Kindle Your Testimony

This past week I had the opportunity to go to the testimony meeting at my girl's camp.  It was so neat.  It is interesting to see the difference between when you are the youth and when you are a leader.  I was so proud of my girls.  They are so strong.  I am so grateful for their courage to try.  Most of my girls got up and bore their testimonies and I felt very blessed to hear them.  I remember being in Young Womens and thinking girls camp was one of the best times ever.  Mostly because of how you bond with each other and the spirit that you feel.  I know that my Young Womens experience was a very positive one and it was a huge influence in my life.  It definitely helped build most of my testimony as a youth.  A girl that wasn't a member stood up and compared a testimony to a fire.  How you have to build your foundation and then start it. Then you have to keep it going and add things to the fire (testimony) or it will eventually die out.  If you don't always nurture and kindle it it won't keep going.  The more you add the stronger your fire (testimony) gets.  She also mentioned that a testimony is also like a fire because of the warmth and that it brings people together.  What an amazing young woman.  I was very impressed.  I am grateful for the spirit felt that night.  I hope that you whether a youth or a leader can always remember that your example and testimony will affect others and in most cases help others strengthen theirs and bring them closer to the spirit.  I also hope that those who are struggling with their testimonies or who don't think they have one yet that as long as you try it will come.  It's up to you to build that fire (testimony).  Once you build the foundation its easier to keep it going then to let it die out and try to build it again.  It won't always come fast and most of the time it comes in little moments when we least expect it to.  Remember in order to know something is true you have to learn of it first. Lessons learned:

"We should be patient in developing and strengthening our testimonies. Rather than expecting immediate or spectacular manifestations, though they will come when needed, we should pray for a testimony, study the scriptures, follow the counsel of our prophet and other Church leaders, and live the principles of the gospel. Our testimonies then will grow and mature naturally, perhaps imperceptibly at times, until they become driving forces in our lives."
--Joseph B. Wirthlin, "Patience, a Key to Happiness", Ensign, May 1987, 30

"A testimony of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ will always include these clear and simple truths: 
"--God lives. He is our loving Father in Heaven, and we are His children.
"--Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God and the Savior of the world.
"--Joseph Smith is the prophet of God through whom the gospel of Jesus Christ was restored in the latter days.
"--The Book of Mormon is the word of God.

--The Power of a Personal Testimony, Ensign, November 2006, 38