The Awesome Power of an Honest Testimony

Jogie and I teach the twelve year olds in our ward for Sunday School. We love it! They teach us so much. Last week our lesson was on the Holy Ghost and I asked our class what the Holy Ghost feels like. The answer I got the most was “Awesome.” I tried to see if I could get an additional response when I followed up with “what if you already feel awesome?” “Then you feel more Awesome!”

An honest testimony borne presents those hearing it with an awesome feeling. The Holy Ghost is this more awesome feeling that comes into our hearts so we may know that the principles in that testimony are true.

I was able to participate in the General Relief Society Broadcast where Elder Uchtdorf spoke on things we should not forget. One of his forget-me-nots was to not forget that Heavenly Father loves you. He bore such a wonderful testimony of how Heavenly Father is aware of each of us, and loves us each individually. The seriousness of his words hit me with a sense of awesomeness. It really is so awesome that God really does care about me personally. It feels so awesome!

This week as Jogie and I taught our twelve year olds about testimony I had the opportunity to bear my own testimony. I had the class come up with things that would be appropriate to share in a testimony. I then asked them to pay attention to the awesome feeling of the Holy Ghost as he testified of the truth of what I was saying. As I shared the simple testimony there was an awesome reverence in our classroom. I am so glad that the Holy Ghost gives us this awesome feeling when we bear our testimony! And I know that the principles stated are true.

Pioneer Trek

Tonight Jogie attended with me a reunion fireside for those who participated on the Youth Pioneer Trek. I went as a big sister leaving Jogie behind to focus on school. It was so nice to see some of my little siblings from the trek; it was also nice to see pictures from the trek.

The great lesson that I took from the trek was that I can do hard things. Walking for miles and miles is hard. It is painful. I felt so dirty, and exhausted, and sore. Yet I did it. I along with the youth that were in my family proved to ourselves that we can push through and do something hard. We can put one foot in front of the other and we can reach our destination. When a tougher trial comes that is painful and overwhelming I know I can start walking and before long that trial is behind me. And as I look back on that trial I have a sense of triumph that I did it.

The most moving part of the entire trek experience for me was the silent march. During this one of the kids from our family was taken ahead one mile. They represented people who had died on the trail. The rest of us continued on without this one family member pushing along with us. I found I really missed that one family member that had gone on ahead. I missed him really bad. I knew at the end of one mile that he would join our family again. But, it was so hard to keep going without him in our midst. Because of the Plan of Salvation I know that when family members die it won’t be forever. We will see each other again. Despite knowing that we will be together again it is still hard to keep going when your heart hurts so much. I realized that I can feel sad about the separation and still have a testimony of eternal families.

Since I went on the trek by myself I found myself really missing Jogie. We had hardly been apart since we got married a year ago. I wanted that hug and kiss goodnight. I wanted him to sit close to me during the chilly evening of the testimony meeting so I would stay warm. I wanted him to hold my hand as our blisters developed blisters. While I was missing Jogie; he was missing me too. When I returned it was clear that he was so happy to have me back home and I felt so loved. Though Jogie was unable to directly experience the trek; he was able to vicariously experience the pioneer trek through me. The fireside that we attended tonight together was, therefore, just as personal to him as it was to me.

The Real Value of the Stradivarius

While I am at work I often like to listen to Pandora to keep me focused. My favorite Pandora station is the David Garrett station. I am in love with his music. I find myself having a desire to play my violin so I can play like David Garrett. Realistically, I have hardly picked up my violin in a decade; thus the likelihood that I sound like David Garrett when I play is less than likely. Plus the violin I play is not a Stradivarius which puts me at a further disadvantage. The violin that has the best sound should be played by the person who will play it.

           
A Stradivarius Violin made in the early 18th century is worth millions of dollars. Antonius Stradivarius, the master violin maker, perfected violin making such that even today the best violins are the ones he made 300 years ago. The value of these instruments is not in the name brand and the age; but rather it is the sound that these instruments make when they are played.

           
There are hundreds of these violins still around. Many owned by master violinists like David Garrett. Others are placed in display cases for others to see. These violins on display are useless. They might be pretty and a very expensive piece of artwork. But, that is not where their value lies. The value of the Stradivarius lies in the quality sound made when it is played. A violin in a box is nothing compared to a violin that is tuned and being played by the master.

           
What do I find I leave in a box or even in a display case rather than playing it? Perhaps my talents. Maybe my scriptures.

           
The value of my talents and the value of my scriptures are not in how pretty they look in a display case. The real value in my talents and in my scriptures is most certainly, like the Stradivarius, in how they are played.

What am I getting into?!

I have slowly realized that I am losing so much of the writing skills that I practiced while I was at BYU. I want to rectify that. I enjoy writing in my journal, as so many of my friends and family are acutely aware of. Logically I can really see myself enjoying doing something like blogging whether or not anyone else enjoys it with me. For those of an adventurous heart; I hope it is an inspiring, insightful, and intriguing read.