By: Reese
I was asked to give a talk on gaining
a testimony.
Elder Sybrosky
of the 70 said “Gaining a testimony is like what the Nephites went through when
the Savior came to visit them. 3 Nephi 11 says, “At first they did not
understand God’s voice because they were hearing with their ears only. But when
they opened their hearts, they understood His voice.” “And again the third time they did hear the
voice, and did open their ears to hear it; and their eyes were towards the
sound thereof; and they did look steadfastly towards heaven, from whence the
sound came.” “And behold, the third
time they did understand the voice which they heard”
Opening your heart to the inspiration of our Father in Heaven is
an important element of life. You will need His inspiration.
You face some unique challenges, and the way to overcome these
challenges is to allow the Holy Ghost to distill upon you. Let Him guide you.
Strength from our Heavenly Father comes to us spirit to spirit and heart to
heart. And it is in the strength of the Lord that we can move forward. The Lord
will provide that strength in our individual testimonies.”
You can gain a testimony by:
Reading the scriptures, Sharing what you know to be true, Obeying the Commandments, and Listing to the Holy Ghost.
President
Eyring said “Testimony will come to you in pieces as parts of the whole truth
of the gospel of Jesus Christ are confirmed. For instance, as you read and
ponder the Book of Mormon, verses you have read before will appear new to you and
bring new ideas. Your testimony will grow as the Holy Ghost confirms that they
are true. Your living testimony will expand as you study, pray, and ponder in
the scriptures”
At
Girls Camp I finished reading the Book of Mormon for the first time by myself.
This was a big accomplishment for me and it was a goal I had been working on
for a very long time. Every morning at Girls Camp we would wake up and have
personal scripter study time. I was almost done, so I would read and read,
until on the 2nd to last day of Girls Camp I finished the whole Book
of Mormon. I felt so proud of myself for finishing! Reading The Book of Mormon strengthened my
testimony of Jesus Christ. I learned that
He will help me to do hard things. This
experience gave me courage to bear my testimony in a testimony meeting for the
first time.
Sharing your testimony is another way to confirm what you know to
be true. As I spoke, I could feel the
Spirit strongly telling me that what I have read in the Book of Mormon was
true. I feel closer to Heavenly Father and I understand the love that Jesus
Christ has for me and for everyone. I have already started reading the Book of
Mormon again.
When talking about a testimony, President
Eyring said “But, like a growing plant, it must be nurtured or it will wither.
Frequent and heartfelt prayers of faith are crucial and needed nutrients.
Obedience to the truth you have received will keep the testimony alive and
strengthen it. Obedience to the
commandments is part of the nourishment you must provide for your testimony.”
You
will have more spiritual experiences the more you choose to obey, because
following the commandments leads us closer to Jesus and helps us feel the
spirit.
A
testimony is a declaration of truth. But
HOW do you know what is true?
John
14: 26 says
“But
the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father
will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring
all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”
We
can rely on the gift of the Holy Ghost to help us gain a testimony because He
always teaches us the truth. I know that
when I ask in faith I always receive an answer.
I know the book of Mormon is true. I know that Jesus Christ lives and
that he will come again. I know this is
the true church.
I
say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
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