About

The image cover

The image cover represents the first principles and ordinances of the gospel of Jesus Christ:

1. Faith in Jesus Christ
2. Repentance
3. Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins
4. Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost (see Articles of Faith 1:4)

The sun represents the Almighty God, our Lord and Savior, who gives life and light to everything. He is the author and finisher of our faith. The arrow of repentance represents a change of ways (like a U-turn). It is used again for the baptism symbol, as one goes down in the water of baptism to witness to God that he or she will keep his commandments. The baptism symbol is the foundation for the gift of the Holy Ghost, which is also called the baptism of fire. The fire of the Holy Ghost makes the follower of Christ shine like his Master. As a person perseveres in exercising faith in Christ, repenting always, and keeping his covenants, the Spirit of God transforms the person so that he or she starts to shine with divine attributes. This is the path to eternal life, which is the true gospel of Jesus Christ.

My companion and I created these symbols while we were teaching the gospel as missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I have shown them later to missionaries in Quebec. The baptism symbol in particular gained some popularity, even a pin was made out of it in the Montreal Quebec Mission.

A little about myself

I’m a disciple of Christ and a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I first met a member of the church when I was 21 years old while visiting Victoria, British Columbia. That’s when I heard the story of Joseph Smith for the first time. I later met the missionaries of the church in Montreal and began studying with them. After some time, I desired to be baptized to receive the remission of my sins and become a better man.

I live in the province of Quebec in Canada, and have lived there all my life, except for two years (1998-2000) when I served in the Spokane Washington Mission, in the United States of America, as a true representative of the Lord Jesus Christ.

During my mission, I started writing down my impressions of the Book of Mormon. I continued writing these thoughts for a while after. These impressions, thoughts, and experiences have been a source of spiritual reinforcement for me. I decided to edit this journal, complete the stories in it and turn it into a book, which I named The Book of My Testimony.

What is contained in this book?

This book contains a very personal testimony of the things of God I have seen in my life. It is also a good companion for the study of the Book of Mormon, as it teaches how one person can read and apply the words of the prophets to his own life.

In this testimony of truth, I share how I came to believe in the existence of God, how I came to know the Book of Mormon and was convinced of the gospel of Jesus Christ contained within it. I share visions and dreams, impressions and revelations that I received to guide me and to comfort me. I share my faith, my personal beliefs, and my experiences with the truth I found by joining The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and by serving my Lord over the years. It is not a light report, nor is it a heavy study. I am not a scholar; I am just a simple disciple who thinks it is worth writing his testimony of Jesus Christ, whom I love with all my heart, might, mind, and strength.

The prophet Nephi wrote: “for I did liken all scriptures unto us, that it might be for our profit and learning.” (1 Nephi 19:23). I wrote my words keeping this verse in mind, trying to liken each principle and point of doctrine to my life. Writing this has been a great experience. The things I have written please my heart and help me feel the Holy Spirit. I hope it will have the same effect on you.

How to read this book?

You may want to read this book alongside the Book of Mormon, but it is not absolutely necessary because I quote all the words from it that you need to understand the context.

The Book of My Testimony is divided into two parts. Each chapter corresponds to a chapter in the Book of Mormon and each section of those chapters corresponds to a verse or a group of verses. The first chapter of Part I corresponds to the first chapter of the first book of Nephi, and so forth. Part II corresponds to the second book of Nephi. For each verse, I share how I may apply the principles to my life. I share my understanding of what I read and my personal testimony of the truths that I have experienced myself. I share true stories related loosely to the scriptures. Some stories take more than one section, so if you feel you missed something, try reading the sections before the one you are reading to see if you can reach the beginning of the story.

I try to be as specific and clear as I can for all kinds of readers. Though it may seem to be written for people of my own faith, it is also intended to provide a real-life experience with what I think are universal truths. If you don’t like what you read for some reason, feel free to skip that part and go somewhere else, or simply welcome this other view for what it is: another view. But if you like what you read and have some time, please let me know, it’s always good to have some feedback.

The books of scriptures I refer to can be found online. I refer to books in the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price.