Testimony history from Mom

Note from Rachael: after Dad shared his conversion story, I thought it might be nice if Mom shared hers as well. Even though she's not what we typically think of as a "convert," she has her own conversion process that I thought would be important for posterity to know about.
 
Thanks for inviting me to share my testimony history.
Actually, I remember when I was young and playing with my friend, Sherry Brown.  She was not a member and we talked a lot about the Church because it always meant everything to me.  I remember telling her that even if it wasn't true, it was the best bet.  No other Church could promise that families could be together forever, so what was there to lose by going with the Church with the most hope?  But I knew it was true.
I cannot remember ever not having a testimony.
I remember when I was twelve or thirteen and I was working on a mutual project, which I had chosen to study the lives of the latter-day prophets and I laid on my bed and cried and cried.  I was so overcome by the Spirit that I could not contain it.  I knew they were true prophets of God.
Later as I went to seminary, there was always talk of praying about the Church and the scriptures to know if they were true, so I thought to try that.  I remember kneeling by my bed and having said the words, feeling ashamed.  Was I looking for a sign?  I knew the scriptures and the Church were true and God knew I knew it was true.  I felt chastised for tempting, in a sense, my Father in Heaven.
About my junior year of high school, I was feeling unworthy though I was reading things from the writings of the prophets and every good thing I could and I had a dream and I felt like I was the girl who had touched the Saviors' garment and He pronounced my sins were forgiven.
After experiencing good guys as I dated and then being disappointed in their behavior with other girls, I became determined to marry someone who had a testimony of their own, not someone who was good because I was good.  When I met Ray, I knew he was good on his own.  His direction in life would not change.  He had already stood alone and he knew what kind of life he wanted.  This one attribute has been the most important in our lives.  Having a testimony makes decisions easy because you always line yourself up with the prophets, and the scriptures lead to personal revelation line upon line.
I have experienced personal revelation so many times as I raised our children. I know Joseph Smith saw God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ and that the Holy Ghost bore testimony to him that he could not deny what he heard and what he saw.  And The Lord has continued in a perfect pattern to keep us in harmony with His Church by continual succession of His mouthpiece.
What I have learned through the years is that life is a process and like Charity wrote:  repentance is not the backup plan.  It is the plan.
One of my favorite hymns is "Master, the tempest is raging."  Because most of the storms in life have been in my own heart and mind.  ...the wheat and the tares grow together....  And as the song goes," no water can swallow the ship where lies the Master of ocean and earth and skies."  If I continually keep The Master in my heart, I will not sink.  Part of that is holding onto the rod for dear life.
Sometimes we can have foolish thoughts, but because of our covenants, we don't act on those thoughts.  And that is my second favorite song:  "How gentle Gods commands, how kind His precepts are..."  Keeping His commandments is happiness.  Covenants are our safety net.  As you go through life, our understanding increases and we see the truth more clearly.  The commandments are not given to see if we will keep them.  They are given as directions for happiness.  He wants us to be happy.  Man is that He might have joy!  He tells us how to grab hold of the most joy in this life and the next.
I stand all amazed at the love Heavenly Father and Jesus have for me.  And that He allowed me to be called "Mother" by eight amazing children.  And that each of them have the blessing of covenants, commandments, and joy in their posterity.
The Church of Jesus Christ is restored and we are members of it, the only church of Jesus Christ and I am blessed to be His hands in the Iloilo, Philippines Mission.  With all my heart, being a member and follower of Jesus Christ is the most important thing for now and for eternity.  Love Mom, Grandma, and Sister Robinson III