Testimony How To

Today we're talking testimony.  Because today the question was posed, "How do you get a testimony?"  And I thought, "Yeah, how?"  It puzzled me for just a sec and then the spirit told me I already know how, because I have one.  So I told this person that a testimony is faith.  But more than that too.  In Alma 32:27 it says, "But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith, yea, even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion of my words."

That's step one.  A desire.  Step two is letting it work in you.  Alma continues to compare faith to a seed.  How does a seed grow?  You plant it.  You nuture it.  Give it water and sunshine.  Likewise faith needs to be planted in your heart, and you have to nuture it every day.  How is it that one nurtures faith?  By communication with your Heavenly Father through scripture study and prayer.

Step three.  As you study the word of God and talk to him daily you will feel "swelling motions," as Alma eloquantly stated.  You will feel it warm in your heart, and you will know for yourself that the seed is good.  That your faith is growing.  Your faith will enlarge your soul until you know.  Your understanding will be enlightened.  You will gain your testimony.  All it takes is 3 steps. 

I realized again today that a testimony is not something tangible, it is not something solid.  The steps must be repeated over and over.  I am so grateful for a loving Father in Heaven who lets us work for our testimonies.  My testimony is ever changing.  Ever growing.  It means more that way.  For those of you who are struggling with your testimony; don't get discouraged.  You are a son or daughter of Diety.  If you don't know that, start with step one and then ask.  I promise He will answer.  It is a reliable formula, three steps long.  Try it and I promise you will gain - you will expand - your testimony. 

The sweetest truth I have come to know is that I am a daughter of God.  He is ever mindful of me.  He blesses and helps me.  He sent His son to live and die for me.  The Atonement was the whole purpose of God's plan.  It was and is for me to use every day.  My Heavenly Father loves me so much.  And that is something I can always count on.   Having faith and a hope that I have a loving Heavenly Father is how mine started, and know I can say I know.  He is there.  He loves me.  This is my simple testimony.  Please comment and share with me yours. 

Faith is like a seed, if planted it will grow.

By Their Fruits

Have you ever watched a movie over and over, and every time you catch something new that you hadn't seen before?  That's kind of how I feel about the Book of Mormon.  Minus the kind of.  That is how I feel about it.  I love reading it because every time I do something new and cool pops up that I haven't thought of before.  Today you are lucky because I'm going to share one of these little gems with you!  I decided to read Jacob chapter 5.  When I was younger I used to skip or quickly skim this chapter because it didn't make sense, and it is a long chapter.  I have since overcome my childhood aversion, and today decided to actually study this very chapter.

The chapter tells the allegory of the tame and wild olive trees.  And I'm not going to go into detail, because I want you to read it and find your own "ah has". I will however share mine.  As I read I noticed that the Lord tries several times to save his trees that they might bring forth good fruit.  He is exactly that way with us.  He gives us so many opportunities to change and come unto him.  To become like him.  And although He will never take away our agency, He won't give up on us either.  Sometimes we might think He is going to give up on us, but he won't even then.  "Spare it a little longer."  (Jacob 5:50) 

Because of the Lord's infinite love, He will always desire for us to come to him.  To bring forth good fruit.  He works with us to help us.  Let Him help you.  Let him dig about and prune you so that your fruit is sweet.  "By their fruits ye shall know them" (3 Nephi 14:20)  Don't waste the opportunities you are given.  Bring forth good fruit.

Lessons learned from 2,000 boys

Lately I have been thinking about strength.  Specifically strength in the Lord (this is probably evident from my last post).  Yesterday my companion and I were talking to a young man and we shared a story about this very idea.  If you are not familiar with the Book of Mormon, this will be new to you, but I would invite you to keep reading and think about the message that can be learned.

The story is found in Alma 56.  A man named Helaman writes a letter to the captain of the Nephite army to tell him about 2,000 young men.  The parents of these boys had taken an oath to never shed blood again.  They would not fight even in self defense.  However when the enemy came to war against them (the Lamanites being that enemy) they began to question and almost forsook their oath to fight for their families, their land, and their freedom.  Which may seem like a good thing, but their sons didn't want them to have to break that promise to God.  These 2,000 young boys volunteered to fight in their parents' stead.  They had never fought before, but they did not fear because they knew that God would be on their side.  Long story short, the 2,000 stripling warriors fought a hard battle against the Lamanite army.  They were outnumbered.  They were young, but did they lose?  No.  When the battle was over, Helaman, their leader, wrote, "not one soul of them had fallen... they had fought with the strength of God; yea never were men known to have fought with such miraculous strength; and with such mighty power" (Alma 56: 56)

As I think about this story, I think about the battles each of us have to face.  We may be outnumbered, but we can win with the strength of the Lord.  When we do not doubt His strength, He increases are faith.  I know this is true because I've read about it, I've seen it, and I've experienced it.  Just like the stripling warriors, let us not doubt.  We all know right from wrong, we were born with that light in us.  Choose the right, rely on God; through him we can overcome any battle big or small.