Comments about ‘LDS Church News: How to testify’

General Conference address gave the same guidelines when he spoke about testimony-bearing. He said that a testimony isn't a "thank-a-log" or a report on one's missionary son or daughter or a time to tell about one's vacation or ANYTHING other than bearing witness that Jesus is the Christ and that one is sure of it. A testimony is testifying of Truth, and should be nothing else.

Why, then, don't we have a special meeting for adults and give it to them in plain language. It seems that as many times as the counsel nas been given, it falls on deaf ears. Tell the Primary to let the little kids practice bearing their testimony during Primay (or during FHE). Tell the YW/YM leaders not to "challenge" their classes to stand up during Fast and Testimony Meeting. Peer pressure is not going to build anyone's testimony. Explain to members why missionaries often won't make F&T Meeting the investigator's first exposure to LDS worship. I have been to some wonderful testimony meetings, and know that when handled properly they can be the source of great joy and peace. Somehow, the message needs to get through.

Testimonies, Hmmm. Why are they public? This is one thing I will never get. It gets old and very frustrating to listen to some of these.

The problem with LDS testimonies is that they are factous delusions. They proclaim to know things that in fact they do not know. It would make so much more sense if they would testify to what they hope for, wish to be true or what they believe to be true. But when they testify that they know God's mind, intent, existence, etc they are in fact fabricating to try to make themselves special and important and to over come fear of nothing. Be honest; we know nothing of God's existence, but that is Ok, because if He does existe He must want it that way.

I personally feel the First Presidency (in issuing the counsel in 2002) DID NOT intend that people get up, one after another and say basically the same words ie: I believe Joseph Smith was a Prophet, I know the Church is true, I know Jesus is the Christ etc. etc.

I have personally heard "testimonies" like these that have no feeling, or real intent at all.

It is not the wheeling off of a few phrases that make a testimony.

It is the personal testifying of these truths, couched in people's real life phrasesand how they relate to their real lives and real experiences--with real intent---that constitutes what the First Presidency wanted. Not lots of flowery speech in the effort to impress. Or sincere things better expressed in other settings--just short, SINCERE, heartfelt, real, and personal expressions.

PLEASE don't turn Testimony meetings into a continuous string of people getting up parroting a bunch of robot copycat trite phrases.

Sorry folks, but testimonies are practised by cults, faith healers and snake oil salesmen. They are a method of brainwashing, same as the Red Chinese when they quoted Chairman Mao.

his birth Mt:1,18)..."before they came together,she was found with child of the Holy Ghost." not a exalted man. The only begotten(Monogenes 3439)The word begotten does not imply a beginning of His Sonship. It suggest relationship indeed,but be be distinguised from generation as applied to man.
"God begets God, Man begets man,but God creates man,' C S Lewis, "Mere Christianity."

Please share your funniest testimony meeting stories. There are some great ones out there.

One week our Bishop stood up at the beginning of testimony meeting and explained the proper way to bear testimony (not a travel log etc).

When the Bishop sat down, the first member promptly got up to "tell us all about their trip to Europe". I could almost hear the Bishop beating his head against the wall.

If you truly "know" something, why do you need to be instructed by Church leaders on how to "testify" of it?

What is this? Mind control? Censorship? The Thought Police?

Just because Alma or Helaman or Nephi did things a certain way doesn't mean that is the one and only right way to do it. You and I are not them!

If a testimony is truly a personal revelation of spiritual truths, yours will be different than everyone else's on the earth. Nobody has any business telling you how to express your beliefs! Nobody! Not even the Prophet!