Welcome.

Yesterday’s sacrament meeting was one of the best I’ve ever attended in all my earth years. The Spirit was so thick. The testimonies were brief, heartfelt, focused on the Savior and His restored gospel, and absolutely moving.

Every single one of them.

I was fueled up to my eyeballs with gospel gasoline. It felt so electrifying!

One very spiritually minded brother testified that this is a gospel of contradictions and that God works through contradictions. He listed these: Joseph Smith, a mere 14-year-old boy, witness to the First Vision and thereafter called to restore the gospel of Jesus Christ to the earth again; 18- and 19-year-olds teaching 45-year-olds how to become better parents and how to live more fully; Jesus, a carpenter’s son – sent to redeem fallen mankind.

All contradictions.

Ideas and connections that are in stringent opposition to one another.

I mean really, a 14-year-old to see God and Jesus? And a mere ten years later, at age 24 to organize His church on the earth again. Who would trust either that experience or that charge to someone that age?

God. That’s who.

And when is it ever recommended that parents take parenting (or life for that matter!) advice from kids who are 18 and 19 years old? What do they possibly know at all in way of life experience? What a terrible contradiction opposing good judgement.

Except when God designs it that way.

And really, the son of God with a carpenter as a step-father? Inconsistent with the kingly heritage of Jesus?

Contradictions by every measuring rod – every one of them.

But this is how God does His work.

And it’s beautiful actually.

So next time something feels contradictory in the restored gospel, know that it just might be on purpose.

Unto all the world: Beautiful contradictions!