“He Is Risen”—a Prophet’s Testimony

“He Is Risen”

“The clarion call of Christendom,” President Thomas S. Monson has declared, is that Jesus of Nazareth rose from the dead. “The reality of the Resurrection provides to one and all the peace that surpasses understanding” (see Philippians 4:7).1

In the following excerpts, President Monson shares his testimony of and gratitude for the Savior’s Resurrection and declares that because the Son conquered death, all of the Father’s children who come to earth will live again.
Life beyond Mortality

“I believe that none of us can conceive the full import of what Christ did for us in Gethsemane, but I am grateful every day of my life for His atoning sacrifice in our behalf.

“At the last moment, He could have turned back. But He did not. He passed beneath all things that He might save all things. In doing so, He gave us life beyond this mortal existence. He reclaimed us from the Fall of Adam.

“To the depths of my very soul, I am grateful to Him. He taught us how to live. He taught us how to die. He secured our salvation.”2

READ the REST of President Monson's testimony of the SAVIOR here: "He is Risen"

Come Listen to Living Prophets

Imagine living on the earth amongst Noah or Moses and having them warn you of calamities to come. Well, we DO live during a time when a living prophet and 12 apostles are on the earth with all the same priesthood power and authority as Noah and Moses...

I am looking forward to General Conference and love this event every six months. As spirit sons and daughters of a loving Heavenly Father we are very blessed to live on the Earth during a time when He speaks to living prophets who live amongst us.

I invite each of you to calendar this event on (Sunday April 1, 10am mst) and come and listen for yourself and be taught from living prophets and apostles of Jesus Christ. It is a life changing experience and very powerful!

~ C. Poulsen

A Special Witness of Christ~

General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is quickly approaching and I am inviting you to watch this short clip above to get a taste of what type of sermons are given during conference from living prophets and apostles. It is a very unique experience and all are invited to attend and watch via internet or at a local church building. You do not have to be a member of the LDS or Mormon church to watch this.

If you believe in God and Jesus Christ this is for you! I can promise you it is well worth your time to schedule it in. Click to the right of this blog to find the viewing time and link. Thanks!

~ C. Poulsen

Jesus Christ is the only way for Salvation ~

Today was fast and testimony meeting at church. The first Sunday of each month, members from each Latter-day Saint ward (congregation) around the world are encouraged to fast for two meals and asked to bear their testimony in Sacrament meeting if prompted by the spirit to do so. Fasting means to go without food or drink for two meals or a 24 hour period and donate an offering equivalent to the cost of the two meals. This helps provide for those less fortunate who need welfare assistance. During this time we focus on the Lord and study and ponder the scriptures. By focusing on spiritual things and showing our faith in God in humility by putting off the natural man of hunger cravings, we are better able to clear our minds and draw nearer unto God.

The video above is a great example of how each of us can come to know Jesus Christ as we diligently seek to learn of Him. I am very grateful for my knowledge and testimony of our Savior, Jesus Christ. I know that He lives and loves each of us. I know that He died for you and me and atoned for our sins. I know that He leads His church through a living prophet today and am so thankful for this knowledge.

To read more about prophets and why they are necessary to God's plan please click HERE.

~ C. Poulsen

Restoration of Christ's gospel

My Sabbath day has been rich in spirit and I have learned much today. I was reminded of and learned many things that will assist me in my path of spiritual progression. The particular message I want to share on my weekly blog update today is the message of the Restoration of Christ's gospel and priesthood to the earth. The video above illustrates clearly the vision that young Joseph Smith had to open this last dispensation and bring the fullness of the truth back to the earth.

In the Holy Bible we learn that an apostasy (falling away from truth) must occur and that a restitution of all things would happen.

19 ¶^aRepent ye therefore, and be ^bconverted, that your sins may be ^cblotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the ^dpresence of the Lord;

20 And he shall send ^aJesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:^b

21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of ^arestitution of all things, which God hath ^bspoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.

ACTS 3:19-21

I am grateful for the restoration of Christ's gospel and priesthood that enable all people everywhere to come unto Christ and partake of His many blessings. Through the restored gospel we learn about the plan of salvation and what each of us must do to return to live with our Heavenly Father some day.

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When Jesus Christ was on the earth, He established His Church among His followers. After His Crucifixion and the deaths of His Apostles, the fulness of the gospel was taken from the earth because of widespread apostasy. Through the Prophet Joseph Smith, our Father in Heaven and His Son Jesus Christ restored the fulness of the gospel. The true Church of Jesus Christ is on the earth again. Because of the Restoration, the teachings and ordinances necessary for salvation are available to all people. ~ lds.org

To learn more for yourself about Christ's Church being restored please read one of my favorite sermons on the restoration. It was given by an apostle of Jesus Christ, Elder Neal A. Maxwell of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles: THE WONDROUS RESTORATION

~ C. Poulsen

Sabbath Day and Service

Ever had a fork in the road?

Today was a neat day for me. We woke up to 2-3 inches of fresh snow and the sun glimmering through the window which was beautiful...but it did take a few minutes longer to roll out of bed. I tweaked my lower back playing church basketball yesterday and have been in stiff pain for the past 24 hours. After many phone calls yesterday in search of a chiropractor who works on Saturdays I found someone who could meet and adjust me last evening around 5:30. I was thankful for the relief the treatment gave me and the stretches/exercises he gave me to get healed back to normal quicker.

OK, so today was a neat day because I had the opportunity to go to the Legacy Retirement Home here in Logan and bless and pass the sacrament and speak to a roomful of elderly people whose highlight each week is church and Utah Jazz basketball games on television.

As I prepared my thoughts to share with them, I spoke about my testimony of The Book of Mormon and the gifts that Heavenly Father has given us to endure through the challenges that arise in this mortal life by relying on the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.

I shared bits and pieces of a talk given by Elder Robert D. Hales of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in the October 2010 General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints titled, Agency: Essential to the Plan of Life

I also outlined the five main gifts that we are privileged to as followers of Jesus Christ and a few of my favorite scriptures. The five gifts I outlined were as follows and are essential to aid us in progressing to return and live with our Father in Heaven:

1. Gift of Agency - 27 Wherefore, men are ^afree according to the ^bflesh; and ^call things are ^dgiven them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to ^echoose ^fliberty and eternal ^glife, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be ^hmiserable like unto himself.

2. Gift of mortal body - 9 In the ^aimage of his own ^bbody, male and female, ^ccreated he them, and blessed them, and called their ^dname Adam, in the day when they were created and became living ^esouls in the land upon the ^ffootstool of God.

3. Gift of baptism/Holy Ghost -4 We believe that the first principles and ^aordinances of the Gospel are: first, ^bFaith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, ^cRepentance; third, ^dBaptism by ^eimmersion for the ^fremission of sins; fourth, Laying on of ^ghands for the ^hgift of the Holy Ghost.

4. Gift of Temple ordinances - Whenever the Lord has had a people on the earth who will obey his word, they have been commanded to build temples in which the ordinances of the gospel and other spiritual manifestations that pertain to exaltation and eternal life may be administered. In cases of extreme poverty or emergency, these ordinances may sometimes be done on a mountaintop (see D&C 124:37–55). This may be the case with Mount Sinai and the Mount of Transfiguration. The tabernacle erected by Moses was a type of portable temple, since the Israelites were traveling in the wilderness.

5. Gift of Eternal Life - 25 And this is the ^apromise that he hath promised us, even ^beternal life.

I also shared a few of my favorite scriptures from the Book of Mormon and how we should build our lives upon the foundation of Christ and endure to the end. This life literally is a time to prepare to meet God.

Helaman 5:12 - Build your life upon the Rock of Salvation
2 Nephi 31:20 - Press forward and endure to the end
Alma 34:32-34 - This life is a time for man to prepare to meet God

Church was great today and I loved mingling with the older folks...and, my lower back pain caused me to be more sympathetic for those in my presence as many suggested they were in pain.

This evening I had two sick members in my ward call and ask if I could come by and administer a priesthood blessing. I agreed and it has ended my day with my heart full of much gratitude. The service has made me happy and I feel very blessed for the opportunities to learn and grow today.

~C. Poulsen

The beauty of MUSIC ~

*Please turn off music player on right column to view music videos in this post!

I love to hear good music and have many favorite songs and hymns. Music is very powerful and has the ability to lift us up and touch our lives for good. . . But, it can also be degrading and tear down one's peace of mind, thus leading us farther away from the spirit of the Lord.

I am grateful, however, for good, wholesome music that is uplifting and inspires the soul. I appreciate all 'good' music and the talent behind the composer and/or artist. My focus today will be on good gospel music that is centered around Jesus Christ and has the power to heal one's soul. Music can turn the night to day and lift an individual who is feeling down.

Each week that I attend church I am so thankful for the hymns that we sing in praise to our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, our elder brother. Many hymns move me in a positive way and I am humbled when I sing or listen to them. Often I get a bit teary-eyed and choked up while singing. It makes me feel closer to my Heavenly Father. There is so much power and emotion behind a beautiful hymn or song.

Although I have many favorites, these are a few of my top picks:

I Stand All Amazed: I truly do each day!


The Holy scriptures teach us to praise the Lord with music:
28 If thou art ^amerry, ^bpraise the Lord with singing, with music, with ^cdancing, and with a ^dprayer of praise and ^ethanksgiving. D&C 136:28

In honor and recognition of the talent portrayed by many in the Grammy music awards:
Grammy-Nominated Artist Shares Testimony through Music


I Need Thee Every Hour - We ALL DO!


How Great Thou Art - One of my favorite renditions...