A Word on Testimony

I just lost two hours of work due to my daughter messing with the computer… (Windows Live Writer should backup like MS Word does!). I am trying to be patient, it is hard… anyway, this reminds me of a story my dad told me when I was a kid. A man had been writing a book in the day when you did that with an ink pen. The man had a dog. When he finished writing the book, the man was really excited and told the dog. The dog got really excited and jumped on the table where the ink bottle was, the ink fell on top of the freshly written manuscript. The man looked at the table, cleaned it, threw the ruined pages away, got a set of new blank pages, and started writing again.

The bishop asked us to instruct our quorums on testimony. This lesson is based on a few talks.

Pure Testimony (M. Russell Ballard)
Testimony (Gordon B. Hinckley)
The Power of a Strong Testimony (Richard G. Scott)

What is testimony?

Bruce R. McConkie says that “A testimony of the gospel is the sure knowledge received by revelation from the Holy Ghost, of the divinity of the great latter-day work. […] Logic and reason lead truth seekers along the pat to a testimony, and they are aids in strengthening the revealed assurances of which a testimony is composed. But the actual sure knowledge which constitutes the testimony of Jesus  must come by the spirit of prophecy”

Since testimony is received by revelation, we usually feel something to be true. The promptings of the Holy Ghost are usually a “still small voice” (1 Kings 19:11-12) and not a bombastic event.

As Gordon B. Hinckley said:
“This thing which we call testimony is the great strength of the Church. It is the wellspring of faith and activity. It is difficult to explain. It is difficult to quantify. It is an elusive and mysterious thing, and yet it is as real and powerful as any force on the earth. The Lord described it when He spoke to Nicodemus and said, “The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit” (John 3:8). This thing which we call testimony is difficult to define, but its fruits are plainly evident. It is the Holy Spirit testifying through us.”

How do we gain a testimony?

President Hinckley said “We grow in faith and knowledge as we serve, as we study, as we pray.”

Moroni taught, “Faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.” (Ether 12:6)

Sometimes we have to have faith before we receive personal revelation. Sometimes we don’t receive a witness until we are committed. One example that I like to share is when I was a young man, trying to decide if I should go on a two year mission.  I had a full scholarship at well respected college here in the United States, I had a group of friends, and I was really enjoying my education. I was also pretty sure that if I continued my studies there I would end up landing a good job. During that first year of college, I felt that I had to “leave everything behind” and go on a mission. I struggled making this decision – and I was not fully convinced that was what I wanted to do – life was good.

Sometimes I would ask if I should go on my mission, and I would not receive a clear answer. It was not until I decided that I was really willing to put everything upon the altar that I received an answer to my prayer. You see I had to be willing to leave everything behind and then I received a testimony of what was the right thing to do. It does not mean that I necessarily wanted to leave everything, actually it was hard to leave the school  -- did I mention I got food for free at the college? :-) . Even though it was still a bit hard, I knew Heavenly Father’s will, and I knew that I was committed to follow His will.

Over time, it turned out that I enjoyed my mission, and that in the grand scheme of things, I gained a lot more than what I left. Let’s just say that the Lord works in mysterious ways.

Elder Richard G. Scott said:

Your testimony will be fortified as you exercise faith in Jesus Christ, in His teachings, and in His limitless power to accomplish what He has promised.² The key words are “exercise faith.” True faith has enormous power, but there are principles that must be followed to unleash that power. Moroni taught, “Faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.”³ That means you must practice the truth or principle you have faith in. As you live it consistently, there will come a witness of its truthfulness through the power of the Holy Ghost. It is often a feeling of peace. It could be a stirring within you. It might be evidenced by opening doors to other truths. As you patiently look for a confirmation, it will come. Recognize that the Lord will give you the capacity to understand and prove through personal experience the truthfulness of His teachings. He will confirm the certainty that His laws will produce the promised results when obeyed willingly and consistently.

A powerful testimony distills from quiet moments of prayer and pondering as you recognize the impressions that will accompany such effort. Humble, trusting prayer brings consolation, solace, comfort, direction, and peace the unworthy can never know.

Some truths regarding prayer may help you. The Lord will hear your prayers in time of need. He will invariably answer them. However, His answers will generally not come while you are on your knees praying, even when you may plead for an immediate response. There is a pattern that must be followed. You are asked to look for an answer to your prayers, then confirm that it is correct.⁴ Obey His counsel to “study it out in your mind.”⁵ Often you will think of a solution. Then seek confirmation that your answer is right. This help can come from prayer and from pondering the scriptures, at times by the intervention of others,⁶ or from your own capacity, through the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

At times the Lord will want you to proceed with trust before you receive a confirming answer. His answer generally comes as packets of help. As each piece is followed in faith, it will unite with others to give you the whole answer. This pattern requires the exercise of faith. While sometimes very hard, it results in significant personal growth. At times the Lord will give you an answer before you ask. This occurs when you are unaware of a danger or may be doing the wrong thing, trusting that it is correct.

 

What should we have a testimony of?

I think there are a few fundamental principles that we should seek a testimony of:

1. The nature of God as our Heavenly Father and our divine potential as His children.
2. The role of Jesus Christ as our Savior and Redeemer.
3. Heavenly Father’s plan for us. (Sometimes we refer to it as The plan of Happiness)
4. The first principles and ordinances of the gospel: Faith, Repentance, Baptism and the Gift of the Holy Ghost.
5. The Restoration of the Gospel in our day and the importance of Prophets to lead the Church. This includes a testimony of the Book of Mormon, and the restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ through the prophet Joseph Smith.
6. We can receive a testimony of the importance of the commandments Heavenly Father gives us. 

In my personal opinion, these are the most important concepts we should seek a testimony for – simply because other things will fall in place once we have a testimony of these.

Sometimes people, in their desire to find common ground and amiability, prefer to not be very bold about their beliefs – and say that everyone is right in their beliefs. While we should be tolerant and respectful of other’s beliefs, our beliefs should be clear and our testimony well founded. For instance Christ is either the Savior of the world or He is not. The Book of Mormon is either a true book of revelation or it is not. We are either children of our Heavenly Father or we are not. We should seek for truth.

I am of the idea that we should not impose our beliefs on anyone, including our children. Instead it is our responsibility to guide them to search for truth, almost to struggle in finding truth – because it is then that they will gain their own testimony. But once it is gained, that sure knowledge cannot be easily removed from ones heart.

Sharing our Testimony

The first Sunday of the month we usually we have a “Fast and Testimony” meeting, meaning that we have a chance to share our testimony with the congregation. There are a few thing we must note.

Sharing our testimony is not simply stating what we are thankful for. There are many times when we take the opportunity to thanks others in the congregation for their support and/or even to describe the blessings we receive from our Heavenly Father. While those are nice heart warming stories, they do not constitute a testimony.

We should keep our testimonies brief during sacrament meeting. Our ward has over 900 people in record, and over 300 active. If we take 20 minutes to share our testimony, we may be taking the opportunity from others to share their testimony.

Also, our testimonies don’t need to be very elaborate. They can be simple. At the heart of it, you should ask yourself questions like: How do I know that I am child of my Heavenly Father? How do I know that Christ is my Savior? Do I really believe it? Why do I believe the Book of Mormon to be true? It is understandable that each us arrived at the answers to those questions in different ways. For some it may be a short experience, for some it may be a life long quest. If the time is not sufficient to share your experience – or if the experience is very personal – just state what you believe in, that is enough.

The most important sharing of our testimony usually should not happen at Church. In my experience, the most significant experiences when I have shared or listened to a testimony has happened at home, while I was talking to a friend or relative, or while sharing my beliefs with someone that wants to learn more about it.

We should look for opportunities to share our testimony with our children – but most importantly we should remember that our testimony is what drives our actions. And actions speak louder than words.

I give you my testimony that we are all children of a loving Heavenly Father. I know that this life is but a tiny spot in a long eternal plan that our Father has for us. He wants us to learn, He wants us to be happy. We are not perfect, we will fall short at times. He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to help us. I know that Christ is our Savior and Redeemer. As I shared with you in the last few paragraphs, He has provided a way for us to receive personal revelation, and become witnesses and part of His labor of love. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

I am’ Luis and I am a Mormon

By Small and Simple Things are Great Things Brought to Pass (Alma 37:6-7)

We had the missionaries for dinner, and I was thinking about what to teach on tomorrow. After listening to them talk, I felt inspired to teach on the blessings and advantages of living a simple life.

Our high priest group is a great group of men, ranging from young parents like me, all the way to grandfathers, and great-grandfathers. I think most of us try to do our best to lead our lives in a way where we can do our best. That said, our lives are full of obligations and roles. We take care of our children and teach the young and old. When one of them is not following the right path, we suffer their encounter with the consequences of their action. We are husbands who want to provide our wives a good friend, time and a the means to support our homes. We are employees, and want to provide our employers fair labor in exchange for our salary. Those are just some of the ways we spend our time, then there are hundreds of other items in our TO DO lists, including callings and responsibilities at church, service in the community, sports and recreational activities, education and training,  physical maintenance of our homes, etcetera.

Dieter F. Uchtdorf, who was an airplane pilot, compares our navigation through modern life to a flight (“Of things that matter most”, Oct. 2010). Sometimes in life we go through turbulence,  and it is bit disconcerting as our plane all of a sudden doesn’t feel so stable. Elder Uchtdorf explains that an experienced pilot know that there is an optimal speed at which you must enter turbulence. A lot of the time, that means reducing our speed. In life, we often need to do the same.

That may need to be counterintuitive, as what we usually do is push down the accelerator. If you are analytical like me, you are very tempted to write a long list with all items you need to do, prioritize them based on urgency, make them fit in the calendar and then start running.

But maybe we can be a bit wiser.

Here are 4 things that we can do to simplify our lives, or as Leonardo Da Vinci said “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication”

Learn from nature.
My grandfather was a farmer. I was a city boy. He woke up at 4 or 5 AM every morning to milk his cows (earlier than I actually woke up when I went to visit him), worked hard during the day, and went early to bed. His example taught me the value of work. At the same time, he had a positive cool attitude to life. One time when I was in the fields helping him one evening, I remember a warm day, a sunset, and a breeze of moist air as it was about to rain. There was just something special about being out there that I did not experience in my city life.

I think that was a lesson, Christ himself shared explicitly with us (Matthew 6:28-34)

And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:

And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

I think Christ is not telling us not to worry at all about our work, or to be foolish and not plan for our future. I think he is telling us to take it easy, to work hard but, with a positive, faithful attitude – to put God first in our lives,

Focus on what matters most.
Elder Uchtdorf breaks these into: Our relationship with God, our relationship with our family, our relationship with our fellowman and our relationship with ourselves.

Are we in harmony with God? Do we have quality time with our family members?

How do you ensure you focus on what matters most? How can you get to have a quality conversation with your children? My kids are still young, so I don’t find it that complicated to get their attention as they generally don’t mind spending time with you. I imagine that as they age, and have more activities and “stuff going on” it becomes more challenging. For now, I enjoy putting them to sleep and talking with them for a few minutes before they go to bed. Also, I am trying to have a bit more 1:1 time with them as opposed to just spending time with both of them at the same time. That makes it easier to focus on them, and teach them at their level of comprehension.

Our wives need 1 on 1 time as well. That one is more challenging when you have small children, as that requires finding a baby-sitter. Going to the temple and going to the movies are some things we do as a couple when we get a baby sitter. That said, in retrospect, maybe doing something that allows more interaction may be better (i.e a dinner), or just going for a walk. Even grocery shopping can take a completely different perspective when there are no kids around. Either way, 1:1 time with your eternal companion is crucial.

Family home evening is a great time to spend with all the members of the family, share our testimonies, play together, and enjoy a more structured time when we can teach the members of the family. One thing I noticed is that in family home evening, children learn a lot because they get to participate in the teaching process.

Work? Work takes a significant amount of time. That’s how we provide for our families, that’s mostly how we contribute to the society we live in. We create services and products that benefit the human race. And we need to be honest in our dealing with our employer. Ever since the pioneers, hard work has permeated our religion. I was talking to the missionaries today, and remembered our schedule as missionaries. Complete focus work for 16 hours+ every day for 2 years, with no vacation. We are definitely taught to work hard, and we should! That said, we should do it with the right spirit – we should do it with love for our customers, we should do it because we serve others that way. Also, we should not forget our families and Heavenly Father. Sometimes we may need to choose between family and work advancement. Although, I think those should not be common positions to be in, if we work smart – they definitely come. Those decisions should be made with prayerful consideration, discussing with those involved (usually our wife and our children) and  with an understanding of our goal, and the time of the commitment.

When we work, we should treat our fellow beings (coworkers) with respect, and appreciation. They are our brothers and sisters, even if they don’t agree with us or the principles we live by. The principles of compassion, charity, love, humility and kindness can be shared with anyone, and sometimes we don’t have to utter a word to put those principles to practice.

The gospel is simple
When I served in Houston, I had the chance to teach many with little formal education. That doesn’t mean that they were not educated. They definitely understood the principles of the gospel deep in their heart. I have heard prayers with deep humility with very simple words. I have seen very simple acts of kindness that touch others. Some of my friends in Houston live simple lives where they just do what is right, even if some of them hardly know how to read.

Sometimes we complicate things a bit. But we are asked to master the basic principles: Faith and Repentance. We are told to develop a relationship with our Heavenly Father, and His Son. We can learn all we want about History of the Church (and we will surely learn a lot there), or get into polemic debates to which we don’t have a full understanding – but that is not what will save us. The two basic principles are Faith and Repentance. They will lead us to the saving ordinance that we need.

And behold, he that is faithful shall be made ruler over many things.

And again, I will give unto you a pattern in all things, that ye may not be deceived; for Satan is abroad in the land, and he goeth forth deceiving the nations—

Wherefore he that prayeth, whose spirit is contrite, the same is accepted of me if he obey mine ordinances.

(D&C 52: 13-15)

Let us follow the simple patterns of the Lord. Let’s be like the drip irrigation. That simple, they just drop a constant drop, but they are constant, and they are the source of water to beautiful fields. (http://lds.org/church/news/elder-david-a-bednar-teaches-about-the-spiritual-pattern-of-small-and-simple-things?lang=eng)

 

A word on Leadership, Assignments and the Blessings of Service.

 

James E. Faust relates:

“A year or so ago I sat in an elders quorum meeting. The members of the presidency were fine, capable young men; but when they got around to sharing the quorum responsibilities and getting the work done, they limited it to those who were present and who would volunteer. Not one assignment was given.

One of the first principles we must keep in mind is that the work of the Lord goes forward through assignments. Leaders receive and give assignments. This is an important part of the necessary principle of delegating. No one appreciates a willing volunteer more than I, but the total work cannot be done as the Lord wants it done merely by those doing the work who may be present at meetings. I have often wondered what the earth would look like if the Lord in the Creation had left the work to be done only by volunteers.

If we look upon fulfilling of assignments as building the kingdom of God and as being an opportunity as well as a privilege and an honor, then assignments and challenges should certainly be given to every member of the quorum. Such involvement should include, with appropriate wisdom and discretion, those who perhaps need them the most—the inactive and the partially active brethren. Assignments always should be given with the greatest love, consideration, and kindness. Those asked to respond should be treated with respect and appreciation.” (http://lds.org/ensign/1980/11/these-i-will-make-my-leaders)

In my quorum, we have fallen into this pattern. Not because the quorum members are not willing to accept the assignments – simply because we have not been really assigning that much – and simply asking for volunteers. We are hoping to change that this year. It has taken a bit of effort to create an assignment schedule, but I feel that is the right thing to do, and know that things will work out.

There are a few benefits of making assignments (the right way):

* The ability to plan well ahead of time. It is almost not fair to the members of the quorum to ask them for help the next day or the next Saturday with a 3 or 4 hr. assignment. Sometimes they had planned some activity with their family, but because they are good and willing people, they accept the opportunity to serve others. If they know ahead of time, they can work the right service opportunity into their schedule.

* Give the opportunity to all the members of the quorum, and not only to those who are present in the meeting. A lot of the members of our high priest group have callings in different organizations so they cannot be present in class. And I know they would enjoy and benefit from some of the opportunities of service we get throughout the year.

* The quorum is a unit of service. This is something that I first realized when I was on my mission. When we met for our district or zone leader we had a chance to meet after serving all week. It was a moment to rejoice in the work we had done the previous week, get some training, and plan the following week. It was not until I understood the price of being part of the quorum (the hard work done by full time missionaries) that I was able to understand the meaning and the value of our quorum. The hard work we were doing, helped us understand that we were valuable members of an important group of individuals.

Elder Faust continues:
“Ever since I was first in Egypt in World War II, I have been interested in ancient ruins. There is a fascination in observing why some columns still stand and others have toppled over. Very frequently those still standing do so because they bear a weight on top. There is, I believe, a parallel principle in leadership. Those who stand faithful to their priesthood are often those who bear some weight of responsibility. Those involved are those most likely to be committed. So a successful quorum leader will want all of those in his quorum to have an opportunity to serve with some kind of calling appropriate to the circumstances.”

So it extremely important to assign people instead of asking for volunteers, but it is also super important to ensure that when making assignment, assignments are made appropriately:

1. Assignments should be done in a respectful manner. I tell my children to say “please”, that is a lesson for their lifetime.

William G. Dyer mentions in one of his talks:

Dr. Rensis Likert, formerly of the University of Michigan, has stated that a fundamental condition of an effective organization is the degree to which it conforms to […] the “principle of supportive relationships.”[…]:

“The leadership and other processes of the organization must be such as to ensure a maximum probability that in all interactions and in all relationships within the organization, each member, in the light of his background, values, desires, and expectations, will view the experience as supportive and one which builds and maintains his sense of personal worth and importance.” (Rensis Likert, The Human Organization (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1967), p. 47.)(http://lds.org/ensign/1972/08/personal-concern-a-principle-of-leadership)

It is indispensible that each member is an organization (whether it be work or church or any other organization) feels respected, valued, and supported. At church, the work is done by volunteers, or people who are asked to do something (an assignment), and they do it of their own free will and choice. Whenever making assignment we should do it in a manner conducive to the companionship of the Holy Ghost.

We should also support the individual fulfilling the assignment, the individual should:

1. know exactly what they need to do (be super specific), and 
2. have the resources necessary to successfully fulfill the assignment. (usually just knowing whom to contact in case of questions makes a big difference)

Assignments are done to help each of us grow. Sometimes we thing that the actual task is more important than the process of going through the assignment. Why would we have lawyers and doctors come and help us clean the church building, wouldn’t it be more convenient if they just helped pay for a janitor to come clean it? That’s not the point, the point is that we all grow by helping clean the church building – we grow in the process. We are not created for the assignment, the assignment is created for us.

Since it is so important for each of us to complete an assignment, or a series of assignments successfully, it is  of utmost importance that we as leaders learn to follow up on assignments.

We follow up to:

1. Ensure that the immediate needs of the assignment got met. (did the building get clean? Did Sister X get the assistance she needed?)
2. Reflect on the assignment. How did it go? How could have things gone better?
3. Thank the individual fulfilling the assignment. After all he spent 3 hours of his own time, a word of gratitude goes a long way.
4. If the person that was supposed to complete the assignment did not do it for any reason, we should not be negative (Most people feel already bad enough that they did not succeed), we should instead focus on finding ways to help the person succeed. Instead of saying/thinking I will not assign brother Y to complete this assignment anymore, we should think: How can I help brother Y get to the finish line? Should I go with him next time? Did he have the resources he needed? Is there some area where I can help him? Does he need any training? Does he have the time for this assignment? Maybe we should find an assignment that better adapts to the needs of brother Y?

In his talk, Elder Faust says “In essence, the contract between the bearer of the priesthood and the Lord is this: If you abide by the law of the priesthood, every blessing within my power to give will be granted you, even to become as I am (see D&C 84:33–39).”

It is our responsibility as leaders to instruct others and help them do the best in their assignments and get to put the priesthood to practice, so that they can become like our Heavenly Father.

“Have I not commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.” (Josh. 1:9.)

Having an assignment is like having a calling… it can be scary, but if the assignment is done by inspiration, the assignment is an opportunity for each of us to grow and to be qualified by the Lord.

-Luis Cabrera

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Related scriptures and/or quotes:

“Have I not commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.” (Josh. 1:9.)

“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” (2 Tim. 1:6–7.)

“O, Lord, I am a man of stammering tongue, and altogether unfit for such a work; how can I go to preach in that land, which is so famed throughout Christendom for learning, knowledge and piety; the nursery of religion; and to a people whose intelligence is proverbial!” (Quoted by Orson F. Whitney, Life of Heber C. Kimball,‍ Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1945, p. 104.) … and of course Heber C. Kimball was a great missionary in England.

“11 And Moses said unto God, Who am‍ I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?” (Exodos 3:11)

* D&C 121:40-44

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* The story of the mute missionary that came with me down to Houston.

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Questions.

1. Experiences being overwhelmed by a calling or assignment. How did things turn out? What Christian attributes did you develop?

2. You have more experience than me in leadership principles. Examples of good leaders and how they practiced some of the following principles
a. Assignments. clear and well planned.
b. Concern for others.
c. Following up.
d. Asking people with love, not because of their position.
e. Humility