When I was a missionary in Brazil, my mission president, Lamonte Dansie, concentrated much of his effort during our monthly trainings, on helping us young men and women develop faith in Jesus Christ. One of the ways he did this, was to have us imitate the First Presidency of the Church, and the council of the Twelve Apostles, in writing our own version of "The Living Christ." It took me over a year, and lots of prayer, to write, in my own words, my testimony of Jesus, His plan and mission, and how we fit into it. When I wrote this, I was most certainly at the highest spiritual plain of my life, and I am glad I have a strong written reminder of the witnesses of the Spirit which I received daily at that time. It is humbling, and stirring to re-read it now at this time in my life, when I wish I had as much spiritual guidance as I did when I was a missionary. But it also gives me hope: that I can know now, as I knew then, that these things are still true, by the power of the Holy Ghost.
I, Jordan Russell Roberts, wish to bear my witness, which I have been given by the gift and power of the Holy Spirit of God, and by the light which shines in the soul of every child of God, which is the light of Christ, that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God: that He was with God in the beginning, that He was chosen as the redeemer and mediator to a fallen world and race, to bring them back through the power of an atonement which He would make, exalted and glorified, pure and clean, to the presence of our Father to go no more out.
I know that all mankind was there when He and His plan were chosen, and that we shouted for joy as one! It was He who created this world and everything in it by the eternal power and authority of the Father; He who breathed life into our first parents, and from the beginning made it possible for us to know Him and His way with us, that we may not walk in darkness. It was He who, through the many dispensations, extended His arm to gather His people, even though many would not. It was to Him the house of Israel learned to offer prayer and give sacrifice in anticipation of a great and last sacrifice for the sins of all, which belief and hope separated them from the other peoples of the world. They knew Him as Jehovah, the great "I AM" and I testify that God Himself descended from Heaven and dwelt among us in flesh, that He might know how to help us.
He walked among men doing good. He never sinned, although He was tempted. He showed us the more exalted way, the law of love, and He was our example. He established a kingdom, not a worldly kingdom, but that of Heaven built upon apostles and prophets, He being the chief cornerstone. He edified it with the power of the priesthood of God, and the gifts of prophecy and revelation, and upon this foundation was it built by Him in His own day. He loved the church, and gave His life in the greatest act of selflessness in all history, to bring Eternal Life to those saints who would believe Him and keep His commandments.
His atonement began in the garden of Gethsemane, where the weight of the justice of God fell upon Him, in behalf of all mankind who had transgressed, or would so, and in that moment He faced all of its consequences: guilt, pain, sorrow, grief, suffering and death. And He did so alone. Praise be to God that He did, for had He not, all mankind would be lost! He did it because of His great love for his Father and for us.
The weight of the price of the broken law was so great that it drew blood from every pore, and thus, with blood, was the great and last sacrifice made. He was taken and crucified, but rose again, thus breaking the bands of death which bound His people. I testify that He showed Himself and was seen of His apostles and many others, and also of His people throughout the world who believed in Him.
I know He lives, and in our day He was seen also with His Father, our Eternal Father, by a modern prophet, Joseph Smith, to restore, in this dispensation, that blessed church which existed in His own day of earthly ministry. I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the kingdom of God on earth, in preparation for His return, when He shall come with power and glory, when every knee shall bend and every tongue confess that He is God. He shall reign as King of kings and Lord of lords, and under His blessed rule shall the earth, and all of its inhabitants enjoy a millennium of peace, prosperity and charity for one-another.
I know that He is the way, the truth and the life, and that no man goeth unto the Father, but by Him. I know that my redeemer lives, and that He shall save my soul, and the souls of all those who believe Him and keep His commandments, from death and hell, and that I shall dwell with Him and my Father in His kingdom with my family forever. God be praised for the greatest of all His gifts, Eternal Life, that we may receive through His Son, Jesus the Christ.
Jordan Russell Roberts, 2006
The Living Christ
I, Jordan Russell Roberts, wish to bear my witness, which I have been given by the gift and power of the Holy Spirit of God, and by the light which shines in the soul of every child of God, which is the light of Christ, that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God: that He was with God in the beginning, that He was chosen as the redeemer and mediator to a fallen world and race, to bring them back through the power of an atonement which He would make, exalted and glorified, pure and clean, to the presence of our Father to go no more out.
I know that all mankind was there when He and His plan were chosen, and that we shouted for joy as one! It was He who created this world and everything in it by the eternal power and authority of the Father; He who breathed life into our first parents, and from the beginning made it possible for us to know Him and His way with us, that we may not walk in darkness. It was He who, through the many dispensations, extended His arm to gather His people, even though many would not. It was to Him the house of Israel learned to offer prayer and give sacrifice in anticipation of a great and last sacrifice for the sins of all, which belief and hope separated them from the other peoples of the world. They knew Him as Jehovah, the great "I AM" and I testify that God Himself descended from Heaven and dwelt among us in flesh, that He might know how to help us.
He walked among men doing good. He never sinned, although He was tempted. He showed us the more exalted way, the law of love, and He was our example. He established a kingdom, not a worldly kingdom, but that of Heaven built upon apostles and prophets, He being the chief cornerstone. He edified it with the power of the priesthood of God, and the gifts of prophecy and revelation, and upon this foundation was it built by Him in His own day. He loved the church, and gave His life in the greatest act of selflessness in all history, to bring Eternal Life to those saints who would believe Him and keep His commandments.
His atonement began in the garden of Gethsemane, where the weight of the justice of God fell upon Him, in behalf of all mankind who had transgressed, or would so, and in that moment He faced all of its consequences: guilt, pain, sorrow, grief, suffering and death. And He did so alone. Praise be to God that He did, for had He not, all mankind would be lost! He did it because of His great love for his Father and for us.
The weight of the price of the broken law was so great that it drew blood from every pore, and thus, with blood, was the great and last sacrifice made. He was taken and crucified, but rose again, thus breaking the bands of death which bound His people. I testify that He showed Himself and was seen of His apostles and many others, and also of His people throughout the world who believed in Him.
I know He lives, and in our day He was seen also with His Father, our Eternal Father, by a modern prophet, Joseph Smith, to restore, in this dispensation, that blessed church which existed in His own day of earthly ministry. I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the kingdom of God on earth, in preparation for His return, when He shall come with power and glory, when every knee shall bend and every tongue confess that He is God. He shall reign as King of kings and Lord of lords, and under His blessed rule shall the earth, and all of its inhabitants enjoy a millennium of peace, prosperity and charity for one-another.
I know that He is the way, the truth and the life, and that no man goeth unto the Father, but by Him. I know that my redeemer lives, and that He shall save my soul, and the souls of all those who believe Him and keep His commandments, from death and hell, and that I shall dwell with Him and my Father in His kingdom with my family forever. God be praised for the greatest of all His gifts, Eternal Life, that we may receive through His Son, Jesus the Christ.
Jordan Russell Roberts, 2006
