What is a Testimony?

We had a talk in church today on "testimony." He quoted a General Conference talk that told us we needed to get back to "true testimony" in our meetings. Testimonies aren't stories, they aren't travelogues, or lectures.

Another talk more recently told us that testimony time is also not the time to tell your loved ones "I know I don't tell them this very often, but I want them to know I love them." The point was, you SHOULD tell them, often, and not just in a public forum.

But our speaker John E., said that while the talks seemed to limit what you say, he decided that his testimony is his own. It is what is in his heart, not anyone else's.

I haven't been up in Sacrament Meeting to bear my testimony in years. As Relief Society President, I felt like I was bearing my testimony pretty frequently. At the end of lessons. When I spoke in church. I thought everybody heard WAY too much from me as it was, so I sure wasn't going to add to my pulpit time by just getting up on a Fast Sunday.

What do I believe? What is my testimony?

There was an article in the October 2008 Friend magazine that told about the "testimony glove." Your testimony should be (count on your fingers):

1. I know that God is our Heavenly Father and He loves us.
2. I know that His Son, Jesus Christ, is our Savior and Redeemer.
3. I know that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God. He restored the gospel of Jesus Christ to the earth and translated the Book of Mormon by the power of God.
4. I know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord’s Church on the earth today.
5. I know that this Church is led by a living prophet who receives revelation.

Of course you know these things because of different circumstances or experiences you have had. It is your testimony, and no one can change it or add to it, or strengthen it or neglect it except you.

I want our kids to know how much I love my Heavenly Father and I know that He loves us immeasurably. That He is forgiving and kind, and knows each of us so well. That He knows how we think, and not only THAT we struggle with different things, but WHY we struggle. He knows our hearts, and that we were hurt by someone way back when, and that memory is dug up every time a different person acts or says something similar. That we don't really mean to hurt somebody else, but at that particular moment, it's all that would come out, and we are really, really sorry.

It doesn't erase the fact that we just hurt someone else, and we have to fix it. But he knows it's not easy and he'll give His love and support every step of the way back as we repent and try to do better.

Maybe as I search for love or understanding or happiness from various sources in my life, I should remember that the true source of love is my Heavenly Father. That no matter what happens, He is there to listen and lend support. Max Lucado said, "We cannot go anywhere where God is not." He is always just a prayer away.