Testimonies

I'm hoping to make my Sunday post a bit more on the spiritual side. I don't do enough bearing of my testimony or such late, well maybe that's not totally true, but I don't do it as much as I did when I was single. Testimonies for me are not so much the grand realization of spiritual topics like they once were. Then again, my audience has changed since I was single or a missionary. As the Primary Music Leader, and as a mom, my focus on the gospel is in much simpler terms.

Not that there's anything wrong with focusing on those basic building blocks of the gospel. The things that I teach those kids and my own children will be the foundation of their testimonies later in life. Plus it reaffirms what my own testimony is built on. That's partly why I love the children song book. The basic truths, set to music, are inside.

For example: In July, I had a friend get baptized. I was asked to give her talk on the Holy Ghost, and I was kind of excited. Not only do I love baptisms, but I was excited to talk in front of adults. Then, when I wrote my talk, I realized that the best way I could describe who the Holy Ghost is and what he does is right in the song we I had taught the kids in June called The Holy Ghost. So I used it for the base of my talk. So it wasn't some grand lofty adult themed talk like I thought it would be, but I'm thankful to know that if anyone wants to know how the Holy Ghost can influence them in their lives, they just need to learn that song.

Our Primary Program is next week. Its the culmination of all the work they've done this year learning the gospel and the songs they've learned. Sariah has a little part. Its "Obey your parents." She does a good job saying it. (If she'd only just follow it sometimes!) The senior primary kids wrote their own testimonies to share. It happens near the end followed by one of my favorite songs they learned this year "I Know That My Savior Loves Me." It is like a testimony set to music and I love it. I definitely feel the spirit when these kids share their testimonies. It gave me goose bumps when we practiced today, I know I'm going to cry next week.

A testimony is something so simple that a child can share it. Isn't that amazing? Sometimes I think as adults we'd do well to remember that. It is one of those "share what you know" kind of things. How do we know these thing? By learning the basics, studying the scriptures, letting the spirit influence our lives, prayer.

One of my most treasured testimony memories (in a meeting setting) happened at the very end of my mission. The last night before me and other missionaries were set to go home, President would hold a big meeting where the other missionaries would bring their investigators and the leaving missionaries would bear their testimonies. I don't remember what I said, but I know I was influenced by the Holy Ghost, and I think it probably ended up being a lot like the first discussion. But afterward, one of the investigators I had been working with for a long time came up to me and told me how much my testimony influenced her. It was one of those teach by the spirit, receive by the spirit things. It was simple.

One last thing about testimonies. One of the best ways to share your testimony is just to live it. If you believe the gospel, then you want to follow those teachings of Jesus. People catch onto that. Sometimes I think we're teaching our kids more about the gospel then we think we are because its just natural for us to live this way. We teach them the truths without even realizing it. For instance: Sariah really picked up on modestly. Not because we had a long sit down chat about why its important to be modest in our dress and actions, but because that's how we dress at home. There are standards to the way we choose clothes to wear. Its important to treat our bodies like the sacred gift they are. She gets that because that's the way we live. We've shown her what is important to us.

This blog post went a totally different direction then I meant it to go. I had another topic in mind when I sat down to write this. I guess that'll be for next week. Till then, keep living and sharing your testimonies. I know they strengthen me!