Testimony

Testimony is and should be the sharing of our own personal spiritual experiences as we see the Lord's hand in our lives. It is the taking of what we know intellectually and expressing it through our hearts as we see it unfold before us.

It is as simple as giving birth to a child and understanding at last how sacred that moment of birth is. It is watching a child grow and realizing that this child arrived with a personality of its own. This was God's child first.

A testimony can be birthed out of life's good moments but also out of life's greatest struggles. A bad choice can teach you a path to never take again and you”know”. Perhaps you got caught in a lie and now you know why the Lord wants us to tell the truth.

On the news we hear people "bear testimony" that the material things of life don’t matter as they stand with their loved ones in front of the ashes that was their home.

And sometimes it is only when we lose a person that we realized how much we really love them.

Most things that I can say "I know” I have learned from the consistent practice of doing them. For 51 years I have paid my tithing. There has been no miraculous rescue in times of need. But I have always loved knowing I was contributing to a cause I love. I imagine that new church building in Cambodia, or that temple in the Congo and think "I helped to build them!" and I am happy. I can honestly say that paying tithing has blessed my life.

On another level I must acknowledge and testify of the great blessings the Lord has bestowed upon me. First of all, my family; to Mom and Dad, Jim and Ed, my kids who are and ever will be my favorite five. I have been blessed with my sweet and wonderful Lynn. Our life together expands the circle of love and connection to all of his side of the family. My life is filled with people I love and who love me in return.

But life hasn't always been easy and in those difficult moments I learned my greatest spiritual lessons. I know that Heavenly Father loves me and cares about my well-being. He has been with me in my darkest hours. I have felt the warmth of His love. It is there that I have found strength and courage.

I have studied and practiced the teachings of Jesus all my life. I know it is a beautiful path to follow. And the marvelous thing is that when the way seemed hard, He was the power that enabled me to follow Him. How else could I love my enemy and forgive those that hurt me? It is through following Jesus I have learned to truly love.  His grace is indeed amazing!

There is much more that I can bear testimony of because I have spent a lifetime trying to live the gospel. Just think what that means. Beginning at the time I joined the church I have

• gone to church 2652 times
• sang hymns at least 7956 times
• had family home evenings 2652
• paid monthly tithing 612 times
• prayed daily and multiple times each day
• read the scriptures over and over
• filled my life with good people, good activities, and with service.

And I have done all these things because they make me happy, because the act of doing each has been blessing enough! This has been my daily walk with God who has given me His Gospel.

Somewhere along that path all things cease being what I ought to do or what I was taught to do and became what I loved to do; what brought happiness in the doing.  That is the moment where testimony is born.

You might enjoy reading President Dallin H Oaks Small and Simple Things April 2018.