Today I bore my testimony in church, though I had not planned on doing so. My heart began to feel as it would burn out of my chest. I knew I needed to go and so I prayed the holy ghost would put into my mind the words God needed me to say.It was Joseph Smith. I was to bear my own personal testimony of him. I will try to record here what I said, and pray that the words you read will carry with them that same powerful spirit as when I spoke them earlier today.When I was  middle school age we moved to a new town. On my first day of school the kids in my class passed around a note that ended with me. The note read “do you like the new girl?” Every single response was one word, “no”. I looked at it, folded it up, and stuffed it in my backpack. I forced a smile while tears stung in my eyes that I refused to let fall. That night after the house was quiet and dark with everyone asleep, I knelt next to my bunk bed in prayer. I had been reading the book of Mormon and wanted to know if it was true. I asked God with a sincere heart if Joseph smith really was a prophet. I received a powerful and undeniable revelation for myself that the first vision as recorded by Joseph is actually true. It happened just the way he said it did. I now knew it for myself. I was asked by friends in high school to share my beliefs at their different churches and each time the ministers would want to argue with me about Joseph smith, so each time I was able to share my simple testimony of him. As a missionary in Nebraska, my companion and I had tracted in the freezing cold for a week with no success. one day a man and his wife said we could come back the next day and share our message with them. I was so excited to finally be able to teach! I asked my companion if I could tell the story of the first vision. I recited Josephs words of what happened that day he had gone out into a groove of trees and began to pray. He wanted to know which of all the churches were true. Darkness engulfed him and even bound his tongue so that he could not speak. He thought he was going to die! He continued to call out to God and just when he was about to loose hope a pillar of light descended upon him forcing the darkness to leave. In that light were two personages, and they spoke to him. One of them said pointing to the other,” this is my beloved son, hear him”. God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to a 14 year old boy that day. And because of that he was persecuted and hated. He was tarred and feathered, he lost 6 of his precious children and in the end died a martyr. He had so few friends and was betrayed by many. I hope to be among those few who are a friend to Joseph. I have tried to use my  voice help fulfill Moroni’s prophetic words to speak good of the Prophet. I do not worship Joseph Smith. I am a member of the church of Jesus Christ,  He along with God the father, alone do I worship.  But because of a 14 year old boy who was courageous and faithful enough to be trusted with His gospel,  Jesus Christ’s church was once again established on the earth. Light was restored to an ever darkening world.

One of my absolute favorite songs is “praise to the Man”. It was written by a friend of the prophets who betrayed him and then came back asking for Josephs forgiveness. I think this inspired tribute envelopes my feelings perfectly. I especially love the line…”millions shall know brother Joseph again”.