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The stories I had remembered the most were about pioneers, particularly about my own ancestors. I remember her telling me about a young girl that crossed the plains, escaped from religious persecution and arrived in the Salk Lake Valley with gunny sacks on her feet. My grandmother asked me: Would you have done that? And my comment was “No, what if someone had seen me?” And suddenly, my grandma said “She had faith and you don’t”.

Now, I actually took that as a challenge. And I suppose the challenge is still on. As a young girl I would read scriptures with the flashlight in bed when it was told that lights should go off. I would read such books as The history of Joseph Smith, by his mother Lucy Smith. I would read books like The Autobiography of Parley P. Pratt – one of the great apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

And it was not long that I began to realize that I was reading to write. Through the process, I’ve written many, many books and several of them now on a man named Joseph Smith. Through that process I’ve learned some very interesting things. I’ve learned that from the time of his youthful utterance, there in the Palmira Woods in the spring of 1820, to his manly cry in the Jail at Carthage – that Joseph Smith was all that he said he was. That he was truly called by God to be a prophet, much like other prophets that have walked the Earth such as Moses, Isaiah, Elijah, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Now if you were to say: What do I think about his teaching? He teaches us about God the Father. That God the Father loves us and that we are his children. He teaches us about Jesus Christ. We learn about Christ through the Holy Bible. But, in addition, as a member of the Church or Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, I learned about Jesus Christ in the Book of Mormon. I decided to make a most unusual study of that book – it was actually a simple process. But I went through the book and underlined every time the name of Christ appeared. I found that there were, on an average, on every 1.7 verses, the name of Christ appeared. If you were to compare that to the New Testament, on an average, every 2.1 verses has the name of Christ.

If you were to say just 5 word count of long – which Scripture was the best witness for Jesus Christ? Hands down, it’s the Book of Mormon. Now what’s been so interesting to me is that as life has gone on, I pursued a doctorate and was fortunate enough to be a professor. For 30 years now I’ve been a professor at Brigham Young University. During these years I’ve had an opportunity to teach many subjects. My most favourite has always been about the life of Joseph Smith. I had a chance to read primary sources. I had a chance to travel where Joseph travelled. To literally live at times, where he’s lived.

I’ve seen people who have said “I don’t think Joseph’s a prophet. I really like your church, I like the idea that families can be together forever. I like the idea of being morally clean and not smoking and not drinking. But it’s that Joseph Smith that I struggle with”. I then say to them – Without Joseph Smith, the prophet of restoration, all the things you say you like about our church, it just wouldn’t happen. Because Joseph was a prophet, because of Joseph Smith, I know that my husband has the authority to act in the name of God. That when I’m sick, he can give me a blessing. I also know that my husband, because he has the authority to act in the name of God, that he has the right to arraign our children to various priesthood offices. I joyed when my son became a deacon, when he became an Elder and I’m forever grateful for their lives. And more especially, for the life of my great husband.

I also know that because of Joseph Smith, I’ve been privileged to be sealed to my husband for all time and all eternity. You know, as time passes and you get older, we know that we have the privilege to be together forever. Now, the question is, wouldn’t you like that for yourself too? Wouldn’t you like to know that you have the right to call on the Heavenly Father that you can kneel in prayer? Wouldn’t you like the blessing of knowing that you have the priesthood in your home, that you had somebody in your home that loved you and that was worthy to act in the name of our Father in Heaven? Well, I feel most blessed. If you were to ask how I feel about the prophet Joseph Smith – I love his memory. I love what he taught. I’m always overwhelmed by his sacrifice. I am overwhelmed by his statement that he could not deny it and he would not, less it would come in accommodation with God.

I will be forever grateful for a man named Joseph Smith. I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the Lord’s church upon the earth. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. I also know that the men have succeeded him as presidents of the church are also prophets of God. It is my hope that you will take the time to read the Book of Mormon, to find out the Mormon Church in your area, to pray and ask the Father in Heaven if the Book of Mormon is true. I testify that if you will do these things with sincerity and be humble, that you will find greater joy and happiness in this life than you had ever imagined.

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And I know that they have my best interest at heart like my parents at home. And they have done so many things for me and my life to help me make good choices. And I’ve learned in Church how to make choices and listen to the spirit of the Heavenly Father so I know what he would have me do. And when I pray, when I read the scripture, when I listen to our living prophet Gordon B. Hinckley – I know that they are telling me things form God to help me make choices. And when I make choices based on answers to prayer, to revelations, to a modern prophet, I am able to be happy with those choices. I find myself in so much better situations than if I had not made those choices.

So many times I don’t understand why God would have me do certain things but after I do them and after I’ve passed the test of doing God’s will, I am able to find immense happiness in my choices and see, looking back, how has God blessed my life so immensely.

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Cindy: I sure can. First, my name is Cindy Lee Garic, everyone calls me Cindy. I am from Jamaica – this is a small island. But I’m here in Germany, I spent 3 months here and I return tomorrow. But I have been a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints for 13 years, this year will be 14 years. I’m 29 at the moment.

Woman: And single, available!

Cindy: Yes, I’m single. But I’ve been a member for 14 years and now I’m here to share my testimony with you.

Woman: So, can you tell us how you’ve become a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints?

Cindy: Yeah. At first, I was in Montego Bay which is the second capital in Jamaica. And I was living at home with my mother and one of my siblings and my grandmother when the missionaries from the church rode their bikes and came to the gate and knocked. I was in the hall, sitting and watching television and I invited them in. They came, sat down, introduced themselves and introduced the Church and from there, they taught us discussions and left a commitment to read the Book of Mormon, pray and to know for myself if the Church was true. At first I was reluctant, hearing all these things of the Church, I wasn’t interested. But I read for myself and to pray and from there I got my knowledge and got my answers that I was searching for.

Woman: Okay, thank you. That’s very interesting. And after you became a member of the Church, what kind of impact has it to you, in your life that you joined the Church, being a member?

Cindy: Being a Latter Day Saint, being a Mormon, there are so much that you hear every day when you’re out there that sometimes, you feel like you wanna hide yourself. And for me, the impact that it has on my life is just knowing for myself that Christ – he was on the Earth, he taught these things and he wasn’t accepted. But yet, still, regardless of everything he taught, his truths, he left it and gave us a choice to follow. So the impact it has on my life is that He gave me that choice and I decided to take a step towards knowing about him. And that has had such great impact on my life because my life has turned from going in the wrong direction to going where he wants me to be.

Woman: Okay. Are your family also members of the church? Relatives?

Cindy: No. I’m actually the only member.

Woman: Okay and how do you go about it? How do you feel about being the only member?

Cindy: It’s hard because your family is great – like the Church teaches. The Church teaches that families are important and families are eternal. And because the Gospel is a part of my life, I want my family to partake in it. I want them to be where I am, I want them to have what I have. I want them to feel the love that I felt from the Savior. And it’s really hard to know that they’re not a part of it, but every single day of my life I pray, I hope and I share with them when I can. So that one day I’m hoping that they will partake of this wonderful gospel. Nothing is impossible with God – but for us, in our eyes, it might impossible. But everyone can change, that’s how I see it.

Woman: You sound like a strong woman, like you’re making the Gospel your strength, taking strength from it.

Cindy: That’s what the Gospel offers. The Gospel is the Gospel of happiness. But it also offers the comfort and reassurance that, even though I’m going through the adversities of whatever right now – with my family not being a member – it offers the reassurance that they can change. Cause if I have, then anyone can. And so that’s what gives me the strength. Christ is always there, waiting for us. We leave him but he’s always there. And so, I know that one day my family will be a part of the church. I just don’t know when.

Woman: Thank you very much. After hearing that testimony and you being the one single member of the Church in your family, it’s got to be hard, I know. But like you said, you have strength, the Gospel is giving you strength. Can you give more? Like how do you feel about the Church in general?

Cindy: I just wanna share a little bit about the truths. The Gospel is the restored Gospel. It’s always been here, it’s been here from the beginning. But because man has decided not to follow it and not be a part of it, it was taken away. And so, Joseph Smith was called by God to restore it what was then. And my testimony is to say that Joseph Smith was indeed called by God to restore his truths back on the earth, 100% so that all of us, as his children can partake on the blessings that He wants us to have in this life and prepare us for the ones to come. He knows what we want. The Gospel is the only way to complete us. I’m grateful that I’m a part of it. I’m grateful that I made that choice when I was 16. I didn’t understand everything then but making the choice has helped me so much because it has given me the assurance that God lives and that he loves us and that Jesus is the Christ.

I know that The Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ – it testifies about the Bible and it works hand in hand with the Bible. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is for all – it adds more good to what you have. It’s not there to take away anything from anyone, but it’s just to make your life better. I know that the Savior loves, lives and loves all of us. And that, regardless of our shortcomings, he will forgive us and he will always be here. The doors of the church are always open for everyone. And I’m just so grateful to be a member of this church. I wish and hope that, for everyone that watches this video, who have questions in their minds – feel free to contact the church websites or make a comment on this video – the answers are there. We have those answers. The questions that you’re gonna ask, we have those answers for you. I know that it will be hard at first, but nothing is impossible for God. And that’s my testimony.

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