Dare To Be Mormon

In the lessons I've had in church, learned from FHE, read in the scriptures, read in letters from friends on missions, and read on blogs, I've had one distinct impressions strike me over and over again:

I NEED to be bolder about my testimony of Jesus Christ and His restored gospel.

My testimony is strong and it burns within me stronger than any fire.

It is the driving force that makes me who I am, and I will never ever deny its existence.

Just because I can't see my brain, doesn't mean it's not there.

I can't turn my eyes backward into my skull like SpongeBob and look at my brain from the inside, nor can I reach in through my ear and feel it... but I still know for a fact that it's in there. How?

Well because I know that my fingers move, my lungs breathe, my eyelids blink, my teeth chew, my ears hear, my eyes see, my nose smells, my legs walk, my arms hold, and my heart beats. It beats strong. And what tells sll of these miraculous parts of the body do to their jobs and how to do them?

The brain.

I have faith in my brain because of the proof that is my properly funcionting body.

That same goes for Christ.

I see this beautiful earth that He created, I see the intricacy of languages and for the miracle it is to communicate and to be understood even from different edges of the world, I read the Book of Mormon (which was written thousands and thousands of years ago) and find phrases, verses, lessons, and stories that apply perfectly to me and my life and guide me through situations and problems that I face.

In the words of our General Authorities (I believe it's Elder Uchtdorf), and forgive me while I paraphrase, but an exploding printing press does not produce a Dictionary!

Where am I going with this rant?

I have faith in my Savior Jesus Christ, and in my Heavenly Father, and in the Holy Ghost.

I have faith that they are three separate beings whose sole mission is to bring to pass the salvation and immortality of man.

I have faith in the living scriptures, and the truths that they testify.

I have faith specifically in the Book of Mormon, and I know that whatever questions, doubts, or concerns you may have can be taken up with God and He will answer them for you.

In the wise words of one of my favorite bloggers/vloggers,

"The biggest downfall- the biggest danger there is to yourself, is taking your confusion and questions everywhere but Heavenly Father. I guarantee you, that confusion will not go away and could even get worst. Do not let yourself turn to the internet or other people before Him. Do not do it. Don't."

This blog is my outlet, and possibly one of my biggest ways to share my testimony and I'mafraid I don't do it near enough. I know that I know I have a testimony, but other know that I know?

I don't want there to be a question.

I want you to know.

I want my testimony to be beyond the shadow of a doubt!

Yes I struggle, and yes I get questions and concerns, but I have one thing that keeps me from falling:

My personal relationship with my Father in Heaven.

I'm human, my church leaders are human. People can get offended, form cliques, and other crap that sometimes can detract from the spirit we go to find at church. I can get discouraged and compare my spiritual progression to that of someone elses. Think that maybe my soul isn't worth as much because I still have so much to learn.

This, my friends is not the case!

We are all on our own spiritual journey in this test called "life", and the only... ONLY thing we are expected to be is:

Individually.

Dilligent.

Constantly.
Note that I didn't say collectively, I said INDIVIDUALLY.
We can choose to be offended, we can choose to harden our hearts, but all our loving Savior asks is that we each accept one another for our shortcomings, to build each other up, and to help each other along on our own unique journeys back to the same destination: back to our God... to live with Him again.
I have such faith in the wonderful church I belong to, and the gospel that it teaches.
I believe that through His church we are converted to His gospel.
It's true.
It is.
I am Jadyn Maree.
And I DARE to be a believer.
I DARE to be a Mormon.

...and can I puh-LEASE have these shirts???  :)
Happy Sabbath