Though it may seem counterintuitive, the best way to keep a testimony is to share it.
I remember the first time I shared my testimony. I was at recess in first grade, and something about the trees reminded me of what I had learned about the First Vision. When I shared that sacred story with my friends, my eyes filled with tears, and I knew that Joseph Smith had seen God the Father and his Son, just like he had said. Since that time, I have still faced doubts about my faith, but I have learned an important key to maintaining my faith in the face of doubt.
Photo by Rahul Pandit
In his talk “Nourishing and Bearing Your Testimony,” Elder Gary E. Stevenson offers counsel on how to face those doubts and strengthen our faith. He says, “As you more fully understand what a testimony is, and as you share it, you will overcome obstacles of uncertainty and fear, enabling you to nurture and keep this most precious possession, your testimony.” Though it may seem that we must first have a strong testimony in order to share it, the sharing is, in fact, what strengthens our testimony. That act of faith helps deepen the roots of the tree of life in our hearts, filling us with hope in our Redeemer and trust in his plan and his Church.
As we share our testimony with others, with those who share our beliefs as well as with those who don’t, we will reap the blessings of our faith. Those moments in which I share my beliefs and knowledge stoke the fire of my testimony. Although I still face doubts, they grow dimmer and dimmer in the light of that amazing gift of faith, which is “most joyous to the soul” (1 Nephi 11:23).
Read more about sharing your testimony in Elder Gary E. Stevenson’s article “Nourishing and Bearing Your Testimony.”
Source: General Conference
—Marie Lefler, Latter-day Saint Insights
FEATURE IMAGE BY FURKANFDEMIR
Find more insights
Take a look at Kassiday Acker’s article “Steady in Faith, Choosing Faith” for more on strengthening your faith.
Read more about having confidence in your faith in Abby Haralon’s article “The Blessings of Owning Your Own Testimony.”