Gaining A Powerful Testimony

Gaining Gaining A Powerful A Powerful Testimony:Testimony:

I’d Like to Share My…I’d Like to Share My…

TestimonyTestimony

TravelimonyTravelimony

PreachimonyPreachimony

Lovimony/ThankimonyLovimony/Thankimony

Elder Henry B. Elder Henry B. EyringEyring

((EnsignEnsign, Nov. 1996, , Nov. 1996, 32)32)

““Those who have prepared [to bear their Those who have prepared [to bear their testimony] won’t give sermons or testimony] won’t give sermons or exhortations or travel reports or try to exhortations or travel reports or try to entertain as they bear witness. Because entertain as they bear witness. Because they will have already expressed they will have already expressed appreciation to people privately, they will appreciation to people privately, they will have less need to do it publicly. Neither have less need to do it publicly. Neither will they feel a need to use eloquent will they feel a need to use eloquent language nor to go on at length.” language nor to go on at length.”

Why is so Important to Why is so Important to Gain a Testimony?Gain a Testimony?

PresidentPresidentHinckleyHinckley

((EnsignEnsign, Aug. 2000, , Aug. 2000, 3)3)

““There is nothing more important in There is nothing more important in all the world than to have in our all the world than to have in our hearts a testimony…of the reality of hearts a testimony…of the reality of God the Eternal Father and His Son, God the Eternal Father and His Son, the risen Lord, the Redeemer of the the risen Lord, the Redeemer of the world.”world.”

Revelation 12:11Revelation 12:11(Page 1577)(Page 1577)

Read this verse and look Read this verse and look for how the people for how the people overcame the devil.overcame the devil.

Elder Elder Richard G. ScottRichard G. Scott ((EnsignEnsign, Nov. 2001, , Nov. 2001,

87)87)““Your personal security and happinessYour personal security and happiness

depend upon the strength of your depend upon the strength of your

testimony.”testimony.”

Doctrine and Covenants Doctrine and Covenants 62:362:3

(Page 114)(Page 114)

Read this verse and look Read this verse and look for a blessing that comes for a blessing that comes from bearing testimony. from bearing testimony.

PresidentPresidentKimballKimball

((EnsignEnsign, Oct. 1977, , Oct. 1977, p. 5)p. 5)

““The Lord has told us that our sins will The Lord has told us that our sins will be forgiven more readily as we bring be forgiven more readily as we bring souls unto Christ and remain steadfast in souls unto Christ and remain steadfast in bearing testimony to the world, and bearing testimony to the world, and surely every one of us is looking for surely every one of us is looking for additional help in being forgiven of our additional help in being forgiven of our sins.”sins.”

Why Gain a Testimony?Why Gain a Testimony? There is nothing more important in all There is nothing more important in all

the world than for us to have a testimony the world than for us to have a testimony of the reality of God and Christ.of the reality of God and Christ.

Testimonies help us resist the power of Testimonies help us resist the power of the devil.the devil.

Our personal security and happiness Our personal security and happiness depend upon the strength of our depend upon the strength of our testimonies.testimonies.

Bearing testimony brings us additional Bearing testimony brings us additional help in obtaining forgiveness. help in obtaining forgiveness.

How Can I Gain How Can I Gain or Strengthenor Strengthen

my Testimony? my Testimony?

Gaining or Gaining or Strengthening Strengthening Your TestimonyYour Testimony

Live the gospel.Live the gospel. Study the scriptures and pray to the Study the scriptures and pray to the

Lord sincerely. Lord sincerely.

Share what you know with othersShare what you know with others

Read John 7:17 (Page 1338) and Read John 7:17 (Page 1338) and then fill in the blanks:then fill in the blanks:

If you _____ _____ ______ you will If you _____ _____ ______ you will ____ ____ _____ ____ ____ _____

Live the GospelLive the Gospel





If The Book of Mormon is If The Book of Mormon is True…True…

Then Joseph Smith was a prophet.

If Joseph Smith was a prophet…

Then the church he started is true.

If the church he started is true…

Then it is led by a true prophet today.

Moroni 10:4-5Moroni 10:4-5

““And when ye shall And when ye shall receive receive these things, I these things, I would exhort you that ye would would exhort you that ye would ask Godask God, the , the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall these things are not true; and if ye shall ask ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christhaving faith in Christ, he will manifest the , he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.Holy Ghost.

““And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.” know the truth of all things.”

President President HinckleyHinckley

((EnsignEnsign, June 1988, , June 1988,

p. 6).p. 6). Without reservation I promise you Without reservation I promise you

that if you will prayerfully read that if you will prayerfully read the Book of Mormon, regardless the Book of Mormon, regardless

of how many times you previously of how many times you previously have read it…there will come [to have read it…there will come [to you] a stronger testimony of the you] a stronger testimony of the living reality of the Son of God.living reality of the Son of God.





Elder Robert D. Elder Robert D. HalesHales

((EnsignEnsign, Nov. 2003,), Nov. 2003,)

““There is no greater way to There is no greater way to strengthen our own testimony than strengthen our own testimony than

to share our witness of Him with the to share our witness of Him with the world.”world.”


Study the scriptures and pray to the Study the scriptures and pray to the Lord sincerely. Lord sincerely.

Live the gospel.Live the gospel.


Paper RipPaper Rip

Gaining a Testimony: Gaining a Testimony: There will be OppositionThere will be Opposition

Read Doctrine Read Doctrine and Covenants and Covenants 10:33 and look 10:33 and look for what the for what the devil wants to do devil wants to do with your with your testimony.testimony.

Read Doctrine and Covenants 76:79 and look for why the devil doesn’t want you to have a strong testimony.

Satan Will Try to Satan Will Try to Weaken Our Weaken Our TestimoniesTestimonies

He tries to get us to stop doing the He tries to get us to stop doing the things that strengthen our testimony things that strengthen our testimony

He tempts us.He tempts us. He tries to tell us that we don’t have He tries to tell us that we don’t have

a testimony.a testimony.

In Hebrews 10:35-36 (page In Hebrews 10:35-36 (page 1532) Paul gave advice to those 1532) Paul gave advice to those who are thinking about giving who are thinking about giving up on what they know to be up on what they know to be true. What is Paul’s advice?true. What is Paul’s advice?

Elder Jeffrey R. Elder Jeffrey R. HollandHolland

“Cast Not Away Your “Cast Not Away Your Confidence”Confidence”

http://speeches.byu.eduhttp://speeches.byu.edu

I wish to encourage every one of you I wish to encourage every one of you today regarding opposition that so today regarding opposition that so often comes often comes afterafter enlightened decisions enlightened decisions have been made, have been made, afterafter moments of moments of revelation and conviction have given us revelation and conviction have given us a peace and an assurance we thought a peace and an assurance we thought we would never lose…we would never lose…




Don't lose your confidence. Don't Don't lose your confidence. Don't forget how you once felt. Don't forget how you once felt. Don't distrust the experience you had…distrust the experience you had…Once there has been genuine Once there has been genuine illumination, beware the temptation illumination, beware the temptation to retreat from a good thing. to retreat from a good thing.




If it was right when you prayed about If it was right when you prayed about it…it is right now…After you have it…it is right now…After you have gotten the message, after you have paid gotten the message, after you have paid the price to feel his love and hear the the price to feel his love and hear the word of the Lord, "go forward." Don't word of the Lord, "go forward." Don't fear…With Paul, I say to all of you: Cast fear…With Paul, I say to all of you: Cast not away therefore your confidence. not away therefore your confidence.

Open Your Open Your Scriptures to Scriptures to

2 Timothy 1:7-82 Timothy 1:7-8(Page 1513)(Page 1513)

““God hath not given us the spirit of fear; God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound but of power, and of love, and of a sound

mind. Be not thou therefore ashamed mind. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord” of the testimony of our Lord”

(2 Tim. 1:7–8). (2 Tim. 1:7–8).


((EnsignEnsign, Feb. 1996, , Feb. 1996, 5)5)


((EnsignEnsign, Feb. 1996, , Feb. 1996, 5)5)

““I wish that every member of this church I wish that every member of this church would put those words where he might see would put those words where he might see them every morning as he begins his day. them every morning as he begins his day. They would give us the courage to speak They would give us the courage to speak up, they would give us the faith to try, they up, they would give us the faith to try, they would strengthen our conviction of the Lord would strengthen our conviction of the Lord Jesus Christ.”Jesus Christ.”

Joseph Smith—D&C Joseph Smith—D&C 76:22-2476:22-24

“I know that God our Eternal Father lives…

I know that Jesus Christ is His Only Begotten Son, the Redeemer of the

world, who gave His life that we might

have eternal life and who rules and reigns

with His Father…I know that Joseph

Smith was a prophet…I know that

this Church is the work of God,

presided over and directed by Jesus Christ…of these things I testify.

Strengthen Your Strengthen Your TestimonyTestimony

1.1. Study the scriptures and sincerely pray.Study the scriptures and sincerely pray.

2.2. Live the gospel.Live the gospel.

3.3. Share what you know with others.Share what you know with others.

4.4. Be valiant in your testimony. Be valiant in your testimony.

5.5. Don’t cast away your confidence.Don’t cast away your confidence.

6.6. Post 2 Timothy 1:7-8 where you see it Post 2 Timothy 1:7-8 where you see it daily.daily.

7.7. Study the testimonies of the prophets.Study the testimonies of the prophets.

Elder Elder Richard G. ScottRichard G. Scott ((EnsignEnsign, Nov. 2001, , Nov. 2001,

87)87)““Honestly evaluate your personal Honestly evaluate your personal testimony. Is it truly a sustaining testimony. Is it truly a sustaining power in your life, or is it more a hope power in your life, or is it more a hope that what you have learned is true? that what you have learned is true? Does your testimony guide you to Does your testimony guide you to make correct decisions?” make correct decisions?”

Evaluate Your TestimonyEvaluate Your Testimony

Is your testimony a powerful Is your testimony a powerful influence in your life?influence in your life?

Does your testimony help you make Does your testimony help you make correct decisions?correct decisions?

What have you done to strengthen What have you done to strengthen your testimony?your testimony?

What else could you do to What else could you do to strengthen your testimony?strengthen your testimony?

Your TestimonyYour Testimony

Can BeCan BePowerfulPowerful

Spiritual

Gaining A Powerful Testimony