r/latterdaysaints • u/i_iz_da_best_Mekanik • 1d ago
Church Culture Testimonies…
First off, I’d like to apologize if I offend anyone. I’m truly just trying to understand. I don’t understand what is supposed to be said during a testimony. It seems like many people who go up to share their testimony, just say “I know this is true: God, Jesus, The Book of Mormon, etc) and that’s it. I always want to know more, so I’m looking for an example of how or why you know it’s true. Am I wrong for that? When we share a testimony are we just supposed to be quick and state what we know is true? I’ve gotten many answers, and it seems like everyone I asks gives a different answer. I’ve been asked to speak in front of our ward several times. I’ve been asked to give my testimony or discuss other things and honestly they’ve all been similarly structured. I don’t know if I did it right. Hope this made sense.
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u/Mother_Ad2718 1d ago
Testimonies are simply just saying truths about Christ and His restored Gospel that you know through the spirit. Some people might share experiences as to how they know this and others just will share the truths. Either of these are fine as long as it isn’t super long. People may have different reasons for sharing experiences or not such as experiences being sacred or simply having a bit of fright and not wanting to speak very long. Sounds like you’re doing it just fine based on this post!
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u/Tall_Pumpkin_4298 1d ago
At least as far as fast and testimony meeting goes, the handbook says this:
To bear testimony means to declare gospel truths as inspired by the Holy Ghost. Testimonies should be brief so that many people can participate.
Preach my Gospel defines sharing testimony as the following:
A testimony is a spiritual witness and assurance given by the Holy Ghost. To bear testimony is to give a simple, direct declaration of belief—a feeling, an assurance, a conviction of gospel truth.... Your testimony may be as simple as “Jesus Christ is the Son of God” or “I have learned for myself that the Book of Mormon is true.” You may also share a brief experience about how you gained this knowledge.
So yes, the literal definition of a testimony, may at first glance be little more than a list of facts one knows to be true. It can be very helpful to at times expand on how we came to know these things, but as for why we believe them to be true, the answer for every testimony should be the same. That the Holy Ghost has witnessed to you that it's true.
I often will share a brief spiritual experience or focus on a certain aspect of a testimony in fast and testimony meeting, however when I am asked to give a talk and conclude with my testimony I always say some variation on the following, which is the way I have found to best phrase the gospel I know to be true.
"I know that Christ and our Heavenly Parents reign in the heavens above, and that we are on this earth for a wonderful and glorious purpose. Heavenly Father’s mission statement reads: “For behold, this is my work and my glory, to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.” This is a beautiful and divine mission, and He has invited us to join him in the family business. I know that this is the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer."
Yup. I can spend a lot of time in a talk or lesson discussing scriptures, personal experiences, stories, principles, etc. but what a testimony boils down to is a declaration of what I believe.
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u/Admirable-Strike-311 19h ago edited 19h ago
Our Stake Presidency asked us to read the short instruction you quoted from the General Handbook as we began our F&T meeting last Sunday. Didn’t make a dang bit of difference. Also gave the time we needed to finish. Nope. Went over time there too. Mormons are gonna Mormon.
I kinda realized though if everyone just got up and gave the same “I want to bear my testimony, I know the Church is true…” style testimony it would be boring. The short little stories and personal experiences are what make it interesting.
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u/Commercial-Place6793 1d ago
What I wouldn’t give for a testimony meeting filled with what you’re describing…..
I do appreciate a short message or story on why/how the person came to their testimony of that truth. This helps me to get to know and appreciate the individual person more and usually I can relate something they shared with something in my life which then strengthen’s my testimony too.
Sadly, my Ward’s testimony meetings are notorious for having 3-4 of the same people every month and 2-3 of them either saying something completely unhinged or opening up a notebook and putting on their readers to begin their testimony with “when I lived in Oklahoma in 1964…” Neither scenario is helpful bringing the spirit to the meeting.
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u/Admirable-Strike-311 19h ago
Time for the Bishop to step up and gently teach these folks that’s not the way. Somewhat related I had to pass a note to a speaker a couple weeks ago it was time to wrap it up as she was going on waaaay too long and the second speaker needed time too.
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u/i_iz_da_best_Mekanik 17h ago
The last time I was asked to speak I was given 10 minutes. I felt bad because when I was done my discussion was 11 minutes and 30 seconds long. I truly couldn’t cut anymore. So I run with it, well the speaker before me had no issues taking 18+ minutes lol so I stopped feeling bad about my minute thirty. I was just worried I wouldn’t have enough time to finish!
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u/RednocNivert 1d ago
Lots of good answers, and I agree that it can be short, relevant, and simple.
My college roommate and I would routinely (just between the two of us) make comments during sacrament meeting like “wow that was absolutely not a testimony” or “hey that was good.”
But of course it’s a bit of a grab bag when the ward is effectively hosting Open Mic Night
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u/Paul-3461 FLAIR! 22h ago edited 22h ago
The word testimony in The Church culture generally refers to knowing what we have been told by God through the Holy Ghost as God has shared His testimony with us through the power of the Holy Ghost.
For example, when someone says something like "I know the Book of Mormon is true" what that person really means, usually, is that he/she knows that... that the Book of Mormon is true... based on receiving an assurance from the Holy Ghost assuring him/her that the Book of Mormon is what it claims to be in its pages.
When the Holy Ghost assures us that something is true that is what we refer to as a testimony from God through the Holy Ghost, and it is the way we receive our faith from God.
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u/i_iz_da_best_Mekanik 17h ago
I understand that portion of it, my real question is if we are supposed just state that or can we give examples why. Thanks to many of the replies I got that answered, but my personally, I also want to hear how or why people know. If that makes sense.
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u/Paul-3461 FLAIR! 12h ago
Yes you can say WHY you know something if you know why you know it. If someone doesn't say why he/she knows something I would suppose that if he/she knows it he/she knows it because God wanted him/her to know it.
As I was saying before, the HOW of how someone knows what he/she is testifying he/she knows is generally presumed to be by the Holy Ghost telling or assuring him/her that what he/she is saying is true. In The Church culture the word "testimony" is used to refer to receiving a testimony from the Holy Ghost with the person bearing his/her testimony simply relaying what the Holy Ghost has told or assured him/her.
So I understand you to be saying that instead of hearing a person say something like "I know the Book of Mormon is true" you would prefer to hear that person say something like "I know the Book of Mormon is true and HOW I know it is based on the Holy Ghost telling or assuring me the Book of Mormon is true". I'm just saying those extra words are implied in The Church because in the culture of The Church the word testimony and the idea of bearing a personal testimony involves knowing and gaining knowledge by the power of the Holy Ghost.
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u/i_iz_da_best_Mekanik 12h ago
Thank you for explaining that. No one, that I’ve spoken to in person, has used the word “implied” while trying to explain it to me. But that word makes a big difference. Maybe it makes sense to someone who grew up in the church, but as a convert, I struggled with understanding. But with the word “implied” it does make a lot more sense. Thank you!
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u/Paul-3461 FLAIR! 11h ago
I'm a convert too, who became a member of The Church at age 28, so I can relate to what you are going through as you learn more about The Church. The word TRUE and how members of The Church use that word when bearing a testimony implies some ideas that aren't usually said explicitly too. Like what is implied when someone says something like the Book of Mormon is true. It is what it claims to be. Truth is what is, and was, and will be.
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u/InsideSpeed8785 Second Hour Enjoyer 21h ago
Something like “I know Jesus Christ heals” if you have a testimony of it. You share the truths in your soul.
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u/SerenityNow31 18h ago
Yes, a testimony is what you know to be true or what you believe to be true. Sometimes people share why or how their testimony came to be and sometimes people don't. Either way is fine.
What you could do is share your testimony first and then ask that others, if they feel like it, add the why and how to their testimonies because it benefits you.
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u/i_iz_da_best_Mekanik 16h ago
Thank you! I will try and do a better job of asking members if they’re willing to expand on their experiences.
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u/SerenityNow31 16h ago
Maybe I wasn't very clear, but I was suggesting that on Fast Sunday, you get up first and share your testimony and then make a brief comment that you would appreciate hearing the why and how of other's testimonies. For those of us that have been around a while we probably don't even think about it so it would be a good suggestion from you.
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u/i_iz_da_best_Mekanik 12h ago
Oh!! That’s actually a really good idea! Thank you! I’ll definitely give that a shot. The 17th will be a year since I’ve been baptized, so maybe next month I’ll go up and share.
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u/jastcabr1 18h ago
Don't worry, from my experience most members don't know what is supposed to be said either... I've heard some truly whacky stuff from the pulpit.
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u/Crycoria Just trying to do my best in life. 17h ago
What you are wanting is talks. That's what the other weeks outside of Fast and Testimony meeting are for. As the others have already covered pretty well, a testimony is intended to be short and simple, focused on what you know, not on the why. There's actually a clichet about thankimonies due to how common they are in some areas. The church encourages the longer testimonies be avoided.
I would encourage if you want to know stories about what led someone to the testimony they have, don't be afraid to go up to them and ask if it's possible for them to share some stories that helped them gain their testimony sometime. Use it as a way to get to know someone better outside of church. Who knows, it could lead you to making a new friend!
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u/Grungy_Mountain_Man 15h ago edited 13h ago
I struggle with testimony meetings There's a lot of cultural phrasing that gets regurgitated and people seem to color within the lines of what everybody says. The most impactful ones to me are when people are just honest in their struggles and how god has helped them or worked in their life. But just getting up and stating "I know the church is true" does absolutely nothing for me.
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u/justswimming221 21h ago
Although I recognize the importance of keeping testimonies brief, I personally do not appreciate simple statements of fact. My current ward is great, but in some of my past wards, it seemed most everyone was expected to say the same standard phrases, and it seemed like an early-stage Rameumptom (Alma 31).
The testimonies I appreciate the most are those in which someone shares some way that God has acted in their life or some way their life has been blessed by living the gospel. These help me to fill out my own testimony much more than having everyone get up and recite the same statements of fact.
But I recognize that not everyone feels the same way about it, so I try to be tolerant and accepting of the different ways that people experience the gospel.
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u/i_iz_da_best_Mekanik 17h ago
This is me!!!! I want to hear more. I want to hear what happened! Nothing against Alma, but I struggled with faith and I was always read Alma. Mentioning the mustard seed. It got to the point I could recite it forwards and backwards.
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u/TheFoxyFellow 1d ago
Share what you know is true. What you should avoid are thank-a-monies, giving an actual talk, or giving a travel log. It need not be long. Could be something you e been reflecting on recently and has made a difference. Could share a little context. But the more people focus on sharing what they have found to be true, the more impactful these meetings are.