Testimony

Another rather undynamic meeting at church today. Usually I enjoy testimony meeting, as there is often something said that inspires or moves me. Most of the testimonies just felt tired and uninspired to me today. I know that sounds awful to say. It's not like testimony meeting is supposed to be about entertaining Cody, but it just felt like many of the same people saying the same things. I'm always interested in hearing more from people who never get up to bear their testimonies. I want to hear how they feel and what they have to say. Unfortunately, they rarely get up to do so.

We sang "Joy to the World" as one of our congregational hymns, and I just didn't feel much joy coming from anybody. I guess that's kind of how testimony meeting felt, too. It just kind of felt like people were getting up out of obligation than a real desire to share their testimonies. Of course, it's entirely possible that it was my own attitude that was making me feel that way.

However, one thing did happen that touched me somewhat. A kid got up to bear his testimony. He's probably about 14 or 15. Anyway, he's a pretty bright, articulate kid. The testimony itself was more of a "thankimony" (which I don't really mind), and he talked about how he admired some of the older kids in his Boy Scout troop, mentioning them specifically by name, and it made me think about what really good youth we seem to have in my home ward.

But what touched me was that he challenged his friend to bear his testimony. His friend is not as bright, and is a little slow, and it's interesting to me that these boys are even friends at all, but they are, and for some reason the fact that these two boys with seemingly little in common are such good friends touches me somehow. After the second boy gave a very simple testimony, the first boy "high-fived" him, and I was just moved by the love these two boys share for one another. That was probably the most moving thing that I witnessed the entire meeting.

Another girl went up to bear her testimony, but only got her name out and was too freaked out to continue. Our bishop, who was the last to speak, noted to her specifically that even though she didn't say much, we could all feel of her spirit. I felt very prompted to go up to her after the meeting and say, "It takes a lot of courage to get up and bear your testimony. You should be very proud of yourself." She said, "I got scared." I replied, "It's okay. We all get scared from time to time. What's important was that you tried, and regardless of what you said, we felt of your spirit." I just wanted her to know she had no reason to feel dumb or ashamed. Too many people in life try to mock others or make them feel less than they really are. I try and hope I succeed in building others up. I don't know if my words were of any help to her or whether she even needed them; I only wanted to make her feel good about what she might have viewed as a failure. Because I didn't feel she failed at all. I commend her for getting up at all. So many people don't even do that, and I guess now that I actually am unable to do so in Sacrament Meeting, I realize somewhat how much we take the act of simply bearing a testimony for granted.

Anyway, that's what I wanted to write about today.