For a long time, the “Letter to a CES Director” bothered me for two reasons. The first reason was that it felt like an attempt to destroy folks’ testimonies more than to honestly present true questions out of curiousity and to explore the truth. The second reason was that its approach was fundamentally flawed. This is my humble response to the “Letter to a CES Director,” presented in a much different format than other responses. The concept that I present in this ebook is that once you follow the Lord’s method of gaining a true testimony of the primary, basic, core truths, the secondary ones, such as those in the “Letter to a CES Director” won’t bother you in the least. I fully believe that if you internalize every concept covered in the ebook, that you will be founded on a solid testimony, and will be able to dismiss the “Letter to a CES Director” and any other such work as the thinly-veiled attempt that they are to destroy your testimony.
The CES letter has had a very negative impact on many of my friends and some family members. Most of the materials questioned have never been of question to me as I had family members who joined the church during the time the happenings occurred.
When a person outside of the church gains a testimony of the Book of Mormon and its translator, Joseph Smith Jr., they actually feel the spirit testify of its truth.
Too many 4th, 5th, or 6th generation church members have had ample time to recognize the spirit but have either become too used to it that they treat it as an every incident no longer recognizing it for what it is or have never truly read and prayed of its truthfulness.
My testimony came many years ago just prior to my mission. I had a mission call in my hands but had never really talked to our Father-in-Heaven concerning its truth. I decided I needed to know or decline my call. I read and prayed and read and prayed some more and talked God the Father, my Heavenly Father, and the voice I heard as strong as if next to me did not say, “yes the Book of Mormon is true,” but, “you have always known it is true.” My realization was and is to this day is, “The Book of Mormon is true and Joseph Smith Jr. is the Prophet, called of God, to usher in the last dispensation prior to Christ’s return.
Does this mean I have had no issues, no. My sins are mine and only through my redeemer can they be removed.
I go no further other than to say, “the gospel is true.”