As I read the first section of lesson 7 in the “Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball” lesson manual, I was startled by the close relationship to this week’s Sunday School lesson, particularly to the bit I studied today. I suppose this is the time to testify to you that I know the Lord loves to teach us and guide us in our studies of Him, and that He can make all things work together for our good.
As I looked at the section on receiving a testimony, I was particularly touched by this statement from President Kimball: “this testimony…will have come from God and not from study alone. Study is an important element, of course, but there must be associated with study much prayer and reaching, and then this revelation comes.” I began to ponder the role of study in developing and strengthening our testimonies.
Why do we need to read and ponder the scriptures to develop a witness of the Savior? Imagine kneeling in prayer to ask the Lord if Jesus, a man we knew nothing of, was the Savior. Imagine if the only information we had was that someone told us a man named Jesus claimed to be the Son of God. Could the Holy Spirit testify of His divinity? He could, but probably would not. The more we learn of the Savior, the stronger our testimonies grow. So, in the aforementioned imagining, suppose we prayed and asked regarding this ‘rumor’, and received confirmation. How strong would be our roots then? How easily could we fall to the wayside, or be wither amidst the trials? But as we continue to learn of Him – through scriptures, through church, through prayer – as we continue to develop our relationship with Him, our testimonies grow stronger.
As President Kimball said, we must accompany this study with prayer. That is the only way to effectively bring the Spirit into our study and allow him to testify of the Savior and of the truthfulness of what we read. But we cannot rely on prayer or faith alone. Our faith must manifest itself in actions, and part of those actions include a sincere desire to learn more of the Savior. Even our prophets and apostles, as advanced in age as they are, continue to read, ponder, and learn more about Jesus the Christ. How much more so, then, do we need to do this?
When I first developed my testimony, I thought it to be quite strong and powerful – and I suppose it was, for a “starter” testimony. But it is amazing to me how much more it has developed over the years, as my knowledge of Christ, His teachings, and His church has increased. The more I learn, the more convinced I become that Jesus is our Savior and Redeemer and that He truly loves and cares for us. I become more convinced of the truthfulness and relevance of the gospel, and my joy in worship grows stronger. How sad would it be if I had decided that my testimony was “strong enough”, and chosen to let it stagnate?
Related Articles:
Gospel Doctrine: “Flesh and Blood Hath Not Revealed It Unto Thee”
Visiting Teaching: Strengthening Your Personal Testimony of Jesus Christ
For other lessons from this week, click on the “RS/EQ Lesson” link in the LDS Categories box to the right.