REL 275 - Teachings and Doctrines of the Book of Mormon

Read the following passages in the Book of Mormon before our class:

Elder Spencer W. Kimball
A Testimony is Not a Sermon
Unpublished addresses - Los Angeles, CA, 2 Jan 1959 - Berlin, Germany, 15 Jan 1962

Don’t preach a sermon. ... A testimony is not an exhortation; a testimony is not a sermon; none of you are here to exhort the rest. You are here to bear your own witness. It is amazing what you can say in thirty seconds by way of testimony, or in sixty seconds ... or whatever time you are given, if you confine yourselves to testimony. ...

Do not tell others how to live. Just tell how you feel inside. That is the testimony. The moment you begin preaching to others, your testimony ended. ...

We’d like to know how you feel. ... Do you love the work, really? Are you happy in your work? Do you love the Lord? Are you glad that you are a member of the Church? ... I hope that you’ll just open your hearts and let us look inside... will you? Just open them up wide and turn on the lights and let us see your hearts ...

Elder Hartman Rector, Jr.
Public Expression of Gratitude is Not a Testimony
Conference Report, Apr. 1974, p. 159

Bearing testimony has to do with bearing witness to that which we know to be true. Much of what we call testimony bearing is not really testimony at all–it is a statement or expression of public thanks. It is good to be thankful, but public thanks is not testimony. Testimony comes from the Holy Ghost.

Elder Henry B. Eyring
Express Gratitude Privately
"Witnesses for God," Ensign, Nov 1996, pg 32

Those who have prepared carefully for the fast and testimony meeting won’t need to be reminded how to bear testimony should they feel impressed to do it in the meeting. They won’t give sermons nor exhortations nor travel reports nor try to entertain as they bear witness. Because they will have already expressed appreciation [thanks] to people privately, they will have less need to do it publicly. Neither will they feel a need to use eloquent language or to go on at length.

Elder Boyd K. Packer #2
Admitting Possession of a Testimony versus Bearing One
Teach Ye Diligently, pp. 274-275 - Emphasis added

There is a great responsibility in bearing pure testimony. Sometimes I think too little of it is done in the Church. I had an experience in the mission field that taught me much about testimony. In spite of the fact that all seemed to be under control, we were not progressing as we should. It was not something we were doing that we ought not to do so much, I felt, as something we were not doing that we ought to be doing.

We held a series of zone conferences to improve the spirituality in the mission. Rather than schedule instruction on the mechanics of missionary work, we determined to have a testimony meeting. In the last conference, in the testimony of one of the humble elders, I found the answer to the problem. There was something different about the brief testimony of this frightened new elder. He stood for less than a minute, yet I learned from his experience what it was that was missing.

The testimonies we’d heard from all the other missionaries went something like this: "I’m grateful to be in the mission field. I’ve learned a lot from it. I have a fine companion. I’ve learned a lot from him. I’m grateful for my parents. We had an interesting experience last week. We were out knocking on doors and ..." ...

... Then the missionary would relate an experience. His conclusion would be something like this: "I’m grateful to be in the mission field. I have a testimony of the gospel." And he would conclude "in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen."

This young elder was different somehow. Anxious not to spend an extra second on his feet, he said simply, in hurried, frightened words, "I know that God lives. I know that Jesus is the Christ. I know that we have a prophet of God leading the Church. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen."

This was a testimony. It was not just an experience nor an expression of gratitude. It was a declaration, a witness! Most of the elders had said "I have a testimony," but they had not declared it. This young elder had, in a very few words, delivered his testimony–direct, basic, and, as it turned out, powerful. I then knew what was wrong in the mission. We were telling stories, expressing gratitude, admitting that we had testimonies, but we were not bearing them.

Elder John A. Widtsoe
Do Not Publicize Sacred Experiences
Improvement Era, Sept. 1940, pp. 545, 575

Revelations of divine manifestations for the comfort of individuals may be received by every worthy member of the Church. ... In their very nature they are sacred and should be so treated.

If a person who has received such a manifestation by dream, vision, or otherwise, feels impressed to relate it beyond his immediate family circle, he should present it to his bishop, but not beyond. The bishop, then, may decide upon its further use, if any, or may submit it to those of higher authority for action. The gift was a personal one; not for the Church as a whole; and the recipient is under obligation, in harmony with the established order, not to broadcast it over the Church.

It is [unwise] therefore, for those who have received such manifestations to send copies to others, to relate them by word of mouth in diverse places, and otherwise to scatter abroad a personal, sacred experience.

Elder Alvin R. Dyer
Crying is Not Necessarily a Sign of Sincerity or Spirituality
Unpublished address - Berlin, Germany, 25 Mar. 1961

You don’t have to cry about the gospel to have a testimony! Many times we think that we don’t have a testimony unless a few tears flow. Nothing could be further from the truth. It is not necessary or needful for a person to have tears streaming down their face to have a testimony of the gospel. ...

I know that there are occasions when our hearts are close to the surface, and tears come. ... But, I tell you, the serenity of the gospel of Jesus Christ does not depend upon emotionalism to bring forth a testimony. These things are firmly fixed under the power of the spirit. They don’t require a physical emotionalism to demonstrate testimony because they are born of a solid conviction by the power of truth! ...

I think we ought to bear our testimonies without tears, and stand strong and honorably before our fellow men and tell them the truth, born of the spirit that comes to us. Now, I know that isn’t always easy, and I know I have had to struggle many times to keep back the tears, and I don’t think we ought to fight that either. I hope you understand what I mean ...

Questions for Review

1) Pres. Packer told of a problem his mission experienced regarding testimonies. What was it? (Elder Boyd K. Packer #2)

2) How should one publicize a very powerful spiritual experience? (Elder John Widtsoe)

3) We can tell when a person is feeling the influence the Spirit of the Lord because of the tears that always flow when that happens. Right? (Elder Alvin R. Dyer)

Be prepared to present your understanding about this topic to your classmates, and see if you have additional questions to ask me.  I'll be glad to answer them.