What do you know for certain?

Last week we were in Mesa, and we were reading a magazine of Grandma Hiatt's. I won't name the magazine, but it is named after a certain celebrity whose picture graces the cover of every issue (talk about self-absorbed!). Anyway, there was an article in which this celebrity mentioned being interviewed a few years ago when the interviewer asked her "What do you know for certain?" She said the question completely stumped her - she couldn't think of anything she knew for certain. It is probably not her fault; after all, she is a leader in a world that says that everything is relative and that certainty is a sign of closed mindedness. In this issue of her magazine, she asked several "important" people - other celebrities - to write a blurb on what they knew for certain. Most of the responses were pretty fluffy, like "I know I am a great athlete." Dull!

Here are some things I know for certain. I know that God lives. I know that He answers sincere prayers, for He has certainly answered mine. I know that He loves His children and gives them the experiences and the challenges they need for their growth and development. These experiences and challenges are not always what His children think they need, but they are what they need nonetheless.

I know that Jesus is the Christ, my Savior and Redeemer. No one I know has greater need for saving and redeeming than I do, and I am grateful for that saving grace. I know that the Savior restored the fulness of His gospel to the earth through the prophet Joseph Smith, the great prophet of the restoration. I know that He continues to lead His church through living apostles and prophets. I had a powerful, sweet witness of President Hinckley's apostolic calling while on my mission, and I know that that same spirit of prophecy rests today on President Monson and the Twelve.

I know that repentance is the greatest gift we can receive from God. And I know that the key to real repentance is repenting not only of the sin, but repenting of the motivation for the sin. We must give up our unrighteous motivations to really ever come clean.

I know that the real key to happiness is obedience to the commandments of God. I know that He gave us the commandments not to keep us from having fun, but to clear the way to stay free from entanglements that prevent joy. I have had to learn this lesson way too many times, but I think I have finally learned it.

I know that I married a woman of incredible patience and faith, and that my life would be empty without her. She has been my closest friend in my life, and continues to be. Our marriage grows stronger and sweeter because of her. She has given me a family who I love more than I love life itself. I know now that little children are pure and sweet and should be loved more and scolded less. Sorry, kids, for taking so long to learn that one!

I know these things for certain. I feel sorry for people who cannot say they know anything for certain, no matter how rich or famous they are. I would not trade what I know for certain for wealth or fame, because the things I know give me strength and peace and comfort in this life, whatever it throws at me.

Since everyone seems to be tagging these days, I tag everyone who reads this blog to write what they know for certain.