Testimony Question

[Dr T]

In another thread, Sabran said, "No, I never lost my testimony, I just put it away for awhile.

." Reading that made me wonder, “is it really possible to lose your testimony?” It seems that if you no longer believe that the initial testimony is true, that doesn't seem to connote that it is lost but rather it has changed to another testimony. The testimony would just be "I don't believe what I used to believe." That, in itself seems to be a testimony. If that’s true, it's not, in that sense, lost, just changed. I'd love to read your thoughts on that.

Thank you,

Dr. T

[Outshined]

Hard to say. I was raised Baptist, and held a deep belief in God, but lost all faith in that after some things I experienced in the Gulf War. I became convinced that God did not exist or did not care what happened to us here on earth, and would not allow any religious discussion in my presence.

So I think you can lose your testimony in the right (or should I say wrong)situation or circumstances.

[Dr T]

Thank you Outshined. I'm sorry to hear that bad things happened to you in the Gulf War. How long after that did you convert to LDS?

Thanks,

Dr. T

[Yokomsa]

In another thread, Sabran said, "No, I never lost my testimony, I just put it away for awhile.

." Reading that made me wonder, “is it really possible to lose your testimony?” It seems that if you no longer believe that the initial testimony is true, that doesn't seem to connote that it is lost but rather it has changed to another testimony. The testimony would just be "I don't believe what I used to believe." That, in itself seems to be a testimony. If that’s true, it's not, in that sense, lost, just changed. I'd love to read your thoughts on that.

Thank you,

Dr. T

I asked my hubby about your pondering question and he said that our testimonies are actually a reflection of ourselves. As we age, we grow in wisdom, maturity, and knowledge. With that people absorb a lot of information that does change our outlook on various topics. Sometimes the knowledge that we have accepted does change parts of our testimony, but for the most part the original building blocks are still there. They just get buried under the rubble of life, but they are still standing in 1 way or another unless you have completely rejected them. My hubby equated to the remodeling of a a house. It starts out small and simple, but through time we add another bedroom or get rid of a dining room, etc. The house has changed but the foundation is still there. And even with remodels we can get overwhelmed by the WHOLE project and we just have to walk away from it for awhile. But eventually we get back to putting the house together or completely dismantling it.

Here is something for you- Did you know that approximately every 5-7 years our bodies go through psychological and physiological changes? Maybe our testimonies go through the same process but in a completely different way

[Outshined]

Thank you Outshined. I'm sorry to hear that bad things happened to you in the Gulf War. How long after that did you convert to LDS?

Thanks,

Dr. T

It took about 6 years and the good example set by an LDS co-worker to get me thinking about God again. Before that I wouldn't even allow missionaries in my yard- LDS, JW, Baptist, or whatever. I knew he'd once had a bad background (biker bar owner, gang member), but he had an aura of peace about him. I had been told he was LDS, so I asked about it one day. He patiently answered my questions for a few months, never pushed, and one day gave me a Book of Mormon. I read it, and had a testimony that it was true. I called the Nashville mission and asked the address and hours of my local ward, and we went that Sunday. As soon as I stepped in the door, I felt I was in the right place. I never met the missionaries until after sacrament when they introduced themselves. I guess they call that a "golden referral" .

EDIT: That was almost 9 years ago, and I still keep in contact with those missionaries.

[Dr T]

Hey Sabran,

That reminds me of the classic question about the ship. The premise is, we have a ship made of wood. If we replaced one board in that ship would you say it was the same ship or a different ship? We would say it was the same ship not a new ship. What then if every year we changed out an old board with a new one. Years later, when all boards have been changed/replaced by new ones, would we still call it the same ship or a new one? This sounds similar to what you husband is talking about. We are still the same person, we have particular values/beliefs and they change as time passes. Does that mean that our testimony has gone away or has just been modified?

MrsS,

Thank you for that story.

Dr. T

[Ray]

In another thread, Sabran said, "No, I never lost my testimony, I just put it away for awhile.

." Reading that made me wonder, “is it really possible to lose your testimony?” It seems that if you no longer believe that the initial testimony is true, that doesn't seem to connote that it is lost but rather it has changed to another testimony. The testimony would just be "I don't believe what I used to believe." That, in itself seems to be a testimony. If that’s true, it's not, in that sense, lost, just changed. I'd love to read your thoughts on that.

Thank you,

Dr. T

Heh, and I am very happy to share mine with you, Doc, but I do so with the knowledge that you’ll never know what I know unless you come to know what I know how I know it.

But, anyway, when one of us says something like:

“I have a testimony”

or

”I lost my testimony”

I’d say we’re thinking pretty much what you are thinking.

We didn’t “lose” the testimony we had, we just “exchanged” or “rejected” one aspect of our testimony for something else we chose to think which is then our testimony, and no matter what we think I think we should always choose to think like God.

You do know how to do that, don't you?

Shall I say it once again?

We can all know what God thinks by asking God. :)

And btw, what God thinks will always be what God is thinking, and what God thought will always be what God thought, and what God will think will always be what God will think.

[Princess3dward]

I think it is possible to lose your testimony by reasoning it away (ie.coincidence).

[Ray]

I think it is possible to lose your testimony by reasoning it away (ie.coincidence).

Heh, I agree with what you are "thinking" Desire', even though I would use different "words", I was simply trying to point out that even then you never really lose your testimony... you simply exchanged one aspect of your testimony for something else that becomes or became your testimony.

What you declare to be true will always be what is your testimony.

[Dr T]

Thank you. Anyone else?