My Testimony of Joseph Smith

My testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith is a vast and quirky one and I don't know if I will have time to share it all with you. But I want you to know that I know He was and IS a Prophet of God, and furthermore He is the Prophet of the Restoration. There have been many prophets throughout the ages, but each at the beginning of a dispensation have been given a special calling. Elijah was given the keys of Sealing, Moses was given the keys of the gathering of Israel. When Jesus Christ was on the Mount of Transfiguration these two prophets came to testify to Jesus of His divine role (many people do not know, or do not believe, but Jesus Christ had to learn that He was Jesus Christ, just as we have to learn that we are children of our father in Heaven). Jesus Christ bestowed those keys upon Peter James and John. At the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, note how all those people had to be present. It was necessary. Even John the Baptist, a glorified, ressurected being, appeared and conferred the Aaronic Priesthood (A special, preparatory Priesthood, conferred upon Aaron and His seed; with John the Baptist, being the last worthy holder). The Prophet Joseph Smith testified of the importance of baptizing by correct Authority and stated that doing any such ordinance without proper authority might as well have been performed on a bag of sand for all the good it would do that individual.

Beyond that of Priesthood Authority, my testimony has grown in who I have found Joseph Smith to be. He was a man of integrity and a man of Faith. Most importantly he always acted out of Faith. There are two main opposites in the Universe (as I would see it) Faith and Fear. When you learn of the story of Joseph Smith's life, there was plenty to Fear, yet he stood firm in the Faith. There were plenty of times in Joseph Smith's life where he was imprisoned for months at a time and recieved no revelation or relief. Imagine trying to stay true to the gospel when you're imprisoned and fed disgusting food for months on end, and everytime you pray you get no answer. How long do you think you or I would last? As Job's wife counseled, would we rather "curse God, and Die?"

One of the last points which I will share with you will be that of the slander against the Prophet Joseph Smith. My Testimony is founded in God alone. No man can take it from me. When I want to know the truth of ANYTHING I kneel and pray and ask my father in heaven to tell me it is true. When I recieve THAT witness, then I know. Besides, What greater witness can you have than from God? I have heard about everything that I believe can be said against the Prophet Joseph Smith, some of it true, and some of it false. But, I have never come to the knowledge of it's fact or fiction until I have first followed the steps towards Revelation that my Father in Heaven wants me to follow.

God doesn't want me to know that Joseph Smith was a Prophet because everyone else said he was, or because he made a great church with helps thousands of people overcome great difficulties they face daily. God doesn't want me to know that Joseph Smith was a Prophet because he suffered great persecution, and followed exactly inline with what the Bible prophesies concerning the latter-day restoration.

God wants me to believe that Joseph Smith is His Prophet, because HE said so. Likewise, God wants me to know that the Book of Mormon is true, because HE said so, not because my parents said so, or my bishop, or my uncle, etc.

If you truly want to know whether He was a Prophet or not, pray about it. If you want to strengthen the testimony you already have, pray about it. If you want to know anything, pray about it. God answers prayers.

Ultimately, it's all very simple. If you call yourself a Christian then you believe in the fundamental princple of prayer. If you call yourself a seeker of truth than you believe in seeking the only source of pure, undiluted truth, God.

I spent 3 months in Dublin at the beginning of my mission. I taught a man named James McCann. He was the minister of another faith and spoke 7 languages (2 of which are dead languages). He was far more clever than myself. On 3 separate occasions he destroyed my testimony with his knowledge, and on 3 different occasions I rebuilt it through prayer and fasting, and THEN the knowledge came. About the 3rd time I was going to go back and show him how he was wrong (again) the spirit said to me: "are these answers for you, or for him?"

And it's that simple. I know Joseph Smith is a Prophet of God because He told me so. I don't know everything, but I know that whenever someone can "prove" to me with facts something about the Prophet that I may not fully understand- I can pray and God will tell me again that He is a Prophet, and THEN the knowledge will come. Faith, Then Knowledge.

Anyway, that's kind of it in a nutshell. It's a simple Testimony, and I could talk alot, but really it's just cause God said so. That's what I try to get across to the people I meet.

I love you all so very much. Keep strong in each of your individual testimonies.

-Elder Stephen C Beacham

2011!

Dearest Friends & Family,

There is nothing more un-motivating than getting sick for 4 days out of a week, having 2 of those days be holidays (non-working days) and then working one day and getting a total of 2 lessons for the entire week.... That is pretty un-motivating.

But we can turn our trying moments and our would-be "failures" into successes as we gain the knowledge and determination to press forward with an extra determined push of diligence.

Perhaps it was the pride before the fall but I was convinced that since I had already gotten sick with Elder Holcomb that I would not get sick again. In fact, I kept telling all the sick people that were lying around me on couches and all too soon it struck me and now I lay sick next to them.

But enough of that, there have been exciting things occurring in my smidgen of the universe! We had a former investigator re-contact their member friend and invite themselves to church! That was truly an amazing thing. Turns out she wants to get baptized, but as she is 15 she needs permission from her parents (who aren't willing to grant it); we're praying for her.

We also had a less active member break his ankle. I hope that it heals soon so that we can continue to invite him back to church J truly though I do hope that he recovers. He was only unable to attend because he was working on Sunday and just as the job finished off, he injured his ankle, so hopefully this obstacle will pass and we can get him to church.

On the 20th of December we watched “Remember the Titans” as part of a Zone Conference. After the movie we discussed the many differing and varying gospel principles, some of which were "we may not be perfect, but as a team we can be perfect" and "Attitude reflects leadership".

On the 24th of December we went to a mall called Princess Square in downtown Glasgow and sang in front of a lot of people. We sang for a total of an hour and a half and we raised over £1000 (approx. 2 grand USD) for the charity, quarriers. They work with disabled children and the likes that the government doesn't support.

On Christmas Day we were well fed at 2 members houses and then we spent the evening at the Neilds (a senior missionary couple in Glasgow) playing various board games and the like. On Tuesday I got sick and was sick through to the New Year (which destroyed my new year's resolution of not getting sick in 2011) and then I'm emailing you today telling you about my eventful journeys.

So that should kind of catch you up on what has been going on. The past while with the holidays hasn't really been optimal for teaching and as fun as it is... as missionaries, we are glad to see it done and out of the way! I suppose that's because we can't really do what we have been taught and trained to do. I mean, I spent new years eve sick with Elder Lee (from China) learning how to make various types of paper flowers. I can now say that I am a proficient maker of paper roses, however I can't say I've particularly saved anyone's soul as of late.

Anyway, I love and appreciate you all so much. I have never known more in my life than on my mission, that this church is true. I know that the gospel was restored to change people's lives for the better. So if you're looking for any sort of improvement, just look to the basic gospel truths and you will find it.

Love,

-Elder Stephen C Beacham

Merry Christmas!

Greetings!

I have now moved from Greenock to the heart of Glasgow, in Maryhill. It is here that I will spend my Christmas Day and New Years. I appreciate all of your love and prayers and I want you to know that I have sought to know what I might say to you at this Christmas time.

I know that Jesus Christ Lives. He is our Lord, our Savior, and our Redeemer. I felt impressed to read the account in Luke 2 (as Father often would) Sunday Morning and to my surprise, at church they did a Christmas Service where they read the very passage I had read that morning, and sang carols to our King. I am so touched by the Christmas Season. The Christmas Spirit is like none other. We know that Christ was actually born at Easter, nevertheless, it is the Spirit of the Season which drives us to celebrate, remember, and commemorate our Savior's Birth, Life, and Mission.

I wanted to write today and tell you how much I Iove you all. I will undoubtedly fail in this endeavor but I pray the Spirit of the Lord will communicate it in a far more effective manner. Many people speak of the loss of the Christmas Spirit. Many people speak of the dominating power of the media which sways us to lose the Christian Spirit in the continuous battle for material goods. I do not see this. Nor have I ever seen it. For it was never in my home, nor do I believe in yours. I remember staying up all night playing games with brothers. I remember gifts always coming secondary to the time spent with family. I remember Stories repeated year after year which always reached into your soul and touched you in such a way that you knew, no matter how old or young, that they were true, or the messages conveyed therein were. I remember peanuts and satsumas, toffees and chocolates, toys and bicycles, games, tricks, puzzles, and fun.

One year in particular I would like to dwell on though. 1999. This has always been an interesting year in the story of my life. As is now common knowledge, in November of 1999 Mom, Dad, and myself were part of a serious car accident which left us all in pretty bad shape. Dad and I spent months sitting in bed reading Edgar Rice Burroughs "The Martian Series". Mom spent months in bed probably sick of us reading Edgar Rice Burroughs. I remember Auraleen taking me and Christina and Laurianne on a secret mission to get a 5 gallon container of Love Potion #31 Ice Cream for Mom. I remember the kids deciding that it would be alright not to have any presents this year.

I don't remember not having any presents. Nor do I recall for that matter any gifts which I still have in my possession which I recieved for any Christmas, which are material. It is for this reason that the year of 1999 has been my favorite Christmas so far. I pray that you all, in whatever place you may be in, will see the Spirit of the Season, and Feel Christ in your Homes. You don't need anything to tell you what day it is. If you listen closely, you will know.

I love you all so very much. My love is in us, not in words or pictures or in anything material.

Merry Christmas!

Elder Beacham

Do We Get It?

Dearest Friends & Family

I write to you today with many things on my mind, but I love each of you with all my heart and I shall write today and hope that what I share will help you in each of your individual lives. This week was an interesting one. We taught a man who recieved a witness that the Book of Mormon was true, yet he didn't come to church, that was a shame. In dwelling upon this thought I had several questions come to my mind. He knows it's true, why didn't he come? What on earth could hold him back from coming to church when he knows that the Book of Mormon is true?! I pondered this for a while. If the Book of Mormon is true, then the Church is true, then he needs to come to church, then the Authority has been restored, then he needs to be baptized again, then he can live with his father in heaven again, then he can take the sacrament and be cleansed through the Holy Ghost, then he needs to have a church calling, then he can magnify his calling and be blessed even more, then he needs to get a patriarchal blessing, then he can know that his father in heaven has a plan so specific to his life and wants to help him ever step of the way, then he needs to go to the temple and be sealed for time and all eternity, then he can be with his family forever.... Doesn't he get it?

He Must not.

Do We Get It?

Alma spoke in Alma 4:19 of a desire to reclaim his people. He states that the only way in which he knew to reclaim his people was to "Bear down in pure testimony against them". I've thought about his alot. I've pondered over the meaning of this phrase quite alot. Because I want to reclaim souls. I want to bring about a mighty change in people, so it is very important to me to understand how and in what manner I would bear down in pure testimony against someone.

I have yet to come to an entire conclusion, but I know that a pure testimony would have to be one in which there was no dilution of doctrine, neither false doctrine, nor personal opinions, or philosphies. It would have to be one of pure truth. A pure testimony could not be born amidst railing accusations or uncontrolled emotion. One who bore a pure testimony would have to have had a first-hand experience with the doctrine which they were bearing witness to.

In Alma 5 is an excellent example of this.

"And now behold, I ask of you, my brethren of the church, have you spiritually been born of God? Have you received his image in your countenances? Have you experienced this mighty change in your hearts?"

"Do you exercise faith in the redemption of him who created you? Do you look forward with an eye of faith and view this mortal body raised in immortality, and this corruption raised in incorruption, to stand before God to be judged according to the deeds which have been done in the mortal body?"

"I say unto you, can you imagine to yourselves that ye hear the voice of the Lord, saying unto you, in that day: Come unto me ye blessed, for behold your works have been the works of righteousness upon the face of the earth?"

Most of us who know what is in Alma 5 don't like reading Alma 5, because it's sort of like a spiritual punch to the face. Most of us don't enjoy that. Yet Alma was/is merely bearing witness to that which he has come to know to be true. He is asking questions which he has asked himself. He is teaching what he has learned.

I love you all and hope you have a wonderful Christmas!

-Elder Stephen C Beacham

Hello again, here's the latest....

Hey everyone

I cannot begin to tell you of what is going on here, but I shall attempt to try :D

It is snowing, it has been snowing, and it will continue to snow lots and lots and lots. The roads are absolutely icy and we are constantly interrupting our jovial strolls to push some poor vehicle out of a rut they seem to have gotten stuck in.

I've drawn the parallel recently, that we often get stuck in ruts in our life. When it's a bad rut, we usually welcome to help, as do the driver's here. However, often we become confused and angry when pushed from a "good" rut. I find it important to note that no matter what type of rut you are in, it's bad, and you should always be working towards improving.

We are currently teaching a plethora of people. I use the term plethora because I don't actually know how many it denotes, but to use laymens terms; We are teaching abut 3 people. Our foremost right now is named Lawrence Ngoma. We had an amazing lesson with Lawrence in which we knelt and prayed with him and he felt "fire" go through his body. We identified that as the Holy Ghost. That evening he came to a baptism and felt the Holy Ghost again. It was really good for him to get that second witness in the same day. Sadly however, he didn't come to church, because he slept it. We're going to have to teach him what exactly it means to keep the sabbath day holy, and that the Lord expects you to go to sleep on a Saturday, early enough to get up on Sunday.

I think I might share about how people who lived the Law of Moses (as given in Exodus 20) actually counted the Sabbath day as Sundown on Saturday, to Sundown on Sunday. At the same time I don't want him to think he can go out and party on a Sunday night. I'm still undecided if I share in Exodus 31 where all those who didn't keep the Sabbath Day Holy were to be put to death :D. What do you think?

Just Kidding! So, it's great out here in Scotland. The working is going forward. I hope everyone of you is happy and healthy.

~Elder Beacham

Miracle Buses

Dearest Family & Friends,

We had some miracles this week... I won't call them "little" ones, because I don't dare give the Lord any reason to stop sending them. But it has been amazing to me to see how much the Lord takes care of you when you follow His spirit. It's been a lot of things like catching buses and trains and getting to appointments right on time, when we had no idea how that would happen.

Just the other day we were walking to a bus stop to catch a bus and we saw our investigators with a baptismal date trimming their hedge and putting the clippings in the trees (it was a really LONG hedge). It was odd for me because I was sitting there thinking "We have 1 hour until our next appointment on the other side of town and if we leave right now we still might not get there on time". Yet the spirit prompted me to stop and help them with their hedge. So I dropped the bag off my shoulder and began to help with the hedge as my new trainee (companion) looked at me and tapped his watch (He's all gung-ho about being exactly on time; plus he has huge allergies to grass and anything green and beautiful, so all he could do was watch and teach).

As we spoke with them they were very grateful and seemed to open up a lot more about questions and concerns they have. James was really funny --> He asked if he had to get circumcised in order to get baptized. Haha. I told him no.

But as we were there and worked alongside them for 25 minutes or so, they talked about why they missed church (visiting their children in Wemyss Bay) and how they were both really excited to be baptized still.

So it was truly an important time for us to be there and teach them just little things if nothing else. Well we left there and walked to the bus stop (James walked us there). As we looked through all the bus times, one came in just 2 minutes (ON A SUNDAY TOO! just so you know, the bus schedules are rubbish over here and if you have to wait less than 15 minutes, that's a miracle). So, willing to possibly let this one slide as coincidence, we got off the bus at the train station (thinking that would be faster) but the next train didn't come until half an hour after our appointment!

We rushed out of the Train station, over to the bus terminal only to see a bus driving away NOOOO!!!OO!OO!O!O! But, then we went over to check the schedule and wonder of wonders, a bus came in 7 minutes! (like I said, another miracle). So we caught that bus and got across town (Actually to the neighboring town) to our appointment right on time! It was amazing! To get that distance in that amount of time on a weekday would be a miracle in itself. Yet somehow the Lord was able to pull it off on a Sunday, because he wanted us to stay there and help His sheep.

I love this work; I don't think I'll ever find a work that brings greater satisfaction

God Speed,

-Elder Stephen C Beacham

Edinburgh Military Tatoo

Dearest Family and Friends,

I must say that the event of most note this week has to be the Edinburgh Military Tatoo. I don't know quite why they call it that but it is basically a big show of all the military bands from around the world (Scotland, USA, Poland, Jordan, New Zealand, etc). The bag pipers were amazing and I am quite determined to learn how to play bagpipes when I come home (Mom and Dad, you can apologize to Perry and the other neighbors in advance for me J

Anyway, I slept in Irvine overnight (because the Tatoo goes until 11PM in Edinburgh and we got back to Irvine at 2AM!!! (This is a once in a lifetime event for missionaries)) AND because I slept in Irvine, I am emailing in Irvine; and because of that, they have card readers on the computers here! So I can send lots of pictures to you people! Picture quality isn't the greatest but the music is amazing.

Love you all so very much. Enjoy the Pictures.

-Elder Stephen C Beacham

On the train

Check out my hat

On the bleachers

We're in awe at the scenery

Here's what we're looking at

A couple of the military bands that played for us

This is a picture of a Scottish Thistle. It is infamous in Scotland for a story it plays a part in. Once upon a time there were some Vikings coming to raid a village. While running through the Scottish Thistles, one of the vikings tripped and landed in them. Due to the nature of the type of clothing Vikings wore (I.e. around their Loins) certain vital parts were exposed and the Viking made such a howl and noise that it scared the rest of the vikings away and they never came back to attack that village :)