I have set this
challenge to myself to share something that I hold very special and sacred with
some of the dearest people I know and care about.
When my mother left
India she came to a country with a wealth of opportunity and some exciting
prospects. She was 18 years old and was raised in a good home that barely had
sufficient for their needs. Due to their poor circumstances she along with her siblings
were forced to board at a school so her parents could afford to live. Coming to
Australia opened up opportunities to work, attain an education and have the
freedom she had yet to experience in her life. Over the next few years she met
my father a good hard working man who was and helped whoever he could, when
ever he could. My father was renowned for his kindness and service and it was
this that attracted my mother to him.
My mother was
introduced to two missionaries teaching about a restored gospel and church to
which she was instantly drawn and to this day fully believes that this was the
sole piece of the puzzle that was missing form her life and the reason for the
Lord to lead her to this country. When we took her back to town of birth many
years later, I realized that this was indeed true.
My Father eventually
embraced the same conversion that my Mother had instantly made and they raised
Myself and my four siblings in this church with good Christian values and
plenty of wholesome opportunities. I could not say that my upbringing was
perfect, nor could I say that I was not a rebellious and troublesome teen. The
church I was raised in felt ok to me and I had friends and familiarity but I
certainly was no saint. From a very young age I pondered deep meaningful
questions. I remember being only 3 or 4 years old and being troubled because I
could not understand where we came from or how we came to be. I could not
understand my Fathers logical explanation about the existence of a God or the
way in which he came to be.
Through a constant outpouring
of my parent’s love and humble prayers I was able to negotiate through the
difficult trials I had placed myself into to. When I came to this point I kept
thinking about the whether the explanations and direction they had provided for
me were the course in which I should take. I was moving quickly toward independent
adulthood and wondered where my spiritual course would take me.
I knew and felt the
presence of a God or a higher being. I felt there was some further purpose to
our existence on earth and my mind became curious to what was required of me. I
made progression to reading the scriptures I had been taught from and
practicing a better way of living. The defining decision came to consult with
this God who I had been taught was a Heavenly Father to me and would answer my
curiousity if I was willing to follow his guidance and counsel.
I felt these feelings
that I had never felt with so much power before. At some times in my life when
I had made a good decision, had helped someone, loved someone, done some
greater good this feeling had come. When I had felt saddened, lonely or afraid
and had pled for relief, I had felt this feeling of warmth, love and peace come
upon me. I didn’t know enough about what this feeling was, but I knew that it
was from my God. It was a message to connect with me.
I continued to
communicate with my Father in Heaven, building up my faith continually until
there was clarity in the messages I was receiving. I knew then as I know now
that there is a God on high and he is a Heavenly Father to me and to all.
Through further study and prayer, I then came to know that his Son was Jesus
Christ and that he was a Saviour to me and to us all. I had been taught many
things about Jesus growing up and for a while considered him a gentle, kind, loving
man who did so many good things for other people and yet was so hard done by, hated,
hurt and eventually killed for reasons of jealously and pride. I now new he was
as kind and loving to me as he was to the people of his time that he healed and
blessed. But I also discovered that in the most loving way he was my personal
Saviour and the personal Saviour to all mankind.
As my conviction grew
stronger I committed to serve him and deliver his message as I learned more
about it through full time missionary service over a 2 year period. This 2 year
period of time became one of the most spiritual and the quickest growing up
experiences of my life. Since then I have continued to serve in my church
voluntarily and have grown a great love for my congregation and also my wider
community. My service to my congregation family has been balanced with my
Business activities, my further educational pursuits and the joy and happiness
I experience as a Father and Husband in our home. Together these aspects of my life
balance me out to be a person with a purpose of being happy on this earth and
striving for an eternal everlasting glory living with my spiritual Father in
Heaven.
I share this story to
add some context to who I am today and from where I have come while also
painting the picture of the journey of where I want to go.
I also share this because
as a friend and fellow child of God, I really do care about you. This path is
something I have found and I know that it is exceedingly good and I wish to
share it with you.
I want you to know
that I believe with all the hope in my heart that there a real living God. He
is our Father and made this plan that we could progress along the journey to
Eternal Happiness that he is on. He presented an option for us to come here to
Earth and gain experience, knowledge and power to grow and then as part of this
plan, he allowed his only begotten son Jesus Christ to be a Saviour and
Redeemer of us all. With an understanding of the trials, sorrows, pains and
sufferings that we would encounter in this mortal existence he paid the
ultimate price for us by taking upon him our sins and sufferings and then he
died to unlock the power of the resurrection so that we could return to an
immortal state. His suffering for us allows us to be cleansed so that we can
live with our father again. I know that this the ultimate sacrifice he gave for
us.
What he asks of us is
to follow him in every way. He gave us his teachings as guidelines to follow so
they we can prepare to accept his gift of being cleansed. He established a
Church organization for us so that we could learn and grow together and meet
together often to help each other follow his example and the pathway. He stands
at the head of his church and he has called a Prophet to be a spokesperson here
on the Earth that gives us up to date revelation about what Christ our Lord
wants us to do in these current days. There is no more direct a line than this
for us to follow, than our Saviour directing us personally through a righteous
living prophet.
I have come to know
these things through sincere effort. And it is because I wanted to know the
truth and to do something about it that my Father in Heaven has revealed it to
me. He has let me know of my Saviours role and of his love, he has let me know
of this wonderful plan and the direction he wants me to follow. It is by a
wonderful book of ancient scripture called the Book of Mormon which details
Christs dealings with a group of his followers on the opposite side of where he
performed his ministry, that I have built further testimony of him. I know that
the Bible is a testament of him and this Book of Mormon is another testament which
he has directed us to receive and use in our lives. This book of scripture was
revealed to us by the latter day Prophet Joseph Smith who we honour and respect
for his work in revealing this scripture and through the Lords guidance
restoring Christ’s church in its fullness back on the Earth.
I have virtually been
a member of this Church among several different congregations for most of my
life. Initially as a young boy attending with my parents, but in my latter
years as an independent adult and leader along with my wife in our home with
our children. I make this choice daily to live this way and it is constantly
confirmed to me by feelings of conviction including warmth, peace, joy and
comfort, which I know to be from the Holy Ghost; The true messenger and
confirmer of truth sent by my Heavenly Father in the name of Jesus Christ my
Saviour.
I know the goodness of
this pathway and direction and I desire all people especially the people I love
and care about and can have a positive influence on have knowledge of this
pathway so they too may have access to what their Heavenly Father wants them to
have.
My personal invitation
is that starting in this new year, that you will trust my friendship and love
for you and allow me to introduce more of this testimony to you. Please accept
my sincere offer as a true measure of our friendship.
I send this with all
due respect and all the Love of Myself, Mesha and our children Cumoram, Kembry
and Jairom.
May the Lord bless you
always.
Love Brook.
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