My name is Elder Kofoed (right now, some day it will be Brother or John Kofoed). I was born in the church and was baptized and confirmed a member at the age of eight. I did it then mostly because that is what we did. It was more the culture of my family and most of my hometown, for that matter, than anything else. As I got a little older something happened that would change my life forever, I came to the realization that not everybody in the world was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. That rocked my world! I can’t really remember a time that I didn’t believe the church was true, there were times of slight uncertainty but that would quickly leave as I would continue to live the commandments. I am sure that I started out leaning on the testimony of my parents but I was gradually weaned off and building my own just as slowly. In August of 2005 President Gordon B. Hinckley challenged everyone to read The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ Before the end of the year.
My family was a little slow to act and was a little hit or miss but we did our best, and I am not sure if we beat the end of the year but I know that we did finish. During this time of reading together we had frustrations and sometimes low desire from me and my little brother. I also had some very moving experiences as I read about the following stories: the people with Alma-the-older in bondage and leaning on faith for relief, people being burned and stoned after being converted by Alma-the-younger and his companion Amulek, the converted Lamanites burying their weapons of war and suffering themselves to be killed rather than slay their brethren for their own protection, Samuel the Laminate standing on a wall teaching the, now wicked, Nephites and not being touched by all the things thrown, slung, or shot at him, the resurrected Lord healing teaching and blessing the ancient people of the Americas, the sad destruction of the people after they forgot the Lord. By the end of this challenge I had a testimony (however small it may have been) but didn’t realize it. It grew slowly and even began to slip especially as I hit high school and chose to do some things that I knew I shouldn’t have done. But as I repented and changed back to the person that I wanted to be it grew more.
Today it stands as the one thing I can count as a constant, as long as I nourish it. I know that the church is true, I know that Joseph Smith was a man called by God to Restore the Gospel of Jesus Christ in its fullness, I know that the priesthood was restored and gives us opportunity to do the Lords work, I know that Jesus is the Savior and Redeemer of the world, I know that through Him the pains and trials of this life can be overcome so that we can bear them, I know that He lives today and that He loves us, I know that God is our loving Heavenly Father, I know that he wants every opportunity for us to grow and become the best we can be, I know that He has a plan for us to be happy in this life and in the Eternities to come, I know that the power of prayer is real, I know that we are led today by a prophet whose name is Thomas S. Monson, I know that the Book of Mormon is true and I love it with all my heart. And you can too, by reading the Book of Mormon, praying about it, and applying it your life. Just be sincere and intend to act on the answer you receive and have faith, and you will know through the Holy Ghost that this is all true (see Moroni 10:4-5, Book of Mormon). It works, I know because I did it.
So the first weekend in April and October of every year is a very exciting time for members of The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints. This is where the prophets and apostles of today, our time teach us and encourage us. As they testify of Christ I know you will feel the spirit. This is such an important time for people as a modern day Moses tells us what Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ wants us to hear. If God is going to be giving a talk I want to be there, and so I will! It is sad though that for a few people in the church to view this as a Sunday that we can sleep in and we don’t have to go to church. Oh how wrong that "day-off" mentality is. As we do this we become like the people of old who did not respect the prophets of their time, it never worked out well for them and it won’t work out for us! If we want to know what God expects of us then we for sure need to listen up when he sends someone to answer that very question. I know I have not always treated conference as I should and I regret those times very much, but I have applied the atonement and have repented! The coolest thing about conference is that if we come with questions we are guaranteed that at least one of the speakers will touch on the subject we need to hear and we will gain answers! That’s just so awesome! I hope you enjoy General Conference as much as I do!