How I Received My Testimony of the First Visitation (Written by Todd in Portuguese and then translated to English) by Elder Todd G. Andersen, Sao Paulo, Brazil I arrived in the mission field in Tacoma, Washington in the Pacific northwest part of the United States about fifty years ago. I was twenty years old. I arrived without a testimony of the truth of the gospel. I had the pride of some university students and little faith. My companion for one month was Elder Raoul Smith, a descendant of Hyrum Smith, brother to the Prophet Joseph. He encouraged me to obtain my own testimony. One time, he said, “Elder Andersen, I would like to see you humble at least one time before I return home.” I was devastated. But I had then a little humility. I commenced to have a desire to know for myself the truth of the gospel—especially concerning the claim of Joseph Smith that he saw and conversed with God the Eternal Father and His Son Jesus Christ. I read and studied the account of Joseph Smith in The Pearl of Great Price. I studied a similar account in Acts in the New Testament. I read and studied the scriptures concerning visions and revelations. I meditated and pondered and prayed concerning the truth of the claim of Joseph Smith, again and again, many times and frequently. It became a matter of life or death. I had to know! I did not discover the truth while working with my companion. I was afraid of him. But one day not long afterward, I went tracting with an Elder Alonzo Hinckley in Puyallup, Washington, in the country with many trees in a beautiful area of forest. We came to a small house, knocked on the door and the lady of the house invited us to enter. I taught the lesson. To introduce the idea of visions and revelations, as was common, I used Acts 7:55-56 concerning the vision of Stephen who saw God the Eternal Father and His Son Jesus Christ. After this I recounted the story of Joseph Smith in the grove in the state of New York. When I began to tell his account, I felt as though I was on fire and that there was a burning within my bosom. I knew then that Joseph Smith really saw the Eternal Father and His Son Jesus Christ. Finally, I knew for myself! I have bourn that witness many times, perhaps hundreds of times. I continue to feel the same witness in my whole body whenever I share my testimony of this first visitation to Joseph Smith by God the Eternal Father and His Son Jesus Christ. I know yet and now that this account of Joseph Smith is true! In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.