What if the church isn't ture

Last week I was playing the "What if?" game with some friends. Each person writes a "What if?" question on a piece of paper and puts it in the center of the table. Then you pull one of those questions and write an answer to the question on a separate piece of paper. Put the question back in the middle and everyone draws a different question and reads aloud the question and the answer which don't go together. It's a silly game. One of the questions was "What if the church wasn't true?" Of course although the question was serious, the answer that was read with it was nonsense. And because we were playing a fun game and not having a doctrinal debate, we didn't discuss the real answers to that question.

What does it mean for something to be true? The definition of true is "in accordance with fact or reality" and "accurate or exact." I think when we give our testimonies and say, "I know the church is true," we are saying that we know that it's right, good, the way to life with Heavenly Father, and the only church on the earth that has all the teachings and ordinances that God wants us to have to return to Him. Yes. That's our claim. That ours is the only true church. The only one that is in accordance with fact or reality and is accurate and exact. But what if it's not?

Many years ago as I pondered this question, I came to the conclusion that if the church wasn't true and I believed in something that wasn't real, at least I was living a good lie. Look at the goodness of what we believe. We believe that if we keep the commandments and endure to the end, we will be able to live with God and be creators of our own worlds. We believe that family relationships are important and can last beyond this life. We believe that we should love and serve others. We believe that we can find lasting happiness and peace and mercy because of the Son of God who came to earth and took upon himself a mortal body, suffered for our sins and pains, died for us, and overcame death so we can be resurrected.

Now I don't just hope that the church is true. I've had spiritual experiences that have secured my belief and knowledge in the truth of the gospel which is found in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The other night as I prayed and pondered this question, I was filled with a warmth and love from my Heavenly Father. I am continually blessed to witness miracles, mercies, and the growth and goodness that come from living the gospel.

Another way to know if something is good or true is to look at the fruit it produces. In Matthew 7:17-20, Jesus taught, "Ye shall know them by their fruits...Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit...Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them." While Mormons are not perfect and there are some standards that we possess that many don't agree with, once people get to know us and look past the bizarre rumors they've heard, we're good people, trying to do good.

There are also many good people, trying to do good that are members of different churches or of no church. How does our claim apply to all that aren't members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? Just like in the past when people didn't believe the earth was round, it still was. I'm not saying I think everyone needs to join our church, but if you want to know if our claim is correct, accurate, or exact, then study our religion and pray to God to know.  Read The Bible, read The Book of Mormon, take the missionary discussions, live the teachings, and ask God. The last prophet in The Book of Mormon wrote, "And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know he truth of all things" (Moroni 10:4-5).

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true and each person has the ability to know personally just as I know.