Bearing Testimony
What an interesting topic! How often do you hear that sort of topic being shared. It led me to wonder why this topic was chosen. What is needed to be said about it . . .
Our Stake President always is inspired. There's a good cause in why this topic was chosen. In Zion, we know how dangerous it is to declare that all is well.
And others will he pacify, and lull them away into carnal security, that they will say: All is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth, all is well—and thus the devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell.
The reason we are discussing this topic is because we MUST always be on constant watch on the subject of self-improvement.
Testimonies we hear are done once a month and bore so frequently that they are staples of being member of Jesus Christ's Church. We are beginning to take it for granted. It shouldn't be! Testimonies are part of miracles we have the privilege of witnessing.
The miracle of bearing testimony is not well-understood of many. Many don't know how it blesses other's lives. To fully understand why it is miracle we witness daily while we hear the others bearing the testimony.
Gifts of the Spirit . . .
13To some it is given by the aHoly Ghost to know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and that he was crucified for the sins of the world.
14To others it is given to abelieve on their words, that they also might have eternal life if they continue faithful.
Doctrine and Covenants 46:13-14
As those scriptures, we are taught that there are two gifts involved- To know by the Holy Ghost and to believe on their words. Those are two gifts among many and those are gifts especially related to bearing the testimony.
We are given the gifts as soon as we become members of His Church for one major reason:
21Therefore, why is it that ye cannot understand and know, that he that receiveth the word by the aSpirit of truth receiveth it as it is preached by the Spirit of truth?
22Wherefore, he that preacheth and he that receiveth, understand one another, and both are aedified and brejoice together.
Doctrine and Covenants 50:21-22
Those gifts are designed to help us to grow in this great endeavor of God's work. We need those miracles to know that Heavenly Father has His Hand in our lives.
To show our true appreciation for those gifts, we need to strive for better ways to bear our testimonies. We need to always remember that they are miracles given to us by Heavenly Father who loves us very much.
Elder Packer have stated one way to improve ourselves as this:
Elder Packer shared a story of his experience with the missionaries . . .
“After hearing 206 missionaries stand up and make an expression, I finally came to the realization that we had heard 205 talks and only one testimony. The responses went something like this: 'I'm grateful to be a missionary. I'm glad to be on a mission. I have a great companion. I love my companion. I've had good companions all the time. We had a great experience last week. We were tracting (and so on), . . . and so you see how grateful I am to be on a mission. I have a testimony of this gospel. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.”
“These missionaries had talked about testimony, but they had talked around and through it, underneath it and over it, but never to it. It was marvelous what happened when we were able to show them how one bears testimony.
There are two ways to spell bear. Bear means to carry . . . Bare means to expose or reveal or make known.”
We carry testimony everywhere with us.
We need to bear direct witness.
Bearing the testimony is something of an experiment: It is an act of faith.
A testimony is found in the bearing of it.
As parents, we know how important it is to be a good example. As we bear our testimonies to our children, our children will learn how to bear their testimonies. As they grow into adults, they will know how to bear their testimonies.
I remember when I was growing up, I never felt certain about how I should bear my testimony. I often have asked myself . . . “How do I know it is true?” I was not certain about those experiences I have had that truly are my testimony. How can I know for sure?
Elder Packer addressed that as “Young people, do not apologize or be ashamed because you cannot frame into words that you know in your heart to be true. Do not repudiate your testimony merely because you have no marvelous manifestations to discuss . . . We sympathize with you and know how difficult it is to hold to the truth, particularly when professors of worldly knowledge-some of them counterfeit Christians-debunk and scoff. We know from personal experience that you may have some doubts. You may wonder at times, 'Can I ever really know for sure?' You may even wonder, 'Does anyone really know for sure?' . . . In answer to your question, 'Can I ever really know for sure?' we answer, 'Just as certainly as you fill the requirements, that testimony will come.' The Lord never said, nor was it ever pretended, that this testimony yields itself to scientific investigation, to mere curiosity, or to academic inquiry.” (Bear the testimony)
-How I “KNEW”
-All I have come into contact with God . . . All always have been deeply printed on my soul
-There are some I am willing to share and there's some that are too sacred to share.
-When I stand up in the testimony, I strive as much as I can in sharing how I learn from the gospel through life issues I am working on. As I am honest with myself, I am not afraid of sharing the truth with the others.
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