My Testimony of the Gospel

of Jesus Christ

By Robert Frank Tidwell

 

Over three score and ten years ago I was born of goodly parents under the new and everlasting covenant in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and I have been reared under the Gospel's influence ever since. I can't state just when, how, or where my testimony began, but throughout my life I have had many experiences which have increased and strengthened it until now I can say that I know it is the true plan of salvation for the human race.

 

I have seen the sick healed and evil spirits cast out of mankind by the power of the Holy Priesthood; but the greatest influence upon my testimony has been when in the service of my Heavenly Father.  One experience among many others was while serving as a missionary in the Eastern States Mission in the year 1926.

 

My companion and I, while doing country work in Rhode Island, called at a home and were met at the door by a very fine young woman in her thirties. I explained my mission and then spoke of the first principles of the Gospel for a few moments, but I felt impressed to talk upon baptism for the dead. This seemed to appeal to her as she shed tears and seemed very interested. After leaving some tracts with her we left.

 

I remarked to my companion that if she could be followed up she would become a Latter-day Saint. About three weeks later we again came in to this village, which we did not recognize as we approached it from a different direction.  A little boy came up to me and asked if I were going to see his mother.  I told him, "Yes."

 

Upon reaching the house which he had pointed out, a lady was waiting on the porch for us. It was the woman with whom we had met previously. She told us that she had prayed that we would come back.  We were invited into the home and talked of the Gospel for some time.  As we left, she invited us back again.

 

From that time on I corresponded with her, and we held cottage meetings in her home, but her husband (by second marriage due to the death of her first one) would have nothing to do with us. One Sunday she and the boy came to the Providence Branch and requested baptism.

 

I informed her that it would be impossible without her husband's consent as he had told her that she would have to make the choice between him and the Mormons.  I asked her to wait and promised that everything would work out for her benefit later. A short time later I felt inspired to write a letter to her husband explaining the Gospel benefits to their family.

 

A few days later I received another letter from the lady in which she stated that her husband read the letter, handed it to her and said, "You can do as you wish.” So she set a date, and we baptized her and her son in the lake.  From there we went to the home where we met her husband and were treated well.

 

We spent a pleasant after noon singing the hymns and talking of the Gospel. I later learned that the Sunday in which I wrote the letter to the husband she had fasted and prayed that something would transpire so she could be baptized.  Her faith and prayers had been answered.  A few years later her husband passed away, and she moved to Salt Lake. The son remained in Rhode Island because of his occupation.  He was ordained an elder and became superintendent of the Sunday School.

 

She married a fine LDS man and has been working steadily in the Church. The things which impressed me were that I was inspired to make the statement that if she could be followed up she would become a Latter-day Saint and that through her faith and fasting her prayers had been answered.

 

To be in the service of our Heavenly Father we must understand his requirements, and this can only come to us through faith, prayer and study.  We are told to search the scriptures for they are they which testify of Him, and again to seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all else shall be added unto us.  If this is done we will begin to learn and understand the purpose of our earth life.

 

It has been said that this life is but a fragment of a moment between two eternities influenced by the life which preceded it and to influence the life which will follow.  We are all interested in our future destinies.  As President B. H. Roberts used to quote to missionaries of the Eastern States Mission, "That which ought not to be done ought not to be thought of."  Another quotation often used is, “Our mind is our garden, our thoughts are the seeds. In the end we will harvest either flowers or weeds."

 

The world today is so full of temptation and evil influences that unless we have a knowledge of our purpose in life and that God lives and answers our prayers, we are in danger of being led astray and overlooking that for which we were born on earth to accomplish: salvation and eternal life in the Kingdom of God.  The Gospel of Jesus Christ teaches us the way of life in which we can have peace on earth and joy throughout eternities. May we have faith to seek and the door of knowledge will be opened to us.