Appearances: to Church Leaders
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Counselor in the First Presidency The following charge was given to the Twelve by President O. Cowdery : "Dear Brethren: Previous to delivering the charge, I shall read a part of a revelation. It is known to you that, previous to the organization of this Church, in 1830, the Lord gave revelations, or the Church could not have been organized. The people of this Church were weak in faith compared with the ancients. Those who embarked in this cause were desirous to know how the work was to be conducted. They read many things in the Book of Mormon concerning their duty, and the way the great work ought to be done; but the minds of men are so constructed that they will not believe without a testimony of seeing or hearing. The Lord gave us a revelation that, in process of time, there should be twelve men chosen to preach His gospel to Jew and Gentile. "Our minds have been on a constant stretch to find who these twelve were, when the time should come we could not tell; but we sought the Lord by fasting and prayer to have our lives prolonged to see this day; to see you; and to take a retrospect of the difficulties through which we have passed; but, having seen the day, it becomes my duty to deliver to you a charge; and first, a few remarks respecting your ministry. You have many revelations put into your hands; revelations to make you acquainted with the nature of your mission; you will have difficulties by reason of your visiting all the nations of the world. You will need wisdom in a ten-fold proportion to what you have ever had; you will have to combat all the prejudices of all nations." He then read the revelation and said: "Have you desired this ministry with all your hearts? If you have desired it, you are called of God, not of man, to go into all the world." He then read again from the revelation what the Lord said to the Twelve. "Brethren, you have your duty presented in this revelation. You have been ordained to the holy priesthood; you have received it from those who have their power and authority from an angel; you are to preach the gospel to every nation. Should you in the least degree come short of your duty, great will be your condemnation; for the greater the calling the greater the transgression. I, therefore, warn you to cultivate great humility, for I know the pride of the human heart. Beware, lest the flatterers of the world lift you up; beware, lest your affections are captivated by worldly objects. Let your ministry be first. Remember, the souls of men are committed to your charge, and, if you mind your calling, you shall always prosper. "You have been indebted to other men in the first instance for evidence; on that you have acted; but it is necessary that you receive a testimony from Heaven for yourselves; so that you can bear testimony to the truth of the Book of Mormon, and that you have seen the face of God. That is more than the testimony of an angel. When the proper time arrives, you shall be able to bear this testimony to the world. When you bear testimony that you have seen God, this testimony God will never suffer to fall, but will bear you out; although many will not give heed, yet others will. You will, therefore, see the necessity of getting this testimony from Heaven. Never cease striving till you have seen God face to face. Strengthen your faith; cast off your doubts, your sins, and all your unbelief, and nothing can prevent you from coming to God. Your ordination is not full and complete till God has laid His hands upou you. We require as much to qualify us as did those who have gone before us; God is the same. If the Saviour in former days laid his hands on his disciples, why not in latter days? The Autobiography of
President Oliver Cowdery
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And now, as pertaining to this perfect atonement, wrought by the shedding of the blood of God—I testify that it took place in Gethsemane and at Golgotha, and as pertaining to Jesus Christ, I testify that he is the Son of the Living God and was crucified for the sins of the world. He is our Lord, our God, and our King. This I know of myself independent of any other person. I am one of his witnesses, and in a coming day I shall feel the nail marks in his hands and in his feet and shall wet his feet with my tears. But I shall not know any better then than I know now that he is God’s Almighty Son, that he is our Savior and Redeemer, and that salvation comes in and through his atoning blood and in no other way.
Elder Bruce R. McConkie
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There have been many visitations to the temple. President Lorenzo Snow saw the Savior there. Most of these sacred experiences remain unpublished. However imposing the Salt Lake Temple may be, the invisible temple within is the same in all temples. The ordinances are the same, the covenants equally binding, the Holy Spirit of Promise equally present.
Elder Boyd K. Packer
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I am a witness of the Resurrection of the Lord as surely as if I had been there in the evening with the two disciples in the house on Emmaus road. I know that He lives as surely as did Joseph Smith when he saw the Father and the Son in the light of a brilliant morning in a grove of trees in Palmyra. … I so testify as a witness of the risen Savior and our Redeemer.
President Henry B. Eyring
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I would share that which is most precious to me in conclusion. It is required for each member of the twelve to have an absolute knowledge of the Savior. We are not at liberty to say how individually we receive that knowledge and I would not ask the brethren that I serve with how they have their witness. We need to depend on the Spirit confirming the truth of what we say. But in all humility as we close this meeting, I would like to say that there was a council in heaven. We were present. Two plans were established. Lucifer's plan of compulsion was rejected. The Father's Plan of Happiness was presented by the Savior. He did come to Earth. He lived as the scriptures describe His having lived. He did experience that incomprehensible series of events that we call the Atonement. We speak of how physically difficult it was for Him and that must have been terribly challenging. I've had the privilege recently of working on the replacement for the Legacy film in which there are scenes of the crucifixion. But that physical pain was not all that made that challenging. He knew that except His Atonement be perfect, of infinite reach, no single person would ever return to Father in Heaven for justice would rule them out for the mistakes we make and Satan in the end would win, and His Father who He loved and served and continues to serve perfectly would have failed. There had to be that possibility or there would have been no test for the Savior. And then above all of that, in His pure and holy and righteous mind and heart there were poured in all of the consequences of the despicable, every conceivable violation of trust and of law, the filthy, and He had experienced that. He did it perfectly. And as a solemn witness I declare I know He is a resurrected perfected being. He lives and He guides this church. I bear that solemn witness in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. Richard G. Scott, “Basic Gospel Principles” [Brigham Young University–Idaho devotional, Aug. 2, 2013], byui.edu. Credit: Hgwells159
Elder Richard G. Scott
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Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon recorded the following after a sacred experience: “And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives! “For we saw him” (D&C 76:22–23). Their words are my words. I believe and I am sure that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that He lives. He is the Only Begotten of the Father, and “by him, and through him, and of him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God” (D&C 76:24). I bear my witness that the Savior lives. I know the Lord. I am His witness. I know of His great sacrifice and eternal love for all of Heavenly Father’s children. I bear my special witness in all humility but with absolute certainty, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen. Boyd K. Packer, "The Witness," Ensign or Liahona, May 2014, 97. Credit: camdad04
President Boyd K. Packer
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In conclusion, please be assured that senior Church leaders who preside over the divinely appointed purposes of the Church receive divine assistance. This guidance comes from the Spirit and sometimes directly from the Savior. Both kinds of spiritual guidance are given. I am grateful to have received such assistance.
Elder Quentin L. Cook
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My service in the Church has blessed me with remarkable and special spiritual experiences too numerous and some too sacred to discuss. There is no gift more important and precious that I can give to my children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and you, my friends throughout the world, than my sure witness that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of our Eternal Father, the Savior and Redeemer of all mankind.
President M. Russell Ballard
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I so appreciate what Kathy said about the holy apostleship, but I am just a humble follower of Christ like you are. I have a mantle upon my shoulders and it's too big for me. Stand out here so they can see you [a young boy puts on Elder Andersen's suit jacket]. That's the way I feel. The mantle is much greater than the man. We do our best to testify of Jesus Christ. We know He lives. We have experiences and sacred moments so remarkable, so unforgettable that we can say with surety, that He lives, that He is resurrected, and that He guides our work upon the earth. ... Thank you for your time with us tonight. Thank you for your love of your Heavenly Father and His beloved Son. I never expected the life that would come to me in this sacred office. But in this experience as an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, I see I have had unforgettable experiences, moments where heaven touched earth that have given me a sure and certain witness that Jesus is the Christ. He lives and He loves us. You can imagine the kinds of experiences I have had. A few months ago with our hands, the apostles hands on the head of Dallin H. Oaks. We set him apart as the president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He is the prophet of God upon the earth. We love you. We thank you for your goodness. ... I share my love and my great respect for you and I look forward to that day when we speak but one language and that it's greater than English or or Tongan that we understand each other perfectly and we love each other perfectly as brothers and sisters in Christ. I know He lives. I know His voice. I know He loves you. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Elder Neil L. Anderson
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