PROVO, Utah — In a world filled with loud and articulate — but often misinformed and misguided — voices, all “can discern what is true and what is not” said Sheri Dew during the 41st annual BYU Easter Conference held Friday night.
“I can stand as a witness of [Christ] because I have received a witness — again and again,” Dew said.
Hundreds of students and community members gathered in the Joseph Smith Building on the Brigham Young University campus on the evening of Good Friday to hear from religious scholars on the conference’s topic, “He is Risen.”
Dew, who is executive vice president of Deseret Management Corporation and CEO of Deseret Book Company, spoke on the topic “Standing as a Witness,” and encouraged listeners to develop an “unyielding spiritual witness that Jesus is the Christ.”
“Intellect alone cannot produce a testimony,” Dew said. “You cannot convince the mind what the heart doesn’t feel.”
Often that knowledge comes through an “ongoing spiritual wrestle,” she said.
“The Lord can open the eyes of our understandings, he can reveal all mysteries of the wonders of eternity, but he isn’t likely to do any of those unless we ask, seek and ponder,” she said. “He will not force us to progress spiritually.”
Dew shared personal experiences from her life to illustrate her own quest for understanding. Important to her understanding was inspired questions and direction from the Spirit.
“Questions are good because they lead to revelation and they lead to knowledge,” Dew said, adding that “not asking questions of God is far more dangerous than asking them.”
Dew encouraged listeners to ask “enlightened questions” that draw from the spirit and doctrine. She warned of seeking answers from “like-minded doubters in the bloggersphere” or sources that block revelation.
Questioning can be a great opportunity to strengthen testimony and receive revelation and faith. A foundation of faith that helps a person understand the Atonement of Jesus Christ often comes during or after a struggle. The struggle is where a person gains clarity and becomes a witness of Christ.
“The Savior changed everything for all who are willing to make covenants with him,” Dew said.
That witness can change a person’s life. Everything is different because of Jesus Christ, Dew taught.
“Everything about life is manageable — especially the painful parts — because of him. Everything is possible because of him.”
Daniel K Judd and Eric D. Huntsman, both professors of ancient scripture at Brigham Young University, also spoke during the conference.
mholman@desnews.com, @marianne_holman