I actually heard this talk in 1964. I had just turned 15. At that time, I was already receiving dally revelation from God, so I could say I knew God was real and that he hears and answers prayers, and I could relate to the problem of how to convey a testimony to someone who does not believe. Then the salt idea made sense to me. I had to agree that knowing the things of the spirit is like knowing things by you other senses, but how do you explain it to others. How do you explain the things you see, hear, touch, smell or taste to someone who is blind, deaf, insensitive, and having no taste buds.? How do you explain what the still small voice sounds like? How do you explain what the pure love of God feels like to someone who has never felt love? How do you explain in words what Jesus looks like, when the last time you saw Jesus was a memory of being with him before you were born? Those were my thoughts when I was 15. I am a little older now and I found the perfect answer in John 7:17 Can you really know? Jesus said, "If a man will do his will, he will know of the doctrine., whether it be of God or if I speak of myself." In other words, if you want to know the truth about spiritual things, try it. If it is not of God, it will not work, but if the doctrine works then it is the power of God unto salvation. Now 60 years later, this is my testimony. Joseph Smith referred to Revelation 19:10 and told about the testimony of Jesus being the spirit of prophecy and went on to say that there are three levels of testimony or prophecy. The first level of testimony is knowing that Jesus is the Christ the son of the living God, revealed by the Father in Heaven. This happened to me when I was 5 years old. It happened the first time I remember going to Sunday school. The teacher asked me if I knew who Jesus is. I did not recognize the name and said, No. She went on to say that he is the son of God the creator of the world and I remembered being with them before I was born, so I said to the teacher, "Oh yeah, I now who you re talkin' about." I know that the Jesus is the Christ, the son of the living God. The second level of prophecy is knowing that Jesus is your personal savior having been born again and baptized by fire and holy Ghost. This happened to me when I was 24. I was in the navy at the time and assigned to the USS Oriskany in Alameda CA. The ship was scheduled for a cruise for six months, which turned out to be nine months. I did not want to go because of my family. My wife and I prayed fervently for the Lord to do something so I would not have to go. He did not answer our prayers and I was heart broken. On the day we left port, I went to a place on ship where I could be alone and cried and prayed, "Lord, why are you doing this to me? Why didn't you answer our prayers? After a while, the Lord said to me me, "If you want me to answer you, you will have to listen." I cleared my mind of all other thoughts and listened, Then Jesus said, "You need to repent." Then he reminded me of all my sins. My sorrow suddenly changed from being sorry for the situation I was in to being deeply sorry for my sins and I immediately repented and made a commitment to abandon my sins and avoid the situations that had caused me to sin and thein I asked forgiveness. In the exact moment I said Amen, I felt the guilt from my sins lifted from me and I felt peace and freedom like I had never felt before, but the greatest feeling of all was the Love of God that enveloped me, a love that is indescribable, and I was baptized by fire and the holy Ghost. I know that Jesus is my personal savior. The third level of testimony is knowing that you have been sealed up into eternal life and Jesus has made your calling and election sure. This happened to me when I was 34. After ten of trials in the temple covenants, by which Jesus cleansed me, purified me and sanctified me, Jesus called me to the temple and when I got to the celestial room room, Jesus came in and I asked him what he wanted me to do. He said that he had not called me to the temple to give me something more to do, but that he has a gift for me. Then he said, "I promise you the Celestial kingdom." I felt something change inside of me and then he took me into his presence. I know Jesus He is real, he lives and his doctrine is true. Jesus lives. I have seen his face. I have heard his voice. I have felt his touch. Yes, you can know. You can know and with a perfect knowledge by putting into practice the commandments and sayings of Jesus and teaching others to do the same.
I actually heard this talk in 1964. I had just turned 15. At that time, I was already receiving dally revelation from God, so I could say I knew God was real and that he hears and answers prayers, and I could relate to the problem of how to convey a testimony to someone who does not believe. Then the salt idea made sense to me. I had to agree that knowing the things of the spirit is like knowing things by you other senses, but how do you explain it to others. How do you explain the things you see, hear, touch, smell or taste to someone who is blind, deaf, insensitive, and having no taste buds.? How do you explain what the still small voice sounds like? How do you explain what the pure love of God feels like to someone who has never felt love? How do you explain in words what Jesus looks like, when the last time you saw Jesus was a memory of being with him before you were born? Those were my thoughts when I was 15.
I am a little older now and I found the perfect answer in John 7:17 Can you really know? Jesus said, "If a man will do his will, he will know of the doctrine., whether it be of God or if I speak of myself." In other words, if you want to know the truth about spiritual things, try it. If it is not of God, it will not work, but if the doctrine works then it is the power of God unto salvation.
Now 60 years later, this is my testimony. Joseph Smith referred to Revelation 19:10 and told about the testimony of Jesus being the spirit of prophecy and went on to say that there are three levels of testimony or prophecy. The first level of testimony is knowing that Jesus is the Christ the son of the living God, revealed by the Father in Heaven. This happened to me when I was 5 years old. It happened the first time I remember going to Sunday school. The teacher asked me if I knew who Jesus is. I did not recognize the name and said, No. She went on to say that he is the son of God the creator of the world and I remembered being with them before I was born, so I said to the teacher, "Oh yeah, I now who you re talkin' about." I know that the Jesus is the Christ, the son of the living God.
The second level of prophecy is knowing that Jesus is your personal savior having been born again and baptized by fire and holy Ghost. This happened to me when I was 24. I was in the navy at the time and assigned to the USS Oriskany in Alameda CA. The ship was scheduled for a cruise for six months, which turned out to be nine months. I did not want to go because of my family. My wife and I prayed fervently for the Lord to do something so I would not have to go. He did not answer our prayers and I was heart broken. On the day we left port, I went to a place on ship where I could be alone and cried and prayed, "Lord, why are you doing this to me? Why didn't you answer our prayers? After a while, the Lord said to me me, "If you want me to answer you, you will have to listen." I cleared my mind of all other thoughts and listened, Then Jesus said, "You need to repent." Then he reminded me of all my sins. My sorrow suddenly changed from being sorry for the situation I was in to being deeply sorry for my sins and I immediately repented and made a commitment to abandon my sins and avoid the situations that had caused me to sin and thein I asked forgiveness. In the exact moment I said Amen, I felt the guilt from my sins lifted from me and I felt peace and freedom like I had never felt before, but the greatest feeling of all was the Love of God that enveloped me, a love that is indescribable, and I was baptized by fire and the holy Ghost. I know that Jesus is my personal savior.
The third level of testimony is knowing that you have been sealed up into eternal life and Jesus has made your calling and election sure. This happened to me when I was 34. After ten of trials in the temple covenants, by which Jesus cleansed me, purified me and sanctified me, Jesus called me to the temple and when I got to the celestial room room, Jesus came in and I asked him what he wanted me to do. He said that he had not called me to the temple to give me something more to do, but that he has a gift for me. Then he said, "I promise you the Celestial kingdom." I felt something change inside of me and then he took me into his presence. I know Jesus He is real, he lives and his doctrine is true. Jesus lives. I have seen his face. I have heard his voice. I have felt his touch.
Yes, you can know. You can know and with a perfect knowledge by putting into practice the commandments and sayings of Jesus and teaching others to do the same.