The Cooper Life: July 2010

Monday, July 26, 2010

An uplifting night of blog-stalking...

Well, I am sitting at home sick as a dog... waiting for my husband to get home from work to take care of me... and blog-stalking people like crazy! During all this I ran across a blog with a few awesome quotes about building a testimony that made me want to read more. I stumbled across this full article put together by the Relief Society Presidency that made me smile and want to evaluate my own testimony! You can skip this article if you want... this is mostly for me so I can always have a quick way to refer back to this cool article. But... if you do decided to read it, I hope you love it as much as I did!

(PS - Please be patient with me... I have LOTS of fun updates and pictures on the way, I promise!! I just need to find my camera!)

DON'T REMINISCE

"It is not a travelogue."— President Spencer W. Kimball

DON'T GIVE A SPEECH

"A testimony is not an exhortation; a testimony is not a sermon, none of you are there to exhort the rest."

"The moment you begin preaching to others, your testimony ended."— President Spencer W. Kimball

DON'T BORROW OR RELY ON THE TESTIMONY OF OTHERS — FOR LONG

You will not be able to stand on borrowed light when you face hardship and temptation.— President Harold B. Lee

"I do not want men to come to me or my brethren for testimony as to the truth of this work; but let them take the scriptures of divine truth."— President Brigham Young

DON'T GO ON — AND ON

"It is amazing what you can say in 60 seconds by way of testimony, or 120, or 240, or whatever time you are given, if you confine yourselves to testimony."— President Spencer W. Kimball

DON'T JUST SIT THERE

"You possess a testimony; share it. Never underestimate the far-reaching influence of your testimony."— President Thomas S. Monson

"Oh, if I could teach you this one principle, a testimony is to be found in the bearing of it."— President Boyd K. Packer

DON'T GO ALL LILY-LIVERED WHEN YOU STAND TO TESTIFY

"Some of us are naturally reserved and timid about bearing our testimony with words. Perhaps we should not be so timid."— President James E. Faust

THERE ARE FOUR ABSOLUTES ABOUT WHICH IT IS ALWAYS APPROPRIATE TO TESTIFY:

The first is that Jesus is the Christ, the Savior, the Mediator and Redeemer of the world.

The second is that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God.

The third is that all of the Presidents of the Church since Joseph Smith have been successors in that power and authority.

The fourth is that President (Thomas S. Monson) is the only prophet of God upon the earth, holding all of the keys, powers, and authorities of the Church in the earth today.— President James E. Faust

DO BE SIMPLE

"The bearing of a testimony is akin to a declaration of love. Romantics, poets and couples in love ... have sought more impressive ways of saying, singing or writing it. ... And when all is said and done, the declaration which is most powerful is the simple, three-word variety. To one who is honestly seeking, the testimony borne in these simple phrases is enough, for it is the spirit that beareth record, not the words."— President Boyd K. Packer

DO NOURISH YOUR TESTIMONY

"Testimony is as elusive as a moonbeam; it's as fragile as an orchid; you have to recapture it every morning of your life."— President Harold B. Lee

"You have to fight for a testimony. You have to keep fighting!"— President Spencer W. Kimball

AND REMEMBER:

"If you are bored at a testimony meeting, there is something the matter with you, and not the other people."— President Spencer W. Kimball

"A testimony is not thrust upon you; a testimony grows. ... Let it grow, help it grow, but do not force it or you will open the way to be misled."— President Boyd K. Packer