NAUVOO, ILL.

I grew up in Wisconsin. When I was 16 years old, I remember saying a prayer one night while lying in my bed. I asked Heavenly Father to help me find the true Church and the fullness of the gospel. I told Him that I was young, and I could easily be confused by all of the different religions. I prayed that He would show me which church was true.

Photo by Ron Rutowski

Ron Rutowski and his wife Dawn stand outside the Nauvoo temple.

Three days later I met Dawn Marie Nimmer, a young woman who told me about a living prophet that was the president of the church she went to. As I thought about what she had just told me, visions of a TV evangelist entered my mind. My immediate reaction was to reject her claim of a living prophet. I asked, "Have you ever seen this prophet talk to God or God talk to him?" She said, "No." I immediately said, "Well, the day I do will be the day I will join your church. Until then, leave me alone about it."

I went to church with her on several occasions and continued my search. On Feb. 4, 1967, at the age of 18, I joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as I entered the United States Army.

On Dec. 16, 1969, that same young woman who had the courage to share her testimony, was sealed to me in the Mesa Arizona Temple.

Throughout my years of membership in the Church I have always had a firm testimony that the president of the Church is a prophet of God, though I had never met one. This came by prayer and by the Spirit of revelation in answer to my prayers.

My wife and I now work in the Nauvoo Illinois Temple. On Oct. 9, 2009, President Thomas S. Monson came to Nauvoo to speak to the temple missionaries. The temple president, Wayne S. Peterson, knowing that I had never met a prophet of the Lord and president of the Church, positioned me in the temple where I might have an opportunity to shake hands with President Monson when he arrived at the temple. Not only did I have a chance to shake hands with President Monson, I also had the opportunity to share with him that I grew up in Wisconsin, that I was a convert and had married the young woman that introduced me to the Church. He asked me if I had ever regretted my decision to join the Church. I answered, "Never," and he smiled.

It took me 42 years to finally meet a prophet of God. As I reflected on that great experience, I noticed that my testimony of President Monson, as a living prophet of God, was no different than before I had met him. I learned a valuable lesson that day.

You don't need to meet a prophet of God to know that he is one. The Spirit of God is more powerful than sight.

Ron Rutowski is a member of the Nauvoo 3rd Ward, Nauvoo Illinois Stake.