Note: Given in Sacrament Meeting on August 17, 2014
I was asked
to speak on Faith AND Testimony. If you remember last time I was asked to give
a talk, I forgot about it until, the morning of, and put together, probably one
of the most mediocre last-minute talks in Church History. I’m proud to say I
have learned from my mistakes, and gave myself a little more time.
So now to my talk, being asked to
speak on Faith, and Testimony, I thought perhaps I could just talk about my
faith, and bear my Testimony for the whole meeting. In some missionary opportunities
for you or I, that is the best you can do. Showing your faith, and bearing
testimony.
Faith is essential in our everyday
lives. Faith is hoping for things which are not seen, which are true. See Alma 32:21. Faith is not knowing without a
doubt. One of the best ways Faith has been described to me is through the
Primary song “Faith” it Goes.
1.
Faith is knowing the sun will rise,
lighting each new day.
Faith
is knowing the Lord will hear my prayers each time I pray.
Faith is like a little seed. If planted,
it will grow.
Faith is a swelling within my heart.
When I do right, I know.
That
song has been one of my favorites, I relish its message.
Faith is knowing the sun will rise, lighting
each new day. We
all knew the sun would rise this morning, and we all know it will rise again
tomorrow, and the next day,
and the next day. Why do we know? Because we have seen it happen every day of
our existence. So may I make a suggestion? Put your Faith in God, because every
single day of our existence, he has been there for us, just like the rising
sun. Maybe some days when it’s a rainy day, you can’t always see the sun or
feel its warmth, but you know that the sun is there. Just like Heavenly Father
on a bad day. It’s important to know that Heavenly Father gave you that rainy
day for a reason, and gives us an opportunity exercise our faith, and stay
steadfast in the gospel.
Faith is knowing the Lord will hear my prayers each
time I pray. You can nurture the gift of faith by
praying to Heavenly Father in the name of Jesus Christ. As you express your
gratitude to your Father and as you plead with Him for blessings that you and
others need, you will draw near to Him. When you pray to God for help, you are exercising that faith
in God.
Faith is like a little seed. If planted it will grow. In Alma
32, Alma teaches the poor Zoramites who were cast out of the Zoramiate
synagogues, about faith. I highly encourage everyone, if you’re questioning
your faith, or are wondering where your faith is at, I challenge you to read Alma
Chapter 32. In chapter 32, Alma explaines that faith grows as a person wants to
believe and listens to the word of God. The word is then planted in your heart,
and like a seed it starts to grow. As we learn more about the gospel, the seed
sprouts and keeps growing. We know that the seed is good, and our faith grows
stronger.
Faith is swelling within my heart. With our faith growing
inside us, that is the swelling we feel in our heart.
The final line: When I
do right, I know. Faith is much more than passive belief.
You express your faith through action—by the way you live. If you live the
gospel, and act in faith, you will be blessed. Receiving blessings becomes
another way your faith grows. It is important, to always look to increase your
faith. The Lord will work mighty miracles
in your life according to your faith. 2 Nephi 26:13 reads “And
that he manifesteth himself unto all those who believe in him, by the power of
the Holy Ghost; yea, unto every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, working
mighty miracles, signs, and wonders, among the children of men according to
their faith.”
There are countless stories of
immense faith being exercised, and miracles being worked as a
result. I’d like
to share my favorite Book of Mormon story as an example. And that is the story
of the
2000 stripling Warriors. The story goes that these 2000 young men, who
had never fought in a battle,
or shed blood. Went up to war, and not one of
them was slain. Now I will share my all-time favorite
scripture, that’s Alma
57:26-27. “26. And now, their preservation was astonishing to our whole army,
yea, that they should be spared while there was a thousand of our brethren who were slain. And we do
justly ascribe it to the miraculous power of God, because of their EXCEEDING faith in that which they had
been taught to believe- that there was a just God, and whosoever Did Not Doubt, that they should be
preserved by his marvelous power. 27. Now this was the faith of these of whom I
have spoken; they are young, and their minds are firm, and they do put their trust in God continually.”
I know, and
have a testimony that if I have Exceeding Faith, if I Do Not Doubt, and If I
put my trust in God continually….. That I will be Invincible, and will not
perish. I can also testify that if you have exceeding faith, do not doubt, and
put your trust in God continually, that you will be Invincible also.
Now with a Testimony it requires you to have more
than faith. Alma 32:26 says “Now, as I said concerning faith—that it was not a
perfect knowledge—even so it is with my words. Ye cannot know of their surety
at first, unto perfection, any more than faith is a perfect knowledge.” A
Testimony is built up of things you have perfect knowledge of which extends
past simple faith. A perfect knowledge of something is when you can say “I Know
the Church is true.” Examples such as “I’m pretty sure the Book of Mormon is
another testament of Jesus Christ.” Or “I think we have a living prophet on
this earth today.” Are not examples of a perfect knowledge. I will come back to
this perfect knowledge.
A testimony to me is expressing or reassuring, what
I know to be true. True to the Faith says “A testimony is a spiritual witness
given by the Holy Ghost. The foundation of a testimony is the knowledge that
Heavenly Father lives and loves us; that Jesus Christ lives, that He is the Son
of God, and that He carried out the infinite Atonement; that Joseph Smith is
the prophet of Atonement; that Joseph Smith is the prophet of God who was
called to restore the gospel; that God who was called to restore the gospel;
that we are led by a living prophet today; and that The Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints is the Savior’s true Church on the earth. With this
foundation, a testimony grows to include all principles of the gospel.” END
QUOTE
What
a powerful true statement. To gain a Testimony, the most important thing is
knowing that
Heavenly Father and Jesus Live and Loves you individually. From
there, your testimony can grow
infinitely. However that all depends on how well you nurture
your Testimony. It is our great opportunity and responsibility to nurture our
testimonies throughout our lives. Like building a house, a garden, or the cool
new LEGO set (for you younger Kids). Building a testimony requires steps too.
“The quest for a testimony begins with a righteous, sincere desire.” END QUOTE.
Our Heavenly Father knows the desires of our Hearts, and it is important, we
always strive to do our best, and strengthen our testimonies. “Your testimony
will grow gradually through your experiences.” If you put yourself in positions
to learn the gospel, serve the Lord, keep the commandments, and look for
moments of inspiration (such as praying, fasting, studying scriptures, listening
to other testimonies, and most important Sharing Your Own Testimony). Your
testimony will most definitely grow. To share your Testimony, your testimony
itself, doesn’t have to be fully developed, long, and remarkable. Short and
Sweet Testimonies, are just great. The most important thing you can say in your
testimony is what you KNOW to be true. Every time, I hear someone say “I Know”
I can feel a great amount of truth and power behind that statement. There is
HUGE difference between thinking something is true and knowing something to be
true.
Elder Paul K.
Sybrowsky of the seventy, shares a story in the February 2008 Liahona. “I was a rather shy 15-year-old boy,
so I was quite surprised when I found myself standing at a microphone in front
of 300 seminary students at a large seminary gathering about to bear my
testimony. But I was comfortable because of what I felt deep inside. Even
today, I still remember the overwhelming prompting by the Spirit to stand and
bear my testimony in that seminary meeting. I don’t remember the exact words I
spoke, but I will never forget the burning in my heart, the sure witness I
received that the Church is true. I remember well the feeling of the Spirit of
the Holy Ghost that descended upon me as I bore witness to the
truthfulness of this Church. Before that day I believed the Church was true. I
liked the Church. I thought it was good, and I participated in it. But at that
defining moment in my life, I knew the Church was true. I couldn’t
deny it, and no one could take that testimony away from me.” END QUOTE
When
you are able to say “I Know” you are declaring, you are sure of it, no denying
it, You Know. That is having a perfect knowledge. No one can touch your
testimony now. You know you have a perfect knowledge of this gospel.
The spirit felt when you or someone else bears
testimony, is a quite assurance, but very powerful. Over the years, I have
attended many testimony meetings, in sacrament meetings, Family AND Friend Home
Evenings, EFY and Youth Conferences. Testimony meetings have personally been
one of the greatest blessings in my life. The spirit I feel during an emotional
and spiritual testimony meeting is indescribable. With spirit coming from
everyone, it is a very powerful testimony builder, especially when someone says
exactly what you needed to hear. So just remember, when you’re sitting there,
and its testimony meeting. And you get that feeling you should go up, it’s
probably because someone at that testimony meeting, needs to hear your
testimony. And remember, that someone could be you. The results of Testimony
can be miraculous and life changing. I know I will be called upon often to bear
my testimony out in West Virginia, and hopefully as result of me bearing my
testimony, and through the spirit of the Holy Ghost, I can be a part of
life-changing experiences. I am so excited to be an instrument in the Hand of the
Lord, to put on the full armor of God. Yes I will miss a few things while I’m
gone such as Sports, Family, Friends, Home, Sports, Farmington, Cute Girls,
Movies, Sports, T.V. Home-Cooked Meals, Sleeping-In, Music and did I mention
Sports? But serving a two-year LDS Mission in West Virginia, I wouldn’t miss it
for the world.
Close with Testimony!
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| Open House afterwards at our home |
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Wardies: Noah Hanson, Matt Thornblad, Jordan Thornblad, Ryan, Ethan Knudsen, Annie Price
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