On Growing One's Testimony.

[CommanderSouth]

This is something I am working hard on (though not hard enough it sometimes seems). I just finished the BoM, D&C, and PoGP this week. Obviously I plan on going back through them again very soon.

I have been listening to many talks, and praying daily (I do feel as if I "pray without ceasing" inasmuch as I almost constantly am in a prayerful mood, but I guess there would be occasionaly ceasing...), and reading the scriptures. I am sure the whole thing isn't a magical shot in the arm and you never have to worry again type of experience, but I long for more sturdy faith. I always second guess my decision to join the church based on my parents. I feel my parents are far more spiritual than I an neither seem to feel anything when I talk about the church, and other than sympathy when we watch things like The Work and the Glory, Mom doesn't come away any closer.

I just am pulling to try to grow my faith so I am not always on the edge of doubt.

Well I am off to bed, I appreciate any comments of insite...

Thanks!

[Faded]

Any of the following would be good things to read:

Preach My Gospel (the missionary manual)

"Jesus the Christ", "The House of the Lord", "The Great Apostasy" and "The Articles of Faith" by James E Talmage {Warning, have a Dictionary handy}

"Our Search for Happiness" by M. Russell Ballard

"True to the Faith"

Our Heritage: A Brief History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

"The Book of Mormon - Key to Converson" by Glenn L Pearson

"Believing Christ" by Stephen E Robinson

"The Miracle of Forgiveness" Spencer W Kimball

"The Encyclopedia of Mormonism" Daniel Ludlow

The actual series of books of "The Work and the Glory" by Gerald Lund ** these are historical fiction, but reference a lot of actual events. For the most part, the Steed family is made up, and just about everything else in these books really happened, often based upon direct quotes by the Joseph Smith, Martin Harris, Oliver Cowdery and others. But remember that it's fiction.

[TootsieBlue]

I feel quite similar to this often. One day I can feel so close to the Lord and ready to convert the neighbourhood and the next day I can be questioning myself again. I feel it would only take one hard knock for me to loose any faith or testimony that I do have. I bounce around quite often and its annoying because I feel I'm doing all the right things. Praying, reading, paying tithing, visiting teaching etc. The one thing i'm not doing is keeping a journal and entering my testimonies. I dont write things down when I do feel a witness.

Perhaps like me last year, you are studying and studying hoping to feel the spirit but feeling nothing and thinking it must be you.

I think sometimes we work hard till we feel the spirit then we coast, then when we're not feeling the Spirit again we work hard (harder) and when we feel the spirit again we coast and we repeat that so many times that it becomes a longer harder journey everytime to feel that spirit because we are not progressing. Sometimes we are asking the same thing year after year.

We need to get past this point in our lives. For me I think it is possibly linked to keep a journal, For you who knows.

There has to be an answer though.

[CommanderSouth]

I think a Journal is an integral part. Personal Revelation as I recognize it comes most frequently when writing down other things I have received. I probably start needing to be more diligent with that.

[Traveler]

This is something I am working hard on (though not hard enough it sometimes seems). I just finished the BoM, D&C, and PoGP this week. Obviously I plan on going back through them again very soon.

I have been listening to many talks, and praying daily (I do feel as if I "pray without ceasing" inasmuch as I almost constantly am in a prayerful mood, but I guess there would be occasionaly ceasing...), and reading the scriptures. I am sure the whole thing isn't a magical shot in the arm and you never have to worry again type of experience, but I long for more sturdy faith. I always second guess my decision to join the church based on my parents. I feel my parents are far more spiritual than I an neither seem to feel anything when I talk about the church, and other than sympathy when we watch things like The Work and the Glory, Mom doesn't come away any closer.

I just am pulling to try to grow my faith so I am not always on the edge of doubt.

Well I am off to bed, I appreciate any comments of insite...

Thanks!

Many years ago (Vietnam era) I served both a mission and in the military. Without going into all the details the two experiences were extremely different. Finding myself back in normal society left me frustrated – especially with dating. A friend and mission companion was a Native American and convinced me to take some time off and “fast in the wilderness for 40 days”. I was convinced that this would help restore me to my spiritual place in society and make me a spiritual giant. The focus of my effort was “ME”. About 2 weeks into my quest into the desert of the American South West I found a man that was lost while on a prison release program. He was near death and it nearly cost me my life trying to get him out of the desert. The whole ordeal ruined my spiritual quest – I thought.

Being spiritual is not a self benefit but a means to learn discipline in order to make personal sacrifices (like unto the sacrifice of Christ) for the benefit of others. I suggest taking some time off from prayers and scripture study (some but not all) and spend some time in service of others – especially if you can perform the service without them knowing your purpose and without any concern about their appreciation of you for your service. Your testimony of the Christ will grow and your appreciation, view and testimony of scripture will change greatly.

The Traveler

[Seminarysnoozer]

I think one of the best ways to grow one's testimony is to teach. If you can find some way to share the gospel in a friendly atmosphere, oftentimes the one giving the lesson learns more than those being taught. This is the value of Family Home Evening or teaching in the primary or even doing your visiting teaching lessons. A testimony grows faster by sharing it more than reading more books, in my opinion.