Release Testimony

BOOK OF MORMON- IS MY TESTIMONY

Introduction

This is a life time privilege for a life changing calling and release. I am excited, if  I were a member of one of this other church's I would have shouted ' praise thy lord' because actually the Lord is worthy to be praised, for The Lord is Good.

Today, November 10, 2013 is World Human Rights day, and what a great coincidence to be released in this day as we all who are converts to the Church of Jesus Christ of latter- day saints among the many reasons why some of us accepted baptism was because we wanted to be free from wrong doctrines, pity sentiments like Tribalism and inordinate Ambitions in our previous places of worship. I have been set free by the word and the words of Christ since my membership. In this church I have worshipped God according to the dictate of my conscience particularly in this period of my calling as a Stake President.

 

Appreciations

To my dear eternal Company, Justina, thank you for your tireless  love, care and service to the Church. This woman, was my true counselor and teacher by example.

To my lovely daughter, Joy I appreciate your Counsel and support.

To my boys, the sons of Heleman, Daniel, Gabriel, John and Joseph, I salute you and thank you for serving with me and letting me go and serve The Lords Church.

Without the support and comfort of my family I will not have come this far and this way steadily for seven years. If you all remember (on 19/11/2006 when I was called ( for those of you who were members then) my wife was pregnant  and the next year we had a son, Joseph. Today Joseph is 6 years and over. I have watched him grow like I have seen many children grow from nursery, primary, to young men and young women. I have seen young men and young women grow to receive the Priesthood and join Relief Society and proceed on mission, I have seen over fifty young men and women go on mission as a Stake President, I made friends with many primary children and their parents. You will then understand why I say The Lord has being and is still Good today and will be forever.

Together, we have seen boundaries change because of creation of a new stake and wards. I have served with wonderful brethren as Counselors(6 of them), High Counselors (over 20 of them) and Bishops (20of them) To me these are miracles.

The sisters of the relief society have being my sure strength in the Stake and the wards.

Behind me are young men and women who love to serve God with their talents, the Stake Choir, brother Alpha Ajie has changed the Choir and made it a very important part of our worship in the stake. I have being blessed by this lovely Choir. I really appreciate the Choir who has made all the hymns in our Hymn Book favorites.  

I cannot thank you all enough for your sustaining vote. I pray that your testimonies of the truthfulness of this gospel will keep you converted to God and His Son Jesus Christ, because in trying time you were their with me and my family, and when the windows of heaven opened with it blessings you were present. 

In my tomorrow's family home evening, I am going to have a party with friends, associates and colleagues, if you know you are one of these people you are invited?

This ending part of my calling wanted to turn ugly,  because of pity tribal sentiment, hunger for power and the harbor  of hatred in the heart, particularly, when some persons who are extended calling are released, they blackmail, back bite and try to become the unholy hand that want to stop the work of God, forgetting that calling in the church is not a Chieftaincy title that is for life when they are not apostles. These attitude is apostasy and members who do this offend the spirit and if they fail to repent they will gradually lost their privilege to have the companionship of the Holy Spirit.

I want to tell you about two friends, I met in the Church.

The Book of Mormon: A Friend.

Today, I have graduated from the School of the Prophets with a friend as a certificate and a mandate to go ye and live all that I have learned and taught.

 

I have gotten myself and my family a great friend, a teacher, instructor, a life changer, a messenger, a companion, a compass and a director, that friend is the Book of Mormon.

This friend, the Book of Mormon,  ask me questions and answers my questions, this friend, the book of Mormon has 543 questions and this friend the Book of Mormon has made me know that at times I do not need an answer to my questions at this stage of my life, but to wait in latter life or life hereafter to get answer to some of my life questions, such as where God come from and how He made this world. This friend taught me that.

As a young man, I fell in love with books, but of all the books I have heard the privilege to read and study none has impacted on me like the Book of Mormon. As a law student and investigator in the Church in the earl 1990s I thought I knew how to ask numerous questions, until I came to met Alma the Younger in the book of Mormon, of the 543 questions in the Book of Mormon only him asked 103 questions. I chose this friend with caution because of my Anglican background, and was blessed because my decision to join the Church practically because of the Book of Mormon changed everything about my life and is still changing my imperfect life.

My other friend I meet in this Church is himself a miracle, he is like the source, because he is the founder of the Church, he is the happiness in life, he is a modern day Prophet Joseph Smith jr. This boy prophet himself is a questionnaire. He constantly asked Heavenly Father questions beginning from the first vision when he asked " which of the Church should I join?", that question made Heavenly Father and His Loving Son, our Savior and Redeemer Jesus Christ to make the historical journey to earth. Joseph Smith was assigned Heavenly Beings to answer his Questions and he got clarification and confirmation from The Lord, it is this confirmations that constitutes what we call the Doctrine and Covenant, a modern day book of Revelation.

The Prophet Joseph Smith, is my friend, I love his courage, testimony and conversion, and to honor him I named one of my sons after him.

I have come to know that we can do nothing if we do not ASK, SEEK and KNOCK. These are verbs you should be familiar with, these privilege to serve you as a Stake President this past Seven years, I could not live, teach, bless, act and love without asking questions.  I inquired of The Lord, asked with a broken heart and contrite spirit.  And one thing I have asked from The Lord over and over is for Blessings for self, family and the saints I was called to serve, and I testify as your friend and leader then that The Lord has never failed to answer as he did Alma the younger and Joseph Smith jr. This peaceful gathering in a conference with a special witness of Jesus Christ presiding is one of the many blessings upon our heads that has being answered today.

I leave you with my love and testify that all these seven years, The Lord has done all things in this Stake using me as an instrument in His hand, I am very grateful to Him for enabling me serve in His Church in the Sacred Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Ike Ake Esq.