My Testimony Book

My house is like a black hole some times.  I have lost thing and never seen them again.  I have a book that I was reading, and one day it got picked up and I have never seen it again.  It was interesting and I still want to read it.  Some of these things that I can not find are from my LDS Mission to Ireland.  Well the other day I was looking for old photos and I found something I had been looking for, for a long time.  My Testimony Book.

Wikipedia explains that a Testimony is "a solemn attestation as to the truth of a matter." It also points out that a Testimony for LDS people is a statement of what they belief, and in most cases the reason why they know it is true.

A Testimony book, is a notebook, in which you (many me) would get others to write a little message and let me know what and why the belief what they do.  Most of these are from missionary to missionary, but anyone can write in it.

My Testimony Book.  The gold left on top is a picture of Mesa, Arizona Temple.
When I first got to Ireland, I noticed other missionaries passing around notebooks, and wondered what they were doing.  This is when I found out about Testimony books and thought that this was a tradition that I want to keep in the mission.  I do not know when it started in the mission and I do not know if it is something done in other missions around the world.  I never asked.  I wonder if
this tradition is still going on in Ireland today?

For me my Testimony Book was also somewhat a memory book for me.  It is hard bond, so I knew it would last for a long time.  So I listed all the areas I served in (11), companions that I served with (16), and how many people I helped join the church.  I also put in there some pictures of some people that I was close to.  The are also missionary cards, cards that have the missionaries home address and the mission address, and usually has a picture of a temple, and on the other side the 13 Articles of Faith.  And the most import part, the Testimonies.

As I opened the book, the inside of the book has stickers from Kinder Eggs.  The next page was my Companions page, some of them I have reconnected, some have disappeared and some just do not want to talk to me.  The next page was people I help bring into the church. And then a page of Missionary Cards.  Then the testimonies.

It was fun to go back and read what people had written 23to 25 years ago.  I could honestly say that I laughed and cried and some of the things that were said.  One person what me to give them the address to my cousin, who I had a picture of.  Some testimonies were long, some were short.  But all of them mean the world to me.  I am glad I have found this book again, and will keep it in a safe place. 

Comments

  1. BevNovember 13, 2013 at 7:42 PM

    Sounds like you found it at the perfect time......just the boost your tender heart needed!

    ReplyDelete

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