I just received a catalog in the mail with the slogan “Only the Best Gifts.” Persuasive and clever advertising abound during the Christmas season. It’s easy to believe the best gifts come from a store or popular website, but truly the best gifts can only come from God our Heavenly Father.
Over a decade ago, a wise mother, grandmother and great-grandmother chose to give her posterity a Christmas gift from God rather than from a store. She wrote a letter to her posterity focused on her personal and powerful testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ, printed it on card stock paper and glued it inside individual copies of the Book of Mormon with her handwritten signature of “Love, Mom” or “Love, Grandma.” At the time she gave this gift, she was in her early 80’s and in fairly good health. Little did anyone know this would be the last Christmas gift from their mother, grandmother and great-grandmother before she unexpectedly passed away the following August. Her passing made this Christmas gift even more meaningful since it was an enduring symbol of being a strong link in the chain of generations. Through a lifetime filled with faith and obedience, she did her part of gaining and sharing a testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Now it was up to her posterity to do the same. The responsibility of keeping true doctrine, covenants and blessings flowing for current and future generations rested on all who received grandma’s gift of testimony inside a book of scripture the Prophet Joseph Smith wrote, “…was the most correct of any book on earth….”
Four years after this grandmother’s passing, one of her daughters-in-law read her testimony word for word when she spoke at her twin daughters’ baptism:
My Dear Family,
I have a testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I say this with all the strength of my being, knowing that this is the most important thing in my life and the most precious gift I can give to my posterity.
I testify that God lives. He is our loving Father in Heaven, and we are His children.
I testify that Jesus Christ is our elder brother, the son of the living God and the Savior of this world; that through the atonement of Jesus Christ and His great sacrifice for us that we can be forgiven of our sins and return to live with Him someday.
I testify that Joseph Smith is the prophet of God through whom the gospel of Jesus Christ was restored to the earth in these latter days.
I testify that we have been blessed with a living prophet on the earth today. President Thomas S. Monson, who along with his counselors and the 12 apostles are prophets, seers and revelators.
I testify that the Book of Mormon is the word of God and is another testament of Jesus Christ, along with the Bible and the Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price.
How do I know these things? When I was small I was taught the gospel by loving parents who were strong and faithful members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As I grew to be a woman, I received my own personal witness of the truthfulness of what I had been taught as a youth. I desired to share the joy I found in my testimony with my own family and was blessed to find a wonderful man with whom to start our own posterity. My husband was a great man, a worthy priesthood holder and had such a strong love for the Savior, the gospel of Jesus Christ and his family. He truly blessed my life. How grateful I am for the knowledge that this life is not the end and that as we have been sealed in the temple of the Lord for time and all eternity that I will be reunited with him someday. What peace that brings to my heart.
I am so grateful for my wonderful family, for my children, my grandchildren and my great-grandchildren. You are all such a comfort and a blessing to me. I love you so much and pray that you all enjoy peace and happiness in your lives and that you will understand the love and special purpose that your Father in Heaven has for each of you.
I say these things with no doubt, no hesitation. I know these things are true. My testimony is and always has been unshakeable. It is my protection, my joy and my greatest treasure.
In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Love,
Grandma
This baptism coincided with a family reunion. Many were reminded of the personal gift of testimony they received four Christmases prior from their mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. Each family member who spoke at this baptism either through a talk or prayer expressed feeling the presence of family on the other side of the veil.
As we make our lists of gifts this Christmas season, may we, like this wise mother, grandmother and great-grandmother ponder the priceless gift of a testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ. This gift of testimony is among the “best gifts” we can give our Savior, family, friends and others at Christmas time. Then may this gift of testimony resonate deeply with current and future generations who can also declare, like Helaman’s two thousand stripling warriors in the Book of Mormon: “We do not doubt, our mothers [grandmothers and great-grandmothers] knew it.” (Alma 56:48)
CASDecember 17, 2024
This is so powerful. Thanks for sharing!