritual urgency, and He answered me through the scriptures. I was reading one day and I read Moses 1:39, which says: “For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.” That was the beginning of my answer. I thought about that scripture and then read the related scriptures that were listed in the footnotes, 1 Nephi 13:26 and 2 Nephi 3:9. After reading those I read some of the scriptures linked to those, and some linked to those, until, suddenly, I had this incredible understanding about baptism. My mind had really been enlightened, just like the scriptures and church leaders talk about. I wrote the most important scriptures down on the first page of my Book of Mormon so I wouldn’t forget them, or this experience. The scriptures are: Moses 1:39, 3 Nephi 9:15, 3 Nephi 11:25-26, 1 Corinthians 3:9 (my favorite scripture), 3 Nephi 12:16, and 3 Nephi 28:10.

The basic idea is that Heavenly Father’s whole purpose is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man—meaning me. Jesus Christ, by being obedient to Heavenly Father and taking on His name during baptism, was one in purpose with the Father—meaning His whole purpose was to bring to pass the immortality of man. He did that by being our Savior, and because he was obedient and did everything in His Father’s name—His actions reflected on Heavenly Father, and glorified the Father. We also take on the name of Heavenly Father when we are baptized, so our actions reflect on Him and add or detract from His glory. By taking on us His name, we also take on us His mission and purpose—so our whole purpose is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. Our own, first and foremost, and then everyone else’s. Then in Corinthians, we are taught that we are laborers together with Heavenly Father. I think Heavenly Father wanted me to really know that because it gives me such a sense of purpose. I feel like my life is important because I am joined with Heavenly Father and Christ in this glorious mission and that since I chose to take on the name of Christ and Heavenly Father, my actions reflect on them. Everything I do takes on a significance when put in those terms. Baptism is so important because we need to feel that sense of joining the great effort, and recognizing that our actions reflect on our Heavenly Father, and that we need to be very careful in what we choose to do and say. We must absolutely let our light shine so others will be attracted to the light of Christ. The last scripture, 3 Nephi 28:10 is the promise. If our lives do glorify our Father, through having taken His name and moving the work forward, we become heirs to all that He has. That is pretty incredible.

I know that baptism is also a symbol of death and resurrection, a way to be cleansed, and a reflection of our willingness to be obedient to all the commandments. However, I also know that Heavenly Father blessed me with an understanding of baptism that I needed to really gain a testimony of the importance of the ordinance, and also to gain a testimony of the importance of what I choose in my life, and how I move the work forward or hinder it. I am so grateful for this experience because it changed my understanding of my baptismal covenants and my reasons for being here, and what it means to be one with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. It also taught me that prayers are answered—always, and that you just have to be ready for the answer, and doing things that are necessary to get the answer. It also taught me that the scriptures have the answers to all of our questions—urgent and otherwise, and reading the scriptures is incredibly important.