Experience For Yourself

If you stop and think about it, so much of what we "know", we really don't know by our own experience. When it comes down to it, we are really just believing and trusting in what someone else says. Anything we have read in textbooks, in a study, in the news, or on the internet, is really just trusting in another person's knowledge and experience. And as long as we make sure we check our sources, it is usually okay to do that. Since we don't have the money, time, equipment, training/expertise, to experience everything firsthand, we trust and build on each other's knowledge and experience. That's how we have been able to progress so quickly in so many fields.

But there is one area of life that each and every one of us can experience firsthand. We don't have to take someone else's word for it. No matter your age, education, profession, IQ level, each of us can experience this for ourselves if we choose to. And the beautiful thing is, that this is the most important knowledge available to mankind, and we can each experience it for ourselves.

The most important knowledge is that God lives, that He is our Father, that He has a plan for us, and that He sent His Son to be our Savior as part of that plan. And you don't have to take my word for it. You can experience it for yourself. It really is a beautiful thing.

It's simple and beautiful. All we have to do is ask God, and experiment upon His word. And then we can know for ourselves, not because someone told us, but because we have experienced it firsthand. But because of how simple this seems, there are many that will not do it.

It reminds me of Moses and the brass serpent. The Lord sent fiery serpents to chasten the children of Israel. Many died, and Moses was instructed to raise a brass serpent on a pole, and that whoever would look upon the brass serpent would live (Numbers 21:6-9). Well, because of the simpleness of the task, there were many who would not do it and perished (1 Nephi 17:41). Now why wouldn't you look? They had nothing to lose by looking, but everything to gain. But because they did not believe that such a simple thing would work, they refused to look and they died (Alma 33:19-21). I think it came down to pride for them. They didn't want to try it, because they thought it would make them look foolish. But all they had to do was to try it, and then they would have known whether or not it worked.

In the Old Testament, the Lord asks us to test out the law of tithing. He says "Prove me now herewith...if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it." (Mal. 3:10) I can tell you that paying my tithing has greatly blessed my life. That the Lord has always provided for my family when we have paid our tithing. But you don't have to take my word for it, you can test it for yourself!

I know that The Book of Mormon is the word of God, and contains the gospel of Jesus Christ. I know this, not because my parents told me so, but because I have read it for myself. And at the end of the book it reads "And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you 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." I tested it out, I asked, and now I know for myself.

Alma 32 is a great discourse on how we can experiment upon the word of God. Alma compares the word to a seed, and if we will try planting the seed in our heart, we will be able to see if it is a good seed by whether or not it grows and bears fruit. This is the same way the Scientific Method method works. Scientific studies are based on experiments, and interpreting the results of the experiments. And while most of us don't have the equipment to replicate most scientific experiments, we all have the ability to try out the word of God for ourselves.

Christ said "If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself." All we have to do is try it. You don't have to take my word for it, you don't even have to take Christ's word. You just have to test it for yourselves.

The restored gospel of Jesus Christ has brought incredible peace, joy, and happiness in my life. It has carried me through difficult times, and gives me strength beyond my own. Everything that is good in my life, I have observed to be the fruit of hearkening to the word of God.

But you don't have to take my word for it. You can know for yourself, all you have to do is try it out!