How Can I Strengthen My Testimony?

Get this week's lesson here. 

A testimony is a spiritual witness of the truth given by the Holy Ghost. As members of the Church, we have sacred opportunity and responsibility to obtain our own testimonies. If we seek a testimony through study, prayer, and living the gospel, the Holy Ghost will help us know for ourselves that the gospel is true.

The world around you is not equipped to provide the help you need to make it through this often-treacherous journey. Is there a way to safety?  The answer is a resounding YES!  I counsel you to look to the lighthouse of the Lord.  There is no fog so dense, no night so dark, no gale so strong, no mariner so lost but what the lighthouse of the Lord can rescue.  It beckons through the storms of life.  It calls, "This way to safety. This way to home."
-President Thomas S. Monson

I always loved the primary song THE WISE MAN AND THE FOOLISH MAN.
Our testimonies of Christ need to be solid when the rains come tumbling down.
Was this object lesson intended for little children?  Yeah
Do I still want to do it?  Duh.

http://pinterest.com/pin/16607092347082776/

I'm thinking of sharing the arrangement of this song that my mom wrote for her ward's primary program.  It has a more reverent feel so the kids weren't pounding their fists in the middle of sacrament meeting.  Some of the kids from her primary recorded singing it so you can hear what it's supposed to sound like.

As a class, make a list of individuals in the scriptures who gained a testimony. Discuss what these people did and how they received their spiritual witness (see 1 Nephi 10:17–19; Alma 5:45–46). 

I went through the Topical Guide and made a tally chart counting all the people who bear their testimony of Christ.  THERE'S SERIOUSLY LIKE 25 DIFFERENT PEOPLE!!!!!  It's so awesome when you look at the scriptures and can point at a literal number of people who share your belief.  Hearing others share their testimony has always been a way to help me strengthen mine.
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My testimony:

I am so grateful for this amazing gospel.  I know that I have a Father in heaven who loves me very much and that I belong to the true church of Jesus Christ on this earth today. 

I know that the Book of Mormon is a true record of ancient prophets and that Joseph Smith truly translated it with the power of God.  I know that Joseph Smith saw my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ in the sacred grove when he set out to know for himself which church was true.  And I believe that we have been blessed today with the opportunity to gain a testimony for ourselves in Jesus Christ and the gospel through reading the Book of Mormon and the scriptures.

 I can not express my gratitude for the Savior and the sacrifices He has made for me.  Through the atonement He has died on the cross so I can live again.  His perfect example of love and righteousness allows us to follow in his footsteps and return to live with our Father in heaven again.   And He is always there to lift me up whenever I feel troubled.


I know that Thomas S. Monson is our prophet today.  The Lord has not abandoned us in these latter days, and has given us living prophets and apostles to guide us, warn us, and teach us how to live our lives faithfully and overcome the constant temptations of the adversary.  When we listen to the wisdom and revelation of our righteous leaders, we will not be lead astray and will continue to grow spiritually.

I have an indescribable love for the temple.  It is truly a piece of heaven on earth.  I know, because of the temple, the living can assist those who have passed on with their covenants and ordinances, allowing them to enjoy the blessings of exhalation.  I know that I can live with my family forever... that I will never have to say goodbye to my best friend and eternal companion and that the children I will have the opportunity to nurture in this life can always be with me forever in the next as well.  The Lord has richly blessed me with so many spiritual experiences that have nurtured and strengthened my testimony.  I know with my whole heart that this gospel is true and I know if I continue to try my hardest to do what I know it right, it can continue to grow, and grow, and grow.

I got this week's handout from All Things Bright and Beautiful.