Testimonies

I've decided I'm going to try and write weekly blogs with the thing that I had on my mind that week.

Yesterday Shayne and I went to Katie and Skyler's new ward. Skyler got called to serve as a member of the bishopric in one of the UVU student wards. One of my biggest pet peeves of the church is that most members don't know how to bear testimonies anymore. After sacrament meeting I felt that all I heard was a bunch of stories of trials that either tried to one up the previous story, or just try and get you to feel sorry for them. I also heard some "testimonies" that made me feel like they just wanted me to see how well they were living their life. I was getting so annoyed that I was half tempted to just go up and bear my testimony on what testimonies are.

When you bear your testimony you are standing as a witness and telling everyone in the congregation what you know and what you believe about this gospel. It is not a time to tell everyone stories. It is not a time to thank everyone for what they have done for them. Save those for your blogs, relief society, or girls/scout camp. I don't care how you're feeling stressed because you had to drive here, and you don't know if you have enough gas to get back home. I never want to hear the phrase "before I bear my testimony I just want to share an experience with you" This is not the time.

In closing I just want to say that I think the best way to bear your testimony is to bear like you do after giving a talk. After everyone gives a talk they always bear their testimonies on the things they talk and that they are true. That is how we should all bear testimonies. I don't mean to be a stickler, and I'm not trying to be black and white here. You can have funny testimonies, and you can also have powerful testimonies, but please just make it a testimony, and not a storymony/thankamony.