My dear brothers and sisters, aloha!
What a joy and a blessing it is for my dear wife and me to be here with you today—to see your beautiful, bright faces and to feel your spirit. We love Hawaii! I don't think we are going back to Salt Lake City. The beautiful beaches, delightful weather, and the cheerful personalities of the Hawaiian people remind us so much of our beloved home country, Brazil. We were very much looking forward to spending time with you today, brothers and sisters.
It has been a privilege to meet with President and Sister Haws and to feel their love for you and for this university. What an amazing couple they are! We continue to pray for President Kauwe’s health and strength. You are truly blessed to be led by these remarkable disciples of Jesus Christ.
My dear friends, even though we are just meeting today, I would like to begin my remarks by talking about another time when we all lived together. In fact, during that time, you and I witnessed the greatest war anyone has ever known.
That war occurred before any of us were born on this earth. It took place after our Heavenly Father presented His plan of salvation and exaltation to all His children. As you remember, Lucifer rebelled and opposed the Father’s plan. What followed was described by the Apostle John as an actual war. He wrote:
“And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, and prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven” [1]
Brothers and sisters, can you imagine that? You and I aligned ourselves with the forces of God [2] to defend our Heavenly Father’s plan, His gospel, and your right to choose. What an impressive army that was!
When we think of war, we usually think of swords, arrows, machine guns, tanks, and jets. But this war was different. It was a war of opinions and beliefs. On one side were those who loved and trusted God and Jesus Christ and chose to accept our Heavenly Father’s plan; on the other, were those who chose to trust and follow Lucifer. But what kind of weapon did we use to win this great war? The apostle John explained:
“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony” [3]
We overcame Satan and won the war in Heaven through the power of Jesus Christ and our testimonies of Him.
From this powerful revelation, we learn an important truth: long before you were born, each one of you here today had a testimony of Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice—an atonement that was yet to happen—and of His power to bring you back to your celestial home. You relied on that testimony during the great war in heaven. It helped you choose the Father’s plan and stay by His side.
For that, I want to congratulate each one of you.
After choosing God and Jesus Christ in that premortal council, we were allowed to move on to the next stage of our eternal progression: coming to this earth to receive a mortal body. In doing so, we forgot our previous life. It then became our responsibility in this life to once again obtain knowledge—and more importantly, a testimony—of Jesus Christ, His mission, and His atoning sacrifice for ourselves. Developing a testimony of Jesus Christ is essential if we are to be blessed with His power to overcome Satan once again in this world and return to our Heavenly Father.
So how do we do this?
What is a testimony
A testimony is a personal, spiritual assurance of eternal truths, given by the Holy Ghost. It is the knowledge given by revelation that Jesus Christ lives, that He is our Savior and Redeemer, that His gospel is true, and that this is His restored Church. A testimony is a gift from Heavenly Father and is available to all of His children. To receive this gift, each of us must follow the Savior’s invitation and promise, given in the Sermon on the Mount:
“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you” [4]
In other words, we need to act!
A powerful example of this principle of asking, seeking, and knocking to obtain a testimony is found in the Book of Mormon, in the account of Alma the Younger and the sons of Mosiah. As you recall, they were in a pretty bad situation spiritually. They were not keeping the commandments and were living a sinful life. Then an angel of God appeared to them and spoke with such power that the earth beneath them shook. The angel bore testimony of Jesus Christ and the truthfulness of His Church. However, as we later learn from their own accounts, their testimonies did not come from seeing the angel, but rather from doing the work required to obtain a personal, intimate confirmation from the Holy Ghost.
In Alma 17 we read:
“…yea, and they had waxed strong in the knowledge of the truth; for they were men of a sound understanding and they had searched the scriptures diligently, that they might know the word of God. But this is not all; they had given themselves to much prayer, and fasting; therefore they had the spirit of prophecy, and the spirit of revelation, and when they taught, they taught with power and authority of God.” [5]
While the angel’s visit helped them recognize their errors and open their hearts to the gospel, their testimonies only came as they diligently studied the scriptures, and as they prayed and fasted, which resulted in the Holy Ghost enlightening their minds to understand and confirming in their hearts the truthfulness of the gospel. Elder David A. Bednar taught:
“A witness of truth by the power of the Holy Ghost that we invite into our soul produces a spiritual knowledge, an illumination, and a conviction more sure, more powerful, and more enduring than can be received through seeing, hearing, touching, or rational argument alone.” [6]
A testimony does not come merely from intellectual effort or physical evidence. It comes as we ask, knock, and seek and thus invite the Holy Ghost into our lives and receive spiritual confirmation.
I have seen this principle work in my own life. Like many of you, I grew up in the Church. From a young age, I felt a deep love for the scriptures and gospel truths. When I was about twelve years old, I finished reading the Book of Mormon for the first time, and I remember feeling deeply that it was written and translated by prophets of God. However, it wasn’t until I entered the MTC as a young missionary that I received a powerful spiritual confirmation of its truthfulness.
One day in an MTC class, our instructor taught about Moroni’s promise in the last chapter of the Book of Mormon:
“Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things… and ponder it in your hearts… that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.” [7]
He explained that, as missionaries, we would invite all to read and pray about the Book of Mormon, with the promise that they would receive an answer through the Holy Ghost. A thought immediately came to my mind: I believe the Book of Mormon is true—but I have never actually asked God. How could I invite others to do what I had not done? For the rest of the day, I couldn’t think about anything else. I decided that I would pray for a confirmation that very night.
That night, after my roommates were asleep, I knelt down and offered one of the most sincere prayers of my life until that point. It was a simple prayer. I said ‘Heavenly Father, I’m about to give two years of my life to teaching and testifying of Jesus Christ and His restored gospel. I need to know: is the Book of Mormon true? Is Joseph Smith a prophet of God? Is this Church true?’
I had barely finished speaking when I felt as if my entire body was on fire. Tears flowed down my face, and I felt overwhelming joy and peace. It was a distinct, powerful feeling, different than anything I had felt before. I had received my spiritual confirmation. God had answered my prayer. I knew without a doubt that those things were true. From that moment on, I have testified boldly that the Book of Mormon is true, that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God, and that this is Christ’s restored Church—and that anyone who sincerely asks God can receive their own confirmation.
A testimony comes through thoughts to the mind, and feelings to the heart, line upon line
Now, let me tell you brothers and sisters, that while this type of powerful spiritual manifestation can happen and is certainly a blessing, they are not the most common way the Holy Ghost confirms truth to us. Most often, He speaks through a “still, small voice.”[8]
The Lord taught Oliver Cowdery:
“I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart.” [9]
Most of the promptings of the Spirit we experience come as thoughts to the mind, accompanied by peaceful, assuring feelings in our hearts. That’s how the Holy Spirit talks to our spirit. Elder Alexander Dushku taught:
“But we must be wary of a spiritual trap. Sometimes faithful Church members become discouraged and even drift away because they haven’t had overwhelming spiritual experiences.... President Spencer W. Kimball warned, 'Always expecting the spectacular, many will miss entirely the constant flow of revealed communication.'” [10]
I received many of these spiritual confirmations in my life. These quiet confirmations are more powerful and assuring than visions and angelic visitations. Trust them. Act on them. Record them so you can later remember and be strengthened by them throughout your life.
Another important principle connected to obtaining and growing our testimonies is that the Lord has long established a pattern of giving us truth in small doses, gradually. He loves and knows us well, and he will never give us more than we can take or comprehend at a time. He followed that pattern with the prophet Joseph Smith throughout his life. He said:
“I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom; for unto him that receiveth I will give more” [11]
Our testimonies grow over a lifetime, little by little, truth by truth. In a way, it is like a celestial puzzle. On this earth, as we strive to ask, seek, and knock, and to exercise our faith in Jesus Christ by making and keeping our covenants with Him, we qualify to receive those celestial pieces of truth through the Holy Ghost. And as we stay true to the revelation we received, the Lord rewards us with additional revelation. Piece by piece, the Lord increases our knowledge and understanding and strengthens our confidence.
However, some people feel that, if they do not receive all the answers they want to all the questions they have right now, it must mean that the gospel or the church is not true. I’ve seen people who have received spiritual confirmation of fundamental gospel truths but have left the church because they couldn't find answers to specific questions or topics. In a way, it is as if they chose to throw away the entire puzzle because they couldn’t quite place one of the pieces during the process of putting the puzzle together. Dear brothers and sisters, don’t let that happen to you!
Especially at this stage in your lives, when you are still young and have your whole life ahead of you, it is important that you patiently trust the revelation you have already received, as well as God’s timing to give you additional knowledge, knowing that, in time, He will continue to answer your questions and guide you.
Your testimony is a powerful weapon
Working diligently on your testimony is critical because, as John’s vision teaches us, it is a powerful weapon against Satan. It was so in the war of heaven, and it still is today. Strengthening your testimony and following Jesus Christ will empower you to overcome Satan again in this world and return to Heavenly Father. Satan is the great deceiver and, because he knows the power that comes from having a strong testimony of Jesus Christ, he works relentlessly to weaken it—through doubt, distraction, and deception. Knowing who you are – sons and daughters of God – and understanding His plan for you and your purpose on this earth can help you increase your desire and strength to keep His commandments and to resist and neutralize Satan’s attacks. Consider Moses’ example, when he had a personal experience with God. God said to Moses:
“Behold, I am the Lord God Almighty… And, behold, thou art my son… And I have a work for thee, Moses, my son; and thou art in the similitude of mine Only Begotten; and mine Only Begotten is and shall be the Savior, for he is full of grace and truth.” [12]
Through this personal experience, Moses gained a testimony of who God was, of Jesus Christ and His role in the Plan of Salvation and, just as important, who he, Moses, was – a son of God. He understood God’s plan for him and his purpose here on earth. At the end of this experience, Satan, wasting no time, immediately appeared to tempt Moses and tried to deceive him, saying: “Moses, son of man, worship me,” [13] and later, “I am the Only Begotten, worship me.” [14]
Satan did what he does best: he sought to confound Moses by causing him to doubt his divine identity and by attempting to deceive him into believing that he, Satan, was the one to be worshiped. Had Moses not obtained a personal conviction of these sacred truths, he could very well have been deceived. But strengthened and empowered by his testimony, he responded boldly:
“Who art thou? For behold, I am a son of God, in the similitude of his Only Begotten; and where is thy glory, that I should worship thee?... Get thee hence, Satan; deceive me not; for God said unto me: Thou art after the similitude of mine Only Begotten.” [15]
Can you feel the power of that testimony in dismantling Satan’s attempts to deceive Moses? His testimony gave him the strength and spiritual discernment to recognize Satan’s lies and reject him.
In your own lives, Satan will employ similar strategies. He will try to convince you that you’re not good enough–not smart enough, attractive enough or strong enough. He will make you question your divine identity. He will distract you with the things of the world—some of them good things—such as careers, entertainment, and money, hoping you will forget who you truly are and what your divine purpose is. If he can, he will even attempt to persuade you that God is not real, that Jesus Christ is not your Savior and Redeemer, and that His Church is merely a worldly institution. He will try to convince you that you cannot be forgiven and cleansed of your sins, even though the Lord has promised that “though they be red like crimson… they shall be as white as snow.” [16]
If you have not made the effort to ask, seek, and knock—to receive personal revelation and to have spiritual experiences with your Heavenly Father that will strengthen your testimony and anchor it in the rock of our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ—you may find yourself vulnerable to Satan’s attacks.
Throughout my life, there have been several moments when my testimony and convictions were put to the test. One such experience occurred while I was attending a business conference in Poland. At the end of the first day, the event’s host invited a small group of guests to a private dinner at a fancy restaurant. As we took our seats, the host asked the waiters to serve each guest a very expensive alcoholic beverage as a gesture of appreciation.
When the waiter approached me, I politely explained that I do not drink alcohol and that I would be happy to have any other beverage available. The waiter seemed somewhat confused and explained that this was a quite expensive drink and had been offered to all the guests as an honor. He added that refusing it might risk offending the host. As I continued to explain my reasons, the attention of the room suddenly turned toward me, and several guests began chanting, “Drink it, drink it.” In that moment, my mind was flooded with thoughts of who I was, the covenants I had made, and the blessings I could lose if I gave in to peer pressure.
I simply smiled and calmly told those around me that I appreciated the gesture but would remain with my non-alcoholic beverage. In the end, the host was not offended at all. And later that evening, one of the other participants approached me and thanked me for staying true to my convictions.
Your testimony will become a powerful weapon against Satan as you strive to let it guide your choices and actions. As you consistently do so, you will become increasingly more converted to Jesus Christ. Elder Bednar said: “Continuing conversion is constant devotion to the revealed truth we have received – with a heart that is willing and for righteous reasons. Knowing that the gospel is true is the essence of a testimony. Consistently being true to the gospel is the essence of conversion. We should know the gospel is true and be true to the gospel”. [17]
Our beloved prophet, President Dallin H. Oaks, also said: “It is not even enough to be convinced of the gospel; we must act so that we are converted by it. In contrast to other preaching, which teaches us to know something, the gospel of Jesus Christ challenges us to become something.” [18]
I want to conclude with an inspiring scriptural example of how a strong testimony—born of spiritual experiences and personal revelation—can protect us from the attacks of the adversary. This account is found in the seventh chapter of the book of Jacob.
A man named Sherem, who had once been a member of the Church but had apostatized, was actively seeking to persuade others that the gospel and the Church were not true. He was educated, articulate, and highly persuasive, and he had already succeeded in leading many away from the truth. Confident in his ability to defeat Jacob through logical reasoning alone, Sherem sought an opportunity to confront him. When Jacob learned of Sherem’s intent, he made a statement that has stayed with me ever since I first read it. Speaking of Sherem, Jacob said:
“And he had hope to shake me from the faith, notwithstanding the many revelations and the many things which I had seen concerning these things; for I truly had seen angels, and they had ministered unto me. And also, I had heard the voice of the Lord speaking unto me in very word, from time to time; wherefore, I could not be shaken.” [19]
Brothers and Sisters, you were chosen by God to come to earth in these latter days because you were valiant in your testimony in the pre-mortal life. He trusts you to be His witnesses and courageously defend the truth also in this world, despite being surrounded by sin. He knows your capacity to do good and bring others to Christ. He is counting on you, and He is ready to bless you and help you.
I want to invite you to recommit to Jesus Christ and make Him and His gospel the highest priority in your life. Make a conscious effort to dedicate time to him each day, and to seek to have spiritual experiences that will strengthen your testimonies of Him. These can be achieved by reading and pondering your scriptures daily; praying and fasting earnestly and regularly; serving faithfully in your callings and ministering to those around you; serving a full-time mission; attending the Temple often; repenting sincerely and partaking of the sacrament worthily.
As you do these things, the Lord will pour out His Spirit upon you. You will receive answers and confirmations of gospel truths that will strengthen your testimony. You will have experiences that confirm to you that God lives, that He knows you personally, and that He answers your prayers. As your testimony grows, you will feel greater confidence in yourself and in the future and greater capacity to follow Jesus Christ. You will feel joy and peace, regardless of the challenges and uncertain circumstances around you. You will more clearly discern the adversary’s traps and be empowered to make righteous choices. You will be transformed and become the divine sons and daughters you are destined to become.
Like Jacob, you will not be shaken.
God lives, and Jesus Christ is his Beloved Son. He is our Savior and Redeemer. Of these truths I testify in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Notes:
[1] Revelation 12:7-8
[2] Gordon B. Hinckley, “The Dawning of a Brighter Day,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2004
[3] Revelations 12:11
[4] Matthew 7:7
[5] Alma 17:2-3
[6] David A. Bednar, “That Ye May Believe–Part 2” [Brigham Young University–Idaho devotional, October 30, 2022]
[7] Moroni 10:3-5
[8] 1 Kings 19:11-12, Helaman 5:30, 3 Nephi 11:3, Doctrine and Covenants 85:6, 1 Nephi 17:45
[9] Doctrine and Covenants 8:2
[10] Alexander Dushku, “Pillars and Rays,” Liahona, May 2024
[11] 2 Nephi 28:30
[12] Moses 1:3-4,6
[13] Moses 1:12
[14] Moses 1:19
[15] Moses 1:13,16
[16] Isaiah 1:18
[17] David A. Bednar, “Converted unto the Lord,” Ensign or Liahona, November 2012
[18] Dallin H. Oaks, “Kingdoms of Glory,” Liahona, November 2023
[19] Jacob 7:5