Upon baptism, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly known as “Mormons”) covenant to “stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places.” (Mosiah 18:9, in the Book of Mormon) What does it mean to stand as a witness of Heavenly Father and of Jesus Christ? A modern-day analogy here may be helpful.
An eyewitness testimony is valuable because the person giving that testimony personally experienced the events discussed.
Should a witness change his or her testimony based on the promptings or intimidation tactics of lawyers, police, or others involved? Absolutely not. The testimony of what that particular person experienced is crucial to a judge or jury in determining what really happened. And as much as others might wish that they could mold the testimony of a witness to fit what they want the outcome to be, the testimony of a witness they way they give it must not be tampered with by anyone else.
Some witnesses falter, however. Some, hoping to sway the verdict one way or another, change their stories or avoid giving out important information. The most reliable witnesses are those who answer each question honestly, wanting only to help lead the judge or jury to the real and complete truth and not their own someone else’s agenda. They don’t try to hide or change information.
I am reminded of what the prophet Joseph Smith said about his First Vision that he had at the age of 14. He had simply prayed to find out from God Himself which church was His true church, and God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ – knowing that this boy would in time be their prophet through whom they would restore the true Church to the face of the earth – personally appeared to him and explained to him that none of the churches currently existing on the earth contained the fullness of the gospel of Christ or had the priesthood keys to His authority.
Imagine, if you will, a fourteen-year-old boy telling some of the people around him that he’d had this vision. A natural response for people might be to just “blow him off,” but Joseph experienced intense persecution for his testimony. In his words:
22 I soon found, however, that my telling the story had excited a great deal of prejudice against me among professors of religion, and was the cause of great persecution, which continued to increase; and though I was an obscure boy, only between fourteen and fifteen years of age, and my circumstances in life such as to make a boy of no consequence in the world, yet men of high standing would take notice sufficient to excite the public mind against me, and create a bitter persecution; and this was common among all the sects—all united to persecute me. ..
24 However, it was nevertheless a fact that I had beheld a vision. I have thought since, that I felt much like Paul, when he made his defense before King Agrippa, and related the account of the vision he had when he saw a light, and heard a voice; but still there were but few who believed him; some said he was dishonest, others said he was mad; and he was ridiculed and reviled. But all this did not destroy the reality of his vision. He had seen a vision, he knew he had, and all the persecution under heaven could not make it otherwise; and though they should persecute him unto death, yet he knew, and would know to his latest breath, that he had both seen a light and heard a voice speaking unto him, and all the world could not make him think or believe otherwise.
25 So it was with me. I had actually seen a light, and in the midst of that light I saw two Personages, and they did in reality speak to me; and though I was hated and persecuted for saying that I had seen a vision, yet it was true; and while they were persecuting me, reviling me, and speaking all manner of evil against me falsely for so saying, I was led to say in my heart: Why persecute me for telling the truth? I have actually seen a vision; and who am I that I can withstand God, or why does the world think to make me deny what I have actually seen? For I had seen a vision; I knew it, and I knew that God knew it, and I could not deny it, neither dared I do it; at least I knew that by so doing I would offend God, and come under condemnation. (Joseph Smith History 1:22, 23-25)
It is not always easy to stand as a witness of something you know to be true. It’s one thing to stand up for your beliefs when everyone around you believes the same thing, but it’s something completely different when you face ridicule, rejection, or even physical harm or death. Joseph Smith ultimately paid the price of his mortal life for not denying what he knew he had experienced. (As a note of clarification, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or “Mormons,” love and respect Joseph Smith for all that he did and gave in helping to restore Christ’s true Church to the earth. But we do not worship him or believe that he or his death can save us in any way. We are only saved through the grace and Atonement of our Savior, Jesus Christ.)
Joseph didn’t back down from what he had witnessed. More importantly, Jesus Christ didn’t back down from what He knew He needed to do. An important challenge for all of us, then, is to consider those things that we really know to be true. If we aren’t sure what’s true, we can follow the example of the young Joseph Smith and ask God in faith. Of all people and beings, God will most absolutely not bear false witness.
