Mormon question? Why do you give a testimony and why do you need to remind everyone that it's true?

I'm honestly curious and I want to know what drives you to believe this faith that has no historical proof of a battle in South America (you can't have a battle and leave without a trace). DNA studies done at BYU have proved Israelites never inhabited South America. Last over the past years, rules and books of yours have changes several times. I don't hate you I love you my family is Mormon, but I guess I want to know how others react before I confront my family. The Bible is the same yesterday today and always. It is the greatest history book ever written.Mormon question? Why do you give a testimony and why do you need to remind everyone that it's true?
We don't give testimony to remind each other or even ourselves. We give it because we wish to share what we have with others, hopefully help them to feel the spirit of God as they listen to us. We're trying to uplift each other, nothing more. And it's never required. Some give their testimonies all the time. Others don't. It's a personal choice.





There are plenty of sites in which stone and bone remnants of South American battles have been found. It's rare, true, but then most of those battles occurred out in the open, where the elements would have destroyed most of what was left. In any case, those battles occurred hundreds of years ago in a culture that rarely recorded anything...would you really expect anything to have been preserved after so long? It's the same with much of the Bible--what evidence do we have of Moses' journey, of anything that supposedly occurred before the Romans came along and started keeping records on everything? What evidence do we even have that Christ was the Savior? We know He lived, but do we really have any sort of proof of Him walking on water or raising the dead? Of course not. There's nothing for most of it, but that doesn't mean it didn't happen that way.





And what study? If you could provide a link, that would be very helpful in addressing your question.





The Bible is absolutely the greatest book ever written...but it's hardly unchanged. Have you ever tried buying a Bible? There are THOUSANDS of variations. I even have a copy of one which states that adultery is fine, and the Catholics and a few other faiths have different books entirely. That's hardly ';unchanged.';





Thank you for sharing your own testimony. We absolutely agree that the Bible is true and that Christ is the only way to happiness.Mormon question? Why do you give a testimony and why do you need to remind everyone that it's true?
Testimony meetings can be a powerful tool by inviting the Spirit into the congregation to testify of gospel truths. However, lots of people use Fast Sunday to go over a laundry list of what they've been up to since the last time they gave their ';testimony.';





As for the Book of Mormon evidence of a battle, why don't you look to the Bible. The Bible says hundreds of thousands of Israelites crossed the desert for 40 years, yet there is no evidence of that. You believe it because the Spirit has witnessed to you that it is true.
Because their parents and LDS leaders from day ONE tell them to.





Bearing your testimony and stating over and over that you know all things mormon to be true is how it goes.


It is encouraged from a very young age. (with parents whispering in the child's ear and the child repeating the parent into the microphone at services)


Also...


Because subliminally, It justifies their religions B-O-L-O-G--N-A.


IMHO
Mormons give testimony because they believe it. Because they want to share what is most important to them with other people. They want others to know the same happiness and peace they have.





I wish you had email so I could ask you privately why you seem to have such a personal vendetta against Mormons. I mean, its one thing to not believe (great, to each their own) but why all this anti propaganda?? Seriously?
You really need to take a history class on the evolution of the Bible





Sharing your testimony is a way to invite the Holy Ghost to testify of the gospel and gospel truths.





The most powerful way that the gospel has been spread thruout the scriptures is thru testimonies with the Holy Ghost confirming the truthfulness of the words of those sharing their testimonies.
Testimony meeting provides a place whereby fellow saints can share and be edified and touched by the faith %26amp; strength of anothers testimony of truth - especially that of the Savior.... couple this with purposeful fasting and the spirit 'can' be very strong and life changing in the lives of some.
mormons give their testimonies so they can feel the holy spirit testify to them. i love how you recite this ';evidence'; against mormons, and in the same paragraph call the bible the greatest history book ever. maybe you could find some scientific studies(no god in the gaps talk) to show how a man was swallowed by a great fish and lived in its belly for 3 days, and was spit back out to go preach. or find the sediment layer left when the entire earth was flooded over from 40 days of rain, and then miraculously drained. oh, and pleassssse explain to me the story of the prophet elisha in 2 kings, i think chp. 2, somewhere. when some ';little children'; tease him saying go up thou bald head, go up thou bald head. and elisha curses them and 2 bears come out and kill a few dozen of the ';little children.';





i think the mormon stories are a lot more believable than stories from ';the greatest history book(even though it started thousands of years after man appears in the fossil record, and is directed to an single group of people in the middle east) ever written.';
Well here's something you might want to consider since all the leadership within the church is called from within the membership such as Bishops, high priests etc. Other churches have minsters and preachers who get up and testify and preach that Jesus is the Christ. Since Mormons don't have that, then it is up to the congregation to take the place and the function of minsters and preachers and testify to each other the truth of Jesus Christ, his purpose, and his mission in life. I am sorry you don't believe in the Book of Mormon. But it's message works in my life and I know that it's message works in other peoples lives as well. I've always been told that you should never put down a message that makes people strive to be better and to walk a straighter path to Christ.
You have many good answers already. The one thing I did not see in those answers was that bearing testimony was a necessary way to increase our own spiritual strength. The body needs nourishment or it will get weak and die. The spirit also needs nourishment or it will get weak and lose the ability to communicate with God, or in other words ';die';. Testifying to each other and to others on a regular basis is a necessary way to feed our spirits as well as those that listen. We meet together often to edify one another with the good word of God. One of the three prime missions of the Church is to strengthen each other and that is what we do when we bear our testimonies to each other.
Mormons share their testimonies to uplift and encourage others. It is a powerful experience for all involved. Also, the more you give your testimony the stronger it should become. I personally feel it should be spontaneous and from the heart and not rehearsed. Sometimes, I am sure people get comfortable with the same testimony and can get repetitive. Although, I think most times people will let the Spirit guide them.


I still remember the first few testimony meetings I attended. It was riveting and I had never seen so many Christians express such joy and love. It wasn't a pastor up there giving a rehearsed speech but other members sharing their joy and stories from the heart. Very powerful and moving.





Now, get off your high horse with the incorrect and erroneous rant in the additional details section. You lose credibility when you post nonsense like this.


What are you going to confront your family about? That they are Mormon. If they are happy, leave them alone. You have the right to testify and talk to them about religion, but confront? You are way off base, my friend.





You have a nice, moving testimony. Try not to be so condescending and rude in your other comments and it will have more impact.





Best of luck to you.
I share my testimony partly just so others know what I stand for and believe in. It is good for us to do it often - partly I think so the Spirit can testify to us again and again that what we believe is true. I really believe a testimony is like a candle...once lit, if not given the proper attention, it will eventually burn out. We are encouraged to share it so the Spirit can also testify to others, that what we are saying is true.





The Book of Mormon is not meant to be a history book. There have been evidences found that could very well be things from the Book of mormon events, but critics are quick to dismiss them. And so what? The only evidence that can be undeniable to someone *should* come from the Holy Ghost. If a person is basing their testimony off ';man's evidence'; that testimony will eventually fail. Plus... just because nothing has been found ';yet'; that is 100% proof, doesn't mean nothing ever will be. I often think that IF the Lord wanted us to have this proof, He would give it to us. But, I really believe He wants us to develop faith first. In my mind, I compare it to when Christ was resurrected. He had been claiming to do so for years and so many people doubted that he would come forth from the dead... and whom did He visit after His resurrection? Those who ALREADY believed that He was the Son of God. He didn't walk up to Pilate and say ';See, told ya.'; Nor the people who crucified Him. In a way, that would have been taking their free agency away... because they would have had NO choice BUT to know He was God's Son.





DNA studies are pretty much pointless unless every single line ever is going to be tested. Which is pretty much impossible since a whole nation was killed off - the Nephites.





Rules and books changing? Actually, no doctrine has ever changed. There have been grammatical corrections to the Book of Mormon, but that's it.





I would like to share my testimony: I know the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is Christ's only true church on this earth. I know the full gospel was restored through the prophet Joseph Smith by the power and command of Almighty God and that Joseph did infact see God our Father and His Son Jesus Christ. I know Joseph translated those ancient plates into the Book of Mormon, and that it was held for this specific time to come forth as the second witness that Jesus is the Christ. I know we have a living prophet today whom communicates directly with Christ to lead His church. I know I can be with my family forever, if I will but do the things the Lord has asked.


I say these things and bare a solemn witness that Jesus Christ is my Savior, in His name, amen.
Concerning the DNA studies and your other concerns please see fairlds.org for discussion about these topics.





Members of the church have long assumed (and likely falsely) that Lehi and his family were the principle ancestors of all native Americans. As was said in the modern introduction that was given but has now been corrected. Yet the book itself doesn't support this claim, and scholars were realizing this long before the DNA thing came up.





Only a small fraction of the archaeological sites in central America have been studied let alone uncovered...the jury is still out.





Above all this...there will always be things in this life that we must take on faith, I have found no greater witness to the divinity of Jesus Christ and His redeeming role than in the Book of Mormon.
I believe that conversion comes only through the Holy Ghost. You or I can talk until we are blue in the faith. We can quote scriptures to no avail . . . . unless the listener is truly listening with honest intent to know the truth. Consider this New Testament scripture:





John 14: 26


But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.





By one bearing their testimony of the truth, it allows the listener to be taught by the Holy Ghost. Those who have heard the testimonies of the Lord's servants will one day be held accountable for what they did with that testimony.





Thank you for sharing the testimony you have gained of the Bible. I, too, love the bible and bear testimony of it's truthfulness. I also bear testimony that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. I know that it is and that it has helped me draw nearer to my Savior.





May God bless you in your search for truth.
Don't other church congregations share their testimonies in a meeting as well? I have been to other church services (Pentecostal, Baptist, ect) where people stand up to talk about how having a knowlege of God's love changed their lives.





Nothing is more powerful than having your friends and neighbors tell their stories of change. Having a pastor teach the Bible is important and beneficial (we don't really have a pastor in our church that gives sermon each week--a different couple members of the congregation prepares a talk and speaks each week.) But having the member's themselves share is far more important.





As for myself, I have a very very strong testimony of prayer. There have been several times where I have been given very distinct and life-changing answers to prayers when I have communicated with God. I know that our Heavenly Father loves us, and hears us, and desires that we speak to Him in sincere prayer--and He will bless us if we do. One of the most important prayers to Heavenly Father that I made was to bring my foreign spouse to me, despite the financial hardships that we are experiencing. That was a real miracle.





Is it more meaningful to hear that you should pray from your pastor, or from a friend? Whose experience is going to have more impact upon your life? That's why we share testimonies--and we are not those only church that does it.
the differance between the mormons testifying and christians is that mormons seem to say: '; I would liek to bear my testimony that joseph smith is a prophet and that the book of mormon is true...';


1. when I got saved i stopped being suicidal all the time.


2. I had always had prblems with my eyes, a longated muscle, I saw this guy did as well before he wwent up for pray, it kind of makes your eyes look cross-eyes, and it take surgery to correct the problem, so when he got prayed for, the pastor asked anyone to come and testiphy if they had gottne heal, he went up their an dhis eyes were staight now!!!


3. I witnessed a guy fall two stories form a windoe (one of our interpretors) he should have had brain damage or been dead, there was so much blood to clean up. He walked out if intensive care with a scratch and a headache.
Bearing a testimony is no different than the self hypnosis techniques used by Muslim suicide bombers. They all think God is telling them the truth.





A human can convince themselves of anything if they put their mind to it, and Mormons certainly are encouraged to do that regularly.
Social proof or the public declaration by people about a group's beliefs is right out of the cult playbook. If you want people to believe outrageous beliefs, get them to say it over and over and eventually they believe it. BTW, Adolf Hitler said made a lie audacious and have people often repeat and soon they'll embrace it as truth.





LDS apostle and soon to be prophet Boyd Packer said the way to grow the feeling of truthfulness is the telling of the truth to others. So in other words, if you don't believe it, say it anyway until you do believe it.





I have no respect for the LDS people allowing their children to declare something publically the kids know nothing about. Imagine kids getting adult reinforcement for saying publically that something is true when they have no direct or even indirect knowledge about it. It's abuse. It's brainwashing.





In contract, when Christians share their ';testimony'; it's usually about what God is doing in their life, God being the star of the story while never have I heard a church or a church leader be singled out. It's always about God, only about God. May our LDS friends learn the same lesson.