As Latter-day Saints, Mormons, we are prepared from our youth to serve the Lord. It has nothing to do with being programmed or brainwashed, but rather we are taught from birth of our Savior Jesus Christ and His great and glorious sacrifice that we might be saved and resurrected, rather than permanently consigned to the grave with no hope of an eternal future. Our Lord has paid that price and with a clear understanding of who He is to us, we are encouraged to seek out this knowledge, understanding and testimony for ourselves.
Modern day apostle, Elder Quentin L. Cook spoke about a member of the Seventy, and his teenage years:
As a teenager living in Somerset, New Jersey, Todd Christofferson participated in the cast of the Hill Cumorah Pageant near Palmyra, New York, for two summers. During the production his first year, young Todd remembered the words of a former bishop. He had encouraged the youth of the ward to never give up striving with the Lord until they had “burned into [their] hearts a testimony of the gospel. (Elder Quentin L. Cook, Elder D. Todd Christofferson: Prepared to Serve the Lord, Ensign, August 2008 10)
What we as youth were expected to do, and I did, was read the scriptures, studying the words of ancient and modern prophets and apostles in order that we may learn for ourselves the truthfulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. A testimony, or witness–as other religions call it, is simply an expression of faith and knowledge that Jesus is the Christ, the long foretold Messiah and our Redeemer. A firm conviction that His gospel is the path by which we may return to our heavenly home. Indeed, that we know this life is about more than the next party, game, movie, t.v. show or video game.
Latter-day Saint youth are blessed with the knowledge of how to pray and receive answers for themselves. No one says to them, this is what you believe, go with it. No, we are taught to seek for ourselves and once we know, to testify of Jesus Christ and His divine mission. As I grew older I immersed myself in the scriptures, both ancient and modern, and, later, the words of trusted theologians. I have studied every aspect of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and welcome the principles, practices and precepts as old friends and a way by which I choose to live my life.
Forty-five years after my birth, I stand as a witness of Jesus Christ with a firm testimony of His divinity and His mission:
For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. (Moses 1:39)
Immortality was achieved for mankind when Jesus Christ broke the bands of death and arose from the grave.
Eternal Life became attainable when He suffered the Atonement in the Garden of Gethsemane and again while He hung on the cross.
Our Savior has done His part. Now, what will you do?
