The Word of God; Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The Word of God

"Wherefore, you can testify that you have heard my voice,

and know my words." Doctrine & Covenants 18:36

What a beautiful day!  The sun shone brightly through the trees.  My steps seemed light and easy. It sure beat carrying that heavy pack on my back.  I climbed on one boulder and jumped easily to the next. Over the ridge I could see the tall jagged mountain beckoning to us, inviting us to climb its heights.  How I loved being out in nature. Looking across my shoulder, Dad was taking the day pack off by a large fallen tree. “This looks like a great place to stop for lunch, Mike, come on over.”  I came quickly, grateful to eat our backpacking morsels. I don’t think that I ever tired of eating dried apricots, sharp cheddar cheese, cashews, tuna fish and snicker bars. If we climbed high enough we’d even be able to make real snow cones with our lemonade, the best kind of yellow snow.

Between bites, Dad queried, “What’s your favorite Book of Mormon story, Mike?”  Although I was only nine or ten, I knew right away what my answer would be. You see, we had done this before. Dad had a tradition of taking us boys backpacking at least once every year. We would usually leave on a Friday night and camp at the trailhead.  Saturday would be spent hiking into the lake where we would be staying. Sunday would be a rest day. We enjoyed the campsite and took a day hike up to the highest nearby peak.  Up in the tops of the mountains overlooking the majesty of God’s creations Dad would share with us his favorite stories from the Book of Mormon and then we would share ours with him.  

“My favorite is the story of Ammon.”  I then told my dad about the great faith of the missionary who completely trusted in the Lord and was blessed to do what no other man would or could do.  He defied the robbers who would steal from the king and later converted thousands of his people’s most bitter enemies. I had not as yet read this for myself in the scriptures, but I knew that it was my favorite.  It was one that I had learned from him. His favorite was “Nephi and the Broken Bow.” Later, when I did sit down and read the Book of Mormon on my own, those stories were extra special. I still remember the chills going down my spine as I started reading Alma 17 and realized that I was now going to read the actual scriptural account of my favorite story.  I love the scriptures because I knew that my father did.

His love of the scriptures, and the Book of Mormon in particular,  really began as a missionary. He didn’t leave right away when he turned nineteen like most other missionaries.  He wasn’t sure if that was what he wanted to do. Prior to going on a mission, he was in a BYU singles ward and his bishop was Steven R. Covey.  I don’t know the particulars of their interaction together, but I do know that he had a profound influence on Dad. He has said before that Bishop Covey was largely responsible for encouraging him to serve a mission.  In fact, my younger brother is Stephen Richard Fuller, named in part after this great man.

Dad was called to the Central States mission.  He served in parts of Colorado, New Mexico and Texas.  Quite an area really. Since he decided to go somewhat later than most, he felt like he hadn’t prepared himself as well as he would have liked.  He especially felt behind in the knowledge of the scriptures. He began setting his old “Baby Ben” alarm clock at 5:00 AM so that he could get in extra study time.  The temptation to roll over, swat at that infernal clanging time-piece and go back to sleep was at times too great, so he hung the clock by a string from the ceiling in the middle of the room.  This forced him to get out of bed to turn it off and made it harder to go back to sleep. I’m sure that his companions loved him for this. I used this same clock on my mission. It was horribly loud, but quite effective.  I had one companion who liked to sleep in, so I just let it ring on for a while. He got the message.

It was during these early morning study sessions that Dad grew to love the Book of Mormon.  The spirit touched his soul and he knew that it was true. He understood, as Joseph Smith and President Benson taught, that “the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book.”  Dad put it this way, if the Book of Mormon is true, then Joseph Smith had to be a prophet and as such the church is the Lord’s true and living church here on the earth. It all falls into place. Whenever he felt his strength wavering or his testimony faltering, he would “go back to the Book of Mormon,” and he would have his testimony renewed.  As a young boy I knew that he had a testimony and in my mind it never faltered. In my heart he planted the seeds of a desire to know for myself. The fact that my little seed of faith was able to grow, I give credit to my parents who helped cultivate the soil of my heart from my infancy.

Consider the parable. "Behold, a sower went forth to sow; and when he sowed, some seeds fell by the wayside, and the fowls came and devoured them up: Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.  And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold" (Matthew 13: 3-8). The soil of my heart was tenderly prepared, nourished and watered by my angel parents.

“I want you to help me teach part of the lesson, Mike.  We are going to talk about recognizing the Holy Spirit. Here, you read this scripture and then we’ll talk about it.”  We were preparing to go on a home teaching visit. I opened to Doctrine and Covenants 9:7-9 and read, “Behold, you have not understood; you have supposed that I would give it unto you, when you took no thought save it was to ask me.  But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right. But if it be not right you should have no such feelings, but you shall have a stupor of thought that shall cause you to forget the thing which is wrong.”  “How does it feel for your bosom to burn, Dad?” That must have been a hard question to answer because I don’t really remember his response. I remember thinking, though, that my answers to prayer would come in the form of some kind of spiritual heartburn. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I figured it would be something quite grand.

This incendiary chest sensation was on my mind as I completed the Book of Mormon for the first time front to back.  I was about fifteen years old at the time. I remember reading Moroni 10:4-5 and thinking, “OK, this is it. I’ve have now read the Book of Mormon and I will now be able to ask God if it is true.”  I longed to know for myself, just like my father found out, that it is truly scripture, the very word of God. Dad suggested that I fast prior to going to the Lord in prayer. We lived in Connecticut at the time and my room was in the attic.  I knelt down beside my bed and I prayed. Not much happened. I continued to pray and I did my best to listen and try to feel an answer. No fire was forthcoming. I do remember quite clearly that my mind felt at ease. I certainly knew that I didn’t have a stupor of thought.  I went away from the experience feeling a little disappointed. I felt like I could testify that I knew that the Book of Mormon was not false. It felt too right, too good. Because I didn’t feel my “bosom burn” within me, I somehow felt that I couldn’t boldly proclaim that it was true.  At the time, though, it was enough and I continued to walk in that faith which carried me to the point of deciding to serve a full-time mission for the church.

While in the Missionary Training Center, I was reading through the Doctrine and Covenants.  Section 6 is a revelation given to Joseph Smith in response to a request from Oliver Cowdery who wanted a revelation from the Lord in regards to the truthfulness of the work.  I read, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, if you desire a further witness, cast your mind upon the night that you cried unto me in your heart, that you might know concerning the truth of these things.  Did I not speak peace to your mind concerning the matter? What greater witness can you have than from God?” (D&C 6:22-23) My mind cried out, “yes! This is how I felt.” The words jumped off the page and spoke directly to my heart.  The Lord was no longer speaking to Oliver Cowdery but section 6 was now a personal revelation written just for me. I knew immediately that I had indeed received my answer those years ago; I just didn’t realize it. The Lord truly spoke peace to my mind.  How excited I was to learn to recognize the spirit in my life and to know with confidence that the Lord answers my prayers. Ironically, at that moment I did feel a burning in my bosom, the long sought after reaction that wasn’t immediately forthcoming. As I have pondered the original verse in section 9, I have gained further understanding.  After it describes the burning in the bosom, the Lord gives further clarification stating that “you shall feel that it is right.” In my experience, the “burning” is infrequent but having things “feel right” happens all the time. By understanding and recognizing how the spirit works in my life, it allows me to use it to make seemingly small decisions each and every day.  The Gift of the Holy Ghost is truly a priceless gift of great worth.

My experience with the scriptures mirrored the growth of my seed of faith.  What began as storytelling grew to reading with a desire to know truth. As I began to learn through the workings of the spirit, the scriptures became more real to me.  President Henry B. Eyring described this process when he taught, “Truth can prepare its own way. Simply hearing the words of doctrine can plant the seed of faith in the heart. And even a tiny seed of faith in Jesus Christ invites the Spirit” (“The Power of Teaching Doctrine, April Conference, 1999).  I have read of great men, heroes, who had not only known the Lord but had seen him face to face. Men such as Nephi, Jacob, Alma, Mormon and Moroni and a whole people who were ministered to by Him after his resurrection. I began to see how Jesus himself could speak to me through the words on those pages.  I could “hear his voice and know his words.” (D&C 18:36) At times the Lord's words have sunk deep in my heart and “seemed to enter with great force into every feeling of my heart” (see JSH 1:12). Like the rain that falls on the small seedling, they bring us the living water we need to stay close to the fountain of all waters, even our Redeemer and Lord.

The scriptures don't just tell the stories of Jesus and describe who he was, they carry his spirit into our heart.  I asked my son Devin, who received his mission call to serve in St. Petersburg, Russia, what events stood out to him as important to developing his testimony.  He commented on feeling that the small everyday choices that he makes has made the biggest difference. He did single out one encounter with a sister missionary in Nauvoo when he was fourteen.  We were participating in the family cast for the pageant. One evening a sister missionary simply asked him if he was reading the scriptures everyday and encouraged him to do so. It made a lasting impression on him and I have seen him grow closer to the Savior as he has made that a priority.

The scriptures have become far more than words on a page.  They are now my friends. Elder Scott describes this experience as follows: "to memorize a scripture is to forge a new friendship.  It is like discovering a new individual who can help in time of need, give inspiration and comfort, and be a source of motivation for needed change" (October Conference 2011).  I learned to love the scriptures as a missionary, having committed many of them to memory. One night in particular stands out. We had been invited back to teach a discussion with a family only to find an ambush waiting for us when we arrived.  The person had invited his minister over and he was "hell bent" on showing us the folly of our doctrine. The night started peacefully enough but soon degraded into a "strife of words and a contest of opinions" (see JSH 1:6). Knowing we were not going to get anywhere with argument, we stood and boldly testified of what we knew to be true.  The response of this minister shocked and frightened me. He started to visibly shake and became incredibly angry. "Why would anyone become so angry about another person's beliefs?" I said to myself. We left with saddened hearts, pondering the events of that night. As I turned to my scriptures the next morning, I read from the 28th chapter of 2 Nephi and came across verse 28 which reads, "and in fine, wo unto all those who tremble, and are angry because of the truth of God!  For behold, he that is built upon the rock receiveth it with gladness; and he that is built upon a sandy foundation trembleth lest he shall fall." The words came right off the page and spoke directly to my thoughts and concerns. It was as "a packet of light that illuminated my mind and gave place to guidance and inspiration from on high" (Elder Scott Oct. Conf. 2011).

My patriarchal blessing states, "I bless you that you may study the scriptures and the experiences therein will become alive to you.  You can then relate the messages to others." I have loved teaching from the scriptures, starting mostly as a missionary but throughout my life, whether it be in the Elder's Quorum, in talks, as a Stake/Ward Missionary, with the Youth, as a Bishop and especially for four blessed years as a Sunday School teacher.  My preparation time was a sacred communion with the Lord. An even greater blessing was being edified by the comments made by those in my class. I truly came to understand the promise found in section 50 of the Doctrine and Covenants where it says, "he that preacheth and he that receiveth, understand one another, and both are edified and rejoice together" (verse 22).  As we read the words of the Savior together he truly walked with us, communed with us and "expounded unto us in all the scriptures the things concerning himself" (Luke 24: 27). The greatest compliment I ever received was from a dear friend who said, "did not our heart burn within us while we spoke of Jesus and talked together?” (see verse 32).

One of my most unique experiences with the scriptures happened on a sunny clear day on the side of a field hockey game.  Our family was preparing for our service in the Nauvoo Pageant that summer. Six short weeks before we were to leave, Rachael came to Gina and I and told us that she had determined to read the Book of Mormon before we left and would we join her?  We were not as ready to jump into this as she was but how do you tell your child “no” to such a request? Life was busy so every spare minute was spent reading the Book of Mormon. Reading it so quickly gave me a perspective that I had not experienced before.  The story was easier to follow. As I read in 3 Nephi of the wild swings between righteousness and wickedness that was going on, I was struck by the core group that stayed faithful through it all. They were the ones who were to be put to death for their testimonies on the day of the Savior's birth.  They were the ones who gathered together when the Gadianton Robbers would kill and conquer them. They remained after the devastation and darkness covered the earth following the Lord's crucifixion. As I sat on the sidelines that day, I turned to chapter 11 and then read of these people who had gathered to the Lord's temple at Bountiful and were discussing the signs of his birth, death and resurrection.  They heard a soft voice from heaven that pierced them to the center. As they opened their ears to hear, they understood the words of the Father announcing his beloved son. As they looked up into heaven it felt to me that I was standing there with them, seeing The Lord through their eyes. I could feel of their goodness, of their love for The Lord. As he presented himself to each of them, "one by one" (verse 15) and worshipped him, my eyes filled with tears and for a brief instant I could feel what they were feeling and could “witness for myself” (verse 16) as they fell down at his feet and worshiped him.

During my time as a bishop, I felt impressed to memorize the 25 scripture mastery verses with the seminary students.  Karalee was a freshman at the time and we started memorizing them together in the car as we drove to seminary. This became a tradition with all my children.  The one thing I missed most when my children received their driver's license was those precious minutes memorizing scriptures together. I can vividly remember driving to work, repeating over and over the words, "He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.  Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted." (Isaiah 53:3-5) Tears streamed down my face making it hard to drive for a time. As special as that sweet experience remains to me it pales in comparison to when I later sat watching my dear sweet Karalee give a talk at Seminary Graduation. As she testified of the savior, she quoted these same words.  Her voice halted with emotion and was filled with the spirit as it testified to us of His divine atonement and love. To know for myself of The Lord is life eternal, but to know that my children know is joy incomprehensible.