Sacrament Service
The bishop gave us some encouragement and guidance about bearing testimonies.
“We are concerned that in some instances, members who desire to bear their testimonies in fast and testimony meeting do not have the opportunity to do so. Bishoprics are encouraged to help all people learn to express a brief, heartfelt testimony of the Savior, His teachings, and the Restoration, so that more members may have the opportunity to participate.” (First Presidency letter, May 2, 2002)
“Testimony meetings are some of the best meetings in the ward in the whole month, if you have the Spirit. If you are bored at a testimony meeting, there is something the matter with you, and not the other people. You can get up and bear your testimony and you think it is the best meeting in the month; but if you sit there and count the grammatical errors and laugh at the man who can’t speak very well, you’ll be bored, and on that board you’ll slip right out of the kingdom. …
“Every month the First Presidency and the Twelve meet with all the General Authorities in the temple. They bear testimony and they tell each other how they love one another just like all of you. Why do the General Authorities need a testimony meeting? The same reason that you need a testimony meeting. Do you think that you can go three, and six, and nine, and twelve months without bearing your testimony and still keep its full value?” (“President Kimball Speaks Out on Testimony,” New Era, Aug. 1981, 4–7;)
“Those who have a testimony of the restored gospel also have a duty to share it. The Book of Mormon teaches that we should ‘stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that [we] may be in’ (Mosiah 18:9).”
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“There has never been a greater need for us to profess our faith, privately and publicly (see D&C 60:2).”
Alma 32
21 And now as I said concerning faith—faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true.
He closed with that we would go until the big hand hits eleven, reminding us to end on time.
Testimonies
Joseph Smith was not perfect, but he was a prophet.
If the spirit is present, then He is the teacher.
Bear you testimony to your family.
“A testimony of the gospel is not a travelogue, a health log, or an expression of love for family members. It is not a sermon. President Kimball taught that the moment we begin preaching to others, our testimony is ended.” (Elder Dallin H. Oaks, “Testimony”, April 2008 General Conference)
Sunday School
Who did you identify with in the stories of Ammon, Lamoni, Lamoni's father, the queen, and so on and so on.
Ammon did not jump into teaching the king. He served him. He built a relationship with him. Then he could teach him.
The pattern that is often taught in the scriptures is creation, fall, and Atonement. That helps to answer the big questions. Who am I? Where did I come from? Why am I here? How do I get through life?
That cycle is also in our life repeatedly, which is how we grow. We cast off a sin or part of the natural man we are reborn or recreated. We will fall as we sin again. We then draw on the Atonement of Christ and let him help us be reborn again.
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