Yesterday I was on a walk listening to a good podcast. I wasn't feeling incredibly inspired but they were talking about good things, I suppose. It was two LDS women talking about finding peace in the middle of doing it all. I am at a point in my life where I feel like I truly am "doing it all" so I am trying to simplify. I simplified back in 2013 when I stopped blogging here. I simplified in 2020 when I stopped doing photography as much. I feel like it's a constant pursuit of mine to declutter and free myself up to accomplish the most important things. (Spoiler alert, the most important thing right now to me is being a mom and having energy to give to my kids.)
These women weren't interested in simplifying but working with their situation and continuing to work and do all the things on top of being moms; which is fine, but not necessarily something that resonated with me. I got home and decided the episode wasn't for me so I stopped listening.
When I left my house to drive carpool for the middle schoolers, the episode resumed playing over the car speakers; and something I have heard more and more lately was said that I felt urged to address. I don't know who reads my blog but my analytics would say quite a few still do. I hope that whoever needs this message will see it.
One of the moms, speaking of her testimony of the restored gospel, said: "Knowing is overrated. Everyone says they "know"' (Meaning, they know the church is true or they testify of this or that and they "say" they "know".) She went on, "I don't know anything but I believe stuff."
I have noticed this trend over the pulpit in recent years at testimony meetings - people don't want to say they "know"! It has concerned me. Maybe they don't have a strong testimony, because they haven't done the work to know, or they have, but answers are taking too long - or some things make sense while other's don't so they don't feel comfortable "knowing" any of it. Maybe they doubt knowledge that has been given to them, perhaps because it was just a feeling they had and nothing tangible or "real". Whatever the reason, some people are retreating from the claim that genuine knowledge is possible, and instead settling for saying they “just believe.”
It's fine to start somewhere- and maybe where you start is at hope, then belief... but I know that we can move past belief and have a knowledge. There certainly are things that we don't fully see or understand, simply because we are human and don't have the understanding that God does. That shouldn't take away the fact that there are some things we do know.
Elder Kevin G. Brown of the seventy said, "If you know, you know. I know that I know. We need more sure witnesses of Jesus Christ and His gospel. Get there! Seek it! It is urgent! This is the final dispensation—the dispensation of the fulness of times."
The way I have moved past belief and onto knowledge is through my constant pursuit of truth. I study the words of prophets in scriptures and conference (daily), I pray (many) times each day, I seek holy places to be, repent, and journal experiences I have and tender mercies I've received. I look for the miracles and meaning in things around me. Over the course of doing these simple things I have been able to see and know of a surety that the Lord's hand is in my life. Does this mean I am always perfectly happy and never have doubts? Does it mean I understand everything about everything? Of course not, I am not a perfect person, not even close. But I do have a foundation I can lean on... and I do try to strengthen it each day. Like these photos, there are things that are clear to me while other things might still be hazy or unknown- but I know what I know.
Moroni 7:16-17 is another place we learn that we CAN have "perfect knowledge" in things of god.
16 For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God.
17 But whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do evil, and believe not in Christ, and deny him, and serve not God, then ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of the devil; for after this manner doth the devil work, for he persuadeth no man to do good, no, not one; neither do his angels; neither do they who subject themselves unto him.
I love that these verses don't say "some people" - they say EVERYONE can know something with a perfect knowledge!
I would invite all to trust in your spiritual knowledge, in the things you do know, even if doubts come. I know the Lord is in the details of my life, and yours. One of my favorite, comforting verses of scripture reads, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.“In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths” (Proverbs 3:5–6).
I plan to share more here about the things that I know.
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