I loved Sister Burton’s play on the word “certain.” She noted that many of the savior’s closest and stronger disciples are anonymous or unknown, but also that those disciples had a certain witness of the divinity of Christ, and were steadfast and immovable

Consider these synonyms of one meaning of the word certain as connected to faithful, certain women: “convinced,” “positive,” “confident,” “firm,” “definite,” “assured,” and “dependable.”

Sister Burton first focused on the anonymity of many of those disciples

The New Testament includes accounts of [certain] women, named and unnamed, who exercised faith in Jesus Christ [and in His Atonement], learned and lived His teachings, and testified of His ministry, miracles, and majesty. These women became exemplary disciples and important witnesses in the work of salvation.”

The scriptures are filled with so many women (and men too, but especially women) who were behind the scenes. We do not know their names. We do not know what they sacrificed to follow the savior. But we can feel their influence in every page. In the Lord’s eyes, they are not just certain women, but beloved disciples.

It is so important to know that even though we may toil anonymously at times, we are not anonymous in the Lord’s eyes but beloved sons and daughters.

Equally importantly, those individuals had a certain witness that Jesus was the Christ.

May we remember the many certain women who refused to abandon our precious Savior during the excruciating experience He suffered on the cross and yet hours later were privileged to be among the certain witnesses of His glorious Resurrection. Let us be found staying close to Him in prayer and scripture study. Let us draw ourselves near to Him by preparing for and partaking of the sacred emblems of His atoning sacrifice weekly during the ordinance of the sacrament and as we keep covenants by serving others in their times of need. Perhaps then we might be part of the certain women, disciples of Jesus Christ, who will celebrate His glorious return when He comes again.

Nothing is more precious to me than my certain witness that Jesus is the Christ and that his Church has been restored to the earth again.



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