Bearing Testimony

"This I know of myself, independent of any other person." 

Every week we bear testimony of the truths we have just taught to our classes. Bearing Testimony is unquestionably one of the most important things we do each Sunday as we teach the youth, adults, investigators and fellow members. Anyone older than 40 remembers one of our most remarkable apostles: Bruce R. McConkie. Known (by some) more for "ripping" doctrinal discourses than for sentimental anecdotes, his last testimony, just days before he passed away, was particularly memorable. In fact, it is unique in being a 12 minute long testimony rather than a traditional Church talk. I can almost hear his voice now, where he said, near the end:

"And now, as pertaining to this perfect atonement, wrought by the shedding of the blood of God—I testify that it took place in Gethsemane and at Golgotha, and as pertaining to Jesus Christ, I testify that he is the Son of the Living God and was crucified for the sins of the world. He is our Lord, our God, and our King. This I know of myself independent of any other person.

I am one of his witnesses, and in a coming day I shall feel the nail marks in his hands and in his feet and shall wet his feet with my tears.

But I shall not know any better then than I know now that he is God’s Almighty Son, that he is our Savior and Redeemer, and that salvation comes in and through his atoning blood and in no other way." Bruce R. McConkie, GC April 1985.

As a young missionary, this talk had a profound impact on me and my testimony of the Savior. One result was the desire to study others' testimonies, thereby growing my own. In my studies, I came across several "model" testimonies in the scriptures. I have often used the utterance of Alma the younger to teach investigators about what a testimony feels like, how it's obtained, and our obligation to share it:

And this is not all. Do ye not suppose that I know of these things myself? Behold, I testify unto you that I do know that these things whereof I have spoken are true. And how do ye suppose that I know of their surety?

Behold, I say unto you they are made known unto me by the Holy Spirit of God. Behold, I have fasted and prayed many days that I might know these things of myself. And now I do know of myself that they are true; for the Lord God hath made them manifest unto me by his Holy Spirit; and this is the spirit of revelation which is in me. (Alma 5:45-46)

The context: Alma both bears a thunderous testimony and teaches the "less active" church members at Zarahemla to remember their own dimmed witnesses by his own example.

The model: In just two verses, Alma tells us that he knows, tells us how he knows it, and finally tells us what he did to get that knowledge.

The takeaway: Less can often be more. But going beyond this -- I recall on my mission when the Branch President in Dublin, where I was serving at the time, remarked as he conducted a fast and testimony meeting, that for the longest time after he joined the Church he thought that a "testimony" was half testing and half moaning by what he had heard in the Church! It's classic Irish wit, but also very true. So-called Travelmonies, or Thankamonies are often heard over the pulpit. I think they have their place within the context of a true testimony. But, unfortunately, sometimes what we hear is more testing and moaning, with little "testi-mony" in between.