Saturday, January 3, 2009

The Testimony of Stewart M. Davenport

I am very grateful for my life. I have had many blessings given to me, and I am grateful for the Gospel in my life. I was born to loving parents, who were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple, and was raised in a home in which I was taught to read the scriptures and to love the Lord. I was taught to love my neighbors, and to give service to others always. I cannot say that I have always had a testimony in the Church, or in its many teachings. However, I relied upon my parents testimony until the desire to know for myself naturally came to me, about the age of twelve or thirteen. I began to pay more attention to what was being taught to me, and I tried to understand it all. Of course, one cannot understand every aspect of the Gospel at that age, but I strove to gain an understanding that I was capable of. I trusted my parents and church leaders, believing that they were caring and loving people, and that they would not lead me astray. I began to study the scriptures on my own, reading mainly in the Bible and the Book of Mormon. I found a harmony in what was taught in the two books. I did not receive a strong manifestation of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon, nor of the Church, right away. Rather, I began to receive it a little at a time, and I found myself hungering after it more and more as time went along. When I began to attend Seminary when I was in the ninth grade, we were studying the Book of Mormon. It felt natural to begin my Seminary studies with it, and I was eager to learn about it. It wasn't until that year in Seminary that I read the entire Book of Mormon. I began to read it, and was pleased with my understanding, (which was, what I thought at the time, very good). I enjoyed reading it. I was reading late one Friday night, in about the middle of the Book of Alma. I found it difficult to put the book down, and continued reading to the very early hours of the morning, while my younger brother slept on the top bunk. I found it so hard to put the book down that I finished the book that night. Afterwards, I pondered on what Moroni had said, inviting me to ask for a knowledge of it myself. I did as he had said, and knelt down in prayer. I asked Heavenly Father to know if the Book of Mormon were true, if the Church was true, and if Joseph Smith was a true Prophet. Up to that moment in my life, I had always had the misconception, as do many others, that I would have a grand moment of understanding and that I would have a great vision manifesting the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon unto me. Boy, was I wrong. I did not receive any great vision with angels or of any other like revelation. Rather, I began to feel, starting ever so small within my heart, a love for the book, and for the Church, and for Joseph Smith. But greater than all of these was my love for the Savior. I then knew, like the book had promised, that Jesus Christ really was my Savior, and that he had lived, died, and was resurrected for me, and for all mankind. I did not understand everything about the Atonement, nor did I gain a moderate understanding of how it worked until later years, but I knew then, even with my limited youthful knowledge, that it was true. Over time, my testimony began to get stronger, and began to influence my choices. I knew what the Lord desired of me, and I eventually chose to serve a mission. I was very excited the day that my call came to serve in the Spain, Malaga Mission. I very much loved the opportunity that I had to be there, and I look back on it often, and I will always be grateful for my experiences there. My understanding seemed to explode while I served. I began to better comprehend things that I never understood before. I also came to see how great the Atonement of Jesus Christ really was, how marvelous it was that one man could suffer for all the sins of, not only this world, but all the worlds that our Heavenly Father has created, does now create, and will create. I marvel that it is possible. I don't understand how it is, but I do know that it is, and I will be ever grateful for that. While on my mission, both my grandmother and my father died. My father died just five weeks before it was time for me to return home. I was given the opportunity to return home for his funeral. I was told that if I chose to return home, I would not return to the mission field, due to how close it was to my release date. It became the hardest decision that I have been faced with to this day. I wanted to go home, but I also knew the desires of my father, that I remain in the mission to finish, him having had the forethought to tell me that he wanted me to stay, in the event of such a situation. I struggled for many hours late into the night, prayerfully trying to decide if I should return home early to attend his funeral. I eventually chose to stay, honoring what I knew he wanted. It has since come to be a blessing in my life. I was blessed with the strength that I needed to finish my mission. I was even happy that I chose to stay, and I know that I pleased both my earthly father, and my Father in Heaven. When I returned home five weeks later, I met my mother and two younger brothers at the airport. It was a bittersweet reunion. I expected to have a hard time adjusting to life without my father at home, but I have found that knowing I will see him again, and that I am eternally sealed to him has helped me to continue to be strong. I am grateful for the Atonement of Jesus Christ, and what he did to make it possible for me to see my father again. I am also grateful for the knowledge of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I know that Joseph Smith saw God and His son, Jesus Christ, and that he was called to restore Christ's Gospel. I know that he was, and still is a Prophet of God. I know that Thomas S. Monson is a Prophet of God, and that he does receive revelation from God to guide us in these days. I again say, that I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer, and that it is through him that we are saved. I say this in his holy name, even Jesus Christ. Amen.