One’s testimony of the Church and the gospel of Jesus Christ is not a static thing.  It can grow or fail, depending on how one nurtures it.  The following is a reflection on the nature of testimony, written by Aaron.  At the time Aaron wrote this, he was a student at the BYU Jerusalem Center for Near Eastern Studies:

A remarkable feat of engineering is the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California, U.S.A. The bridge was part of an initiative to alleviate ferry traffic and make the flow of people and materials easier to get around the San Francisco area. It was first opened in 1937, and at the time was the largest suspension bridge in the world, measuring 2.7 kilometers.. It was painted a beautiful vermillion orange to enhance its visibility in the fog as well as protect it from the high salt content in the air. Festivals commemorating the opening lasted for 7 days with speeches from city leaders, music, dancing, and parades.

For the next 30 years this architectural achievement, which became a symbol of the city, stood virtually untouched. By 1968 it was clear that the bridge was suffering from massive amounts of corrosion. A program was put into effect to completely repaint the structure. Since that time a permanent crew of 17 iron workers and 38 painters work continuously to stop the corrosion and maintain the integrity of the bridge. Without this constant maintenance, it is most certain that this structure would succumb to the corrosive salt, powerful winds, and the constant pull of gravity.

In many ways the Golden Gate Bridge is analogous to our testimonies. It takes a great deal of time, effort, and patience to build a testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and if one is not careful in protecting it from corrosive elements, it will fall.

Building our Testimonies

It was not a simple task to create the Golden Gate Bridge. Likewise our testimonies are often built in pieces. Elder Richard G. Scott, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, said, “Testimony is the very essence of character woven from threads born of countless correct decisions. Those choices are made with trusting faith in things that are believed and, at least initially, are not seen.”

It is an interesting thing that we obey because we have a testimony, but to gain a testimony we must obey. It is for this reason that Mormon missionaries are directed to give require commitments of those who investigate The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This is the most effective method of conversion, because it brings people out of the world. They themselves must make the choice to believe, to follow the promptings of the holy spirit and the direction of the missionaries. They must choose to enter into the cycle of obeying and building a testimony — building a testimony and obeying the commandments of God.

In my life this has very much been the case. I cannot think of a time I gained elements of my testimony without first obeying. I can remember the specific time of day, and who was there when I received a strong witness that keeping the Sabbath day holy was a true commandment. I was thirteen and sitting in the back seat of our family car as we were driving to visit my older brother and his family. As we were driving, I looked out the window and saw all the people shopping, working, and going about their daily lives. I mentioned to my mother up front that I was glad we as a family and church set aside Sunday as a special day of worship. My mother turned to me and said, “that is because you have a testimony of that gospel principle”. I remember having a unique feeling of peace in that car as the Holy Ghost witnessed to me that it was true, that the law of the Sabbath is a commandment from God. If I didn’t have a testimony before, I most certainly did after that car ride. Since that day, I have come to obey the law of the Sabbath, not because it was a family tradition, but because I had felt that confirmation from God through the Holy Ghost, that I should obey.

Elder John K. Carmack, of the First Quorum of the Seventy of the Mormon Church, explained the principle of obeying and receiving this way in a talk given in 1988: “When I declare that I know this gospel is true, that Christ lives, and that Ezra Taft Benson is God’s prophet, I am saying, in effect, that doing and serving have brought me the conviction that this work is true.”

I love it. I love that gaining a testimony is that simple. We simply obey and receive. Anyone can do that!

Growing up I always felt that the Church was true. I felt like I had a fairly normal upbringing. I went to LDS seminary and church meetings. I read the Book of Mormon and felt excited to serve a mission. When I got into the Missionary Training Center, however, I felt overwhelmed. As I was learning about the doctrines that I would be teaching the next two years (the Atonement of Jesus Christ, Restoration of the gospel through the Prophet Joseph Smith, and commandments of God) I began to worry. I was worried that my testimony would not be strong enough to bring the spirit to those I would be teaching. I began to pray and fast that I would be blessed with a strong testimony to teach from. As I prayed one evening, I received the feeling that I had been given enough and needed to just press forward. That was not the answer I wanted or expected. However, I continued to work hard in my studies at the MTC and pray with faith. Toward the end of my stay, I was in the celestial room of the Provo Utah Temple. As I was praying, I looked up and saw the painting of the Savior. At that moment I felt an overwhelming love for the Savior and his Atonement. At that moment it felt so real to me! I felt that I was not just one of billions of God’s children but that I was an individual whom God loved and cared for deeply. I often would reflect on that powerful spiritual experience as I would testify to those whom I was teaching. God did answer my prayer.

Maintaining a Testimony

Just like the Golden Gate Bridge, if a person leaves his or her testimony untouched, it will rust, deteriorate, and become useless in the moment the person needs it the most.

Instead of focusing on how to maintain a testimony, let’s look at it from the other side, that is, how to destroy a testimony. Elder Charles Didier of the Quorum of the Seventy gives an easy-to-follow 6 step program:

“Do not pray: the door to revelation will be closed. Do not be humble but listen to your own superior voice. Do not participate in the ordinances of the gospel, but follow the practices of the world. Do not follow Church leaders but be critical of them. Do not listen to the prophets and follow their counsel but interpret their declarations according to your own desires. Do not obey the commandments but live according to your own appetites and desires.”

It is not coincidence that the process of gaining a testimony is the same process of maintaining one. So perhaps my analogy of a testimony being like the Golden Gate Bridge is not perfect, since we are never done building our testimony and thus maintaining our testimonies. Elder Carmack of the Seventy explains in his conference address “I have a whole box of unanswered questions, none of them threatening to my testimony. New questions enter that box regularly. Others come out of the box, yielding to both study and experience.”

If a General Authority has unanswered questions that he works on through study and experience, then I for sure have unanswered questions that I need to work on! The Lord promises that someday those who keep His commandments will know all things:

For thus saith the Lord—I, the Lord, am merciful and gracious unto those who fear me, and delight to honor those who serve me in righteousness and in truth unto the end. Great shall be their reward and eternal shall be their glory. And to them will I reveal all mysteries, yea, all the hidden mysteries of my kingdom from days of old, and for ages to come, will I make known unto them the good pleasure of my will concerning all things pertaining to my kingdom. Yea, even the wonders of eternity shall they know, and things to come will I show them, even the things of many generations (Doctrine and Covenants 76:5 – 8).

It is my hope that I will continually be building and maintaining a strong testimony that will become the anchor of my life. Something that will help me and those around me come closer to God, and be the sustaining force of a successful life.  This is my wish for every member of the Church, especially new converts.

This article has been used on the following website: http://www.meetmormonmissionaries.org/833/growing-and-maintaining-a-testimony

The [block]0[/block] and You

The modern Church of Christ exists to help you and your family draw closer to God through ordinances such as baptism and the sacrament and through support and activities in the local congregations.  The threefold mission of the Church centers on drawing all people closer to Christ:

• Perfect the Saints
  • A saint is a member of the Church, meaning one who has or will be sanctified (made a saint) by Jesus Christ; perfecting the saints means working to help every member establish a closer relationship to God through service and fellowship.
• Proclaim the Gospel
  • The Mormon Church does this through missionary work, which includes over 55,000 missionaries in over 160 different countries.
• Redeem the Dead
  • This is done through genealogy and temple work

Perfecting the Saints:

Time, Talents, and Service

Each of us has a duty to “work out [our] own salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12).  We need to be improving ourselves through education and service toward others.  Jesus Christ taught the importance of this when he taught the parable of the talents (See Matthew 25:14-30).  In that parable, a man representing the Lord gives talents, an ancient form of money, to his servants when he leaves to go into another country.  To one he gives 5, to another 2, and to the last 1.  Each person has at least one talent according to his ability.  When the Lord returns, those with 5 and 2 have doubled their talents, while the servant with one hid his talent in the earth.  This story has been so influential that today we refer to a person’s special ability to do something as a talent.  The Lord blesses the first two, but curses the last.  We also should not hide our talents, but use them to bless others.

The Lord has blessed each of us with many things.  Some of us have great musical talent, others can teach.  Some of us are blessed with great wisdom or insight.  Others have a talent for serving others or sharing with them.  No one is without at least one talent which they can use to serve others. Whatever our talents and abilities are, we should strive to improve them and add others.  In the Mormon Church, everyone has the opportunity to serve.  After you are baptized, you will receive a calling.  A calling is an assignment or job in the Church.  Since the Mormon Church has a lay ministry, every position, from speaking in worship services to cleaning the chapel is done by the members.  Through callings we have opportunities to grow and serve.

Your bishop will invite you to take a calling.  Sometimes you may feel unqualified or unprepared, perhaps even scared, but remember that it is the Lord Jesus Christ who is calling you through the bishop and if you are humble and teachable, you will receive power through the Holy Ghost.  You can also ask people around you for help or advice.  Don’t be afraid to ask for help in a new calling if you do not know what to do.

Other ways that the Mormon Church can help you is through the home teaching and visiting teaching programs.  Every family in a congregation has two home teachers (priesthood holders) assigned to visit them once a month.  These are generally assigned by the elders’ quorum president and each set of home teachers is two men from the congregation who will visit the members’ homes, share spiritual messages, and ensure that all their spiritual and physical needs are met.  In this way, the Lord watches out for all His children.  Visiting teachers are women assigned by the Relief Society who visit all the adult women in the ward.  They take special care to help all the women and children of the congregation and also share spiritual messages.  You should be visited by your home and visiting teachers soon after joining the Mormon Church.  You can even ask who they are and introduce yourself to them at Church.

Proclaim the Gospel:

To the whole world

One of the last commandments that Jesus gave his disciples was, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen” (Matthew 28:19-20).  This message is still in force.  The Mormon Church sends missionaries out to nearly every country on the planet, but they cannot reach everyone.  It is our duty as members of Jesus Christ’s Church to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with others.

In the Doctrine and Covenants we read: “Behold, I sent you out to testify and warn the people, and it becometh every man who hath been warned to warn his neighbor” (Doctrine and Covenants 88:81).  Once you learn the truth, you should share it with friends and family.  This can be scary, but remember that it is the Lord’s message that you are sharing.  Just as you felt the Spirit when the missionaries or a friend shared the message of the restored Gospel with you, so others can feel that joy and peace when they hear it.

What can I do?

There is a lot you can do!  When friends and family notice the great change that has come into your life because of the Gospel, you can share with them your experiences and feelings about it.  You can give them copies of the Book of Mormon and highlight passages that have special meaning to you.  In the front of the book you can write your testimony of the truthfulness of this message.  Invite friends to Church meetings or activities with you.  Maybe someone would not feel comfortable going to worship services, but they might feel comfortable going to a Mormon Church picnic or coming over to your home for a family home evening with your family.  One of the most important things you can do is invite your friends and family to your baptismal service.  Let them know how important this is to you.  At a baptismal service, they will have a wonderful chance to feel of the Spirit of the Lord.

Remember what the Apostle Paul said:

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek
(Romans 1:16).

Some may not understand your choice and may even oppose it, but you can and should stand your ground without offending your friends.  Let them know how important this is to you and how happy it has made you.  Your true friends will support you and will want to know why this is so important to you.

The Mormon Church has a place on its website where you can send videos or books to friends and family.  You can use this for those who live far away, but remember that a personal message from you would be even more special.

Redeem the Dead:

Genealogy and Family History

One of the most important duties we have as members of Christ’s Church is to redeem the dead.  This is one of the greatest acts of service that any of us can do.  Have you ever wondered about all those who died without ever having had a chance to hear about Jesus Christ?  Would it be fair if God denied them all His blessings just because they never knew about Him?  Modern prophets beginning with Joseph Smith have revealed how we can bring these blessings to our ancestors.

In the Holy Temples of the Mormon Church, we can be baptized on behalf of our ancestors who never learned about the Gospel.  This is called baptism for the dead (see also Temples and Temple work).  The first step we need to take is to find out who our ancestors were.  We can do this by talking to parents or older relatives to record what they remember about grandparents and aunts and uncles who lived before.  You can also do research in Family History Libraries which are found in many Mormon Churches.  Each library will have someone there who can help you find the records you need and will be able to give you advice about how to proceed.  The Mormon Church also has a website called Familysearch with tens of thousands of records.

Vicarious Work in the Holy Temple

After you have found the names, you can take them to the Mormon Temple.  The librarian in your family history library will help you do this.  In the temple you can be baptized on behalf of your deceased ancestors and have other ordinances performed for them that will give them all the blessings of the Gospel.

The Mission of the [block]0[/block]

The mission of the Mormon Church (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) is to bring all people to Christ by preaching faith and repentance followed by baptism in His name. The aim of everything that the Church does is to strengthen people spiritually and to help them develop deeper relationships with Jesus Christ.  To achieve this goal, the Mormon Church sends out thousands of missionaries every year, distributes copies of the Bible and the Book of Mormon for free, and invites everyone to attend services at the local Mormon chapel to learn more about the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

This mission has three areas of focus: strengthening the members of the Mormon Church in their faith, preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the world, and performing vicarious baptisms for those who died without having had a chance to learn about Jesus Christ and His Church.  This is called the three-fold mission of the Church.  Of this, President Gordon B. Hinckley, late Prophet, Seer, and Revelator to the Mormon Church said,

“[God] has given us a three-fold mission: first, the teaching of the restored gospel to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people; second, the building of the Saints in their faith and encouraging them in all of their activities to walk in obedience to the commandments of the Lord; and third, the great work of salvation for the dead. This vast mission contemplates all generations of mankind—those who have gone before, all who live upon the earth, and those who will yet be born. It is larger than any race or nation or generation. It encompasses all mankind. It is a cause without parallel. The fruits of its labors are everlasting in their consequences” (Gordon B. Hinckley, “He Slumbers not, nor sleeps,” Ensign, May 1983, 5).

Proclaim the Gospel
The responsibility to proclaim to the Gospel rests upon everyone who hears it.  The Doctrine and Covenants, which contains revelations given to modern prophets, says, “Behold, I sent you out to testify and warn the people, and it becometh every man who hath been warned to warn his neighbor” (Doctrine and Covenants 88:81).  Those who have been warned about the Second Coming and need for repentance, must share the Gospel.  Modern prophets have called for every person to share the message of the restored Gospel with his friends, family, and neighbors.  Joseph Smith, the Prophet, said that, “After all has been said, the greatest and most important duty is to preach the Gospel” (History of The Church 2:477, 478).

One way the Mormon Church fulfills this mission is by sending out thousands of missionaries every year.  These missionaries include young men and women who put their lives on hold to preach the message of Jesus Christ and His modern prophets at their own expense.  There are also retired couples who spend their later years preaching and ministering to others.  However, not only missionaries share the Gospel, but every member of the Church should take opportunities to share the gospel with others.  When you have been baptized and have become a member of the Mormon Church, God expects you share the message of joy and peace with others, especially family and neighbors.  Pray for opportunities to share the Gospel, and the message of the Book of Mormon, which is the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Perfect the Saints
President David O. MacKay, who was Prophet and President of the Mormon Church in the 1950s and 1960s said that “the purpose of the gospel is […] to make bad men good and good men better, and to change human nature” (Conference Report, October 1965, 136).  The way to improve people is to teach them the Gospel of Jesus Christ and help them develop faith in God, through whom they can accomplish everything they need to.

One of the many ways the Mormon Church works to perfect people is through callings. Since the Mormon Church has no professional clergy, every member participates in running the local congregations.  This covers everything from being a bishop or Sunday School teacher, to cleaning the chapels in preparation for Sunday worship services.  You should make sure that your Bishop gives you a calling right away.  Callings are a great opportunity for service and growth.  There are other opportunities for service in the Mormon Church, including Church sponsored activities to help the community, or to help a member of the congregation.

The Mormon Church also has Home and Visiting Teachers who visit each home every month to share Gospel messages and to ensure that every member has enough food, and sufficient opportunities for work or school.  There is also the temple, in which members perform sacred ordinances.  You should prepare to enter the temple within one year of your baptism.

Redeem the Dead
The final mission of the Mormon Church is to redeem the dead through ordinances (or ceremonies) in Mormon temples.  These Mormon temple ceremonies include baptism for the dead, through which those who died without a knowledge of Jesus Christ, or did not have an opportunity to be baptized, can receive baptism vicariously.  This is a great act of service on the part of those who perform the baptisms and a source of great spiritual blessings.

In order to redeem the dead, we must search after our ancestors.  The Prophet Malachi predicted:

Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:  And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse (Malachi 4:5-6).

This was literally fulfilled in April 1836, when Elijah the prophet appeared to Joseph Smith in Kirtland, Ohio.  (See Doctrine and Covenants 110:13-16.) The hearts of the children have turned to their fathers, meaning that children should search after their ancestors through genealogical and family history work.  Through genealogy we discover our ancestors who died without a knowledge of the fullness of the Gospel.  We can submit those names to the Temple and someone, hopefully you, will be baptized on their behalf given them the full opportunity to obtain salvation.

See Familiysearch, to begin locating your lost ancestors, or visit a family history library at your local Mormon chapel.