Testimony
" Every month the First Presidency and the Twelve meet with all the General Authorities in the temple. They bear testimony and they tell each other how they love one another just like all of you. Why do the General Authorities need a testimony meeting? The same reason that you need a testimony meeting. Do you think that you can go three, and six, and nine, and twelve months without bearing your testimony and still keep its full value? Some of our good people get so terrified at triteness that they try to steer around and away from their testimonies by getting out on the fringes. Don’t you ever worry about triteness in testimony. When the President of the Church bears his testimony, he says, 'I know that Joseph Smith was called of God, a divine representative. I know that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God.' You see, the same thing every one of you says. That is a testimony. It never gets old, never gets old! Tell the Lord frequently how much you love him. A testimony is not an exhortation; a testimony is not a sermon (none of you are there to exhort the rest); it is not a travelogue. You are there to bear your own witness. It is amazing what you can say in 60 seconds by way of testimony, or 120, or 240, or whatever time you are given, if you confine yourselves to testimony. We’d like to know how you feel. Do you love the work, really? Are you happy in your work? Do you love the Lord? Are you glad that you are a member of the Church? You know this testimony is a tremendous thing, a most important thing. Any minister or priest can quote scripture and present dialogues. But not every priest or minister can bear his testimony. Don’t you sit there in your fast meeting and cheat yourself and say, 'I guess I won’t bear my testimony today. I guess that wouldn’t be fair to these other members because I have had so many opportunities.' You bear your testimony. And one minute is long enough to bear it. You have a testimony! It needs building and lifting and enlarging, of course; and that is what you are doing. Every time you bear your testimony it becomes strengthened."- Spencer W. Kimball, “President Kimball Speaks Out on Testimony,” New Era, Aug 1981, 4
5 comments:
Powerful. I needed this quote this morning. However, as we sat in testimony meeting Karleigh did tell me I should bear my testimony. Should have obeyed.
I was sitting in the congregation this morning listening to how peoples weekends went and how they enjoyed whatever it was they were talking about, I began reading my scriptures a little somewhere around that point. Soon I felt a strong desire to go up and bear my testimony. I bore my testimony, I bore it long, and good. Well, it was short but sweet. I felt much gooder and pleased knowing that I just strengthened my testimony.
Last summer, we had a family reunion. There were cookies and cakes and lemonade as far as the eye could see. My nephew fell in the river and almost drowned. He was saved by Uncle Tim. I know that CPR is a true principle. Amen.
Hahaha, Yeah That is pretty much how it is sometimes. I love to watch the reactions my Bishop gives when certain people get up. I don't think he realizes he is doing it.
That's why, when bearing my testimony, I like to wear my CPR ring.
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