Elder M Russell Ballard has spoken recently on sharing positive and accurate information about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. He said in part:

"However, I emphasize that it is not always about correcting misinformation. Sometimes it is about getting solid information and ideas out there in the first place. Share your experiences - those from your own life - that show how your values and your faith intersect. It doesn’t matter whether that’s face to face with another person, or whether you do it by participating from your own blog or contributing to someone else’s blog. The most important thing is that you let people know that you are a Latter-day Saint, and that your behavior and attitude always reflect the high standards of the Church and what is expected as a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ. Of course, you will be speaking as an individual member and not as an official representative of the Church."

I do not know exactly how to respond to this council. As any readers will observe, I have not written much on this website for public consumption. There is little danger of my starting a “daddy” blog and sharing every detail of my families life. I do not want those details indexed by Google. However, I would be proud and happy for Google to index my feelings about the Lord and my membership in his church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Days Saints.

I was raised a member of the Mormon Church, but despite some sporadic efforts was never able to grasp the spiritual, foundational elements of the Church. Male members of the Mormon church are expected to serve a two year mission at age 19. Without attaining a spiritual foundation, but trusting my parents and others I respected, I signed up to serve. Missionaries are assigned to spend three weeks in the Missionary Training Center (MTC) in Provo, UT. I reported there in March of 1993 and quickly realized that my lack of spiritual knowledge and conviction contrasted with the expectation that I would spend two years teaching the exact knowledge I lacked was untenable. With the help of two caring and loving teachers, I quickly humbled myself and underwent a spiritual journey that I had been unable to finish over the previous 19 years of my life. 

One of the lessons that new missionaries practice in the MTC is how to bear testimony of gospel principles. During one of these practice sessions, the teacher noticed that my testimony lacked much conviction, I was only mouthing the words and had no substance behind them. He pulled me aside and we had a long discussion. I have forgotten the details, but it concluded with an invitation and exhortation to put the Lord to the test and ask Him with humility and an honest desire for knowledge of the principles of the Church. Previous to this, I had a desire for this point in my life, I had a desire for spiritual knowledge. However, that desire was more casual and without strength. Now, I wanted badly to know if the Gospel was true. I did not want to go home from my mission, but I knew I could not complete it without this knowledge.

Later that day, I went to my bedroom when no one was around and knelt down in prayer. I poured out my desires and feelings to the Lord. After a couple minutes of prayer, I received the answer that I desired. Joseph Smith received a Godly visit. Others receive visions or hear promptings from the Lord. I had none of those, only a feeling of warmth and peace that removed any doubt I had.  

Like any learning and growing experience, my testimony was embryonic, but I had one. With that testimony, I went back to my mission and was able to truthfully tell people that I knew that the Gospel of my Lord Jesus Christ had been restored to the earth. After serving my two years as a missionary, I returned home, finished my bachelors degree, married a wonderful woman, and had a couple children.

The testimony that I received in prayer while kneeling on the MTC floor has stayed with me and been built upon. 

• I know that Jesus Christ is directs the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
• I know that Joseph Smith saw God and Jesus Christ and received instructions from them.
• I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and was called to restore the Lord’s Gospel to the earth.
• I know that Joseph Smith was directed to Book of Mormon written on golden plates and buried in the Hill Cumorah. 
• I know that through the power of God, he translated those plates and published them to the world as a second witness to the world of Jesus Christ.
• I know that the prophetic keys have been passed on in an orderly manner as directed by God and that Thomas Monson currently is a prophet, seer, and revalator.