Why I Believe

     Why I Believe is a special event held by our mission in the Temple Visitor Center. Every third Sunday we invite recent converts from the mission to come share their conversion story with members and investigators as well as a special key note speaker to address us. We are so lucky to have valiant saints that live in our area. From professional athletes to presidential hospital staff to US senators they all live here. Yesterday we had the privilege of hearing from the father of someone who has had a great influence on my life. Sister Catron was my seminary teacher my sophomore year of high school and taught me how to love the Book of Mormon. It was no surprise then that the main focus of her father Senator Orrin Hatch's address about why he believes was on the Book of Mormon. He shared his experience of how he gained a sure witness when he was 17 and how that has guided him the rest of his life. That made me reflect on my powerful experiences with the same book and I must agree with its significance. It has brought a powerful spirit into my life, it helped me understand repentance and the atonement so I could overcome my weaknesses and become a better person. It has brought me spiritual comfort in times of great distress. It has provided support to my testimony when others have rejected and despised it, I know it is a true record.

     On another note, our first Sunday working with the singles ward was a success! They were having ward conference so the schedule was different, but it couldn't have been a better meeting. The stake president spoke about the lessons he learned as a Chinese speaking missionary in Taiwan, very relevant right?? We had one nonmember there that has been having special spiritual experiences lately and he said he had some questions for us so we stayed a little after church. I also invited Ivan who was baptized not too long ago to come join the discussion, it was awesome! He inspires me and strengthens my testimony with how quickly his has grown. At the conclusion of the discussion I told them our plans to start a Chinese group in the ward and they were both very enthusiastic about supporting the idea and helping out. At that moment I felt like this effort was no longer just mine, it is God's and it is the effort of the Chinese saints that live here. Elder Fowler the director of the Visitor Center had a special meeting with us to share his feelings that he has about the work in China. He is a former mission president and general authority and said that when he came to the Chinese new year party he had a profound feeling of the future of the church involving the Chinese people.
     I was studying "Our Search for Happiness" by Elder M. Russell Ballard this week and I found some of the experiences he shared especially interesting. When he was on his mission in England at the age of 20 he was called as a leader of not only the mission but the church in that area as well. After a day of contacting in the street square he was walking home and he had this overwhelming feeling that Jesus Christ knew him and received revelation to strengthen his testimony. His grandfather obtained his witness on his mission in Northwestern US after much struggle in his area. He was praying and he envisioned the Savior coming to embrace him. I have this gospel art book that was given to me by Sister Matsumori at the beginning of my mission. She was involved in compiling the book when she was in the primary general presidency. She said that they obtained different pictures of Jesus Christ and submitted them to the first presidency and quorum of the twelve to choose one that most closely represented the Savior. They picked one by Heinrich Hoffman. I often look at that picture and wonder what it will be like to meet Him. I believe that there will be such a day because He lives. I hope by that day I will know Him so well that it will be more like a happy reunion than a first encounter.