Sometimes it seems that a testimony is just something that is recited each month by the same people in fast and testimony meeting. It might be something that other people can have but that seems to be lacking in ourselves. Or we just become so complacent with our believes that we don't notice our own testimony. A testimony can fade if we don't put forth some effort to keep it, which can happen without us even realizing it. When I get "lazy" and "slothful", when I don't take the time to read the scriptures or pray, that strong feeling of testimony fades, so slowly that I don't even realize it. Because I have had hands placed upon my head and given the gift of the Holy Ghost to be my constant companion, I might still feel a prompting that I need to do something to work on my testimony. The Holy Ghost may still be able to prompt me to read or pray just a little bit, to get that testimony come to life again. Just like the tiny spark in a fire that has been allowed to burn out, that when air is blown on it the fire flickers slowly back to life, a testimony can return a small flicker at a time. My responsibility is to feed it the correct fuel to return my testimony to what it once was.

As we grow and learn in the homes of our parents, most of us just mindlessly attend church, read the scriptures because the family does, pray together because the family does, and do all those "right" things because the family does. Hopefully our parents have taught us the essential things that we can base a testimony upon. One of those essential things is that we need a testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ for ourselves. There comes a point in every one's life when we must decide for themselves if ourselves if we believe in Jesus Christ or not. In order to know for ourselves we must put in the time, effort, and energy to receive our own testimony. Because we have been blessed with the gift of the Holy Ghost, we are entitled to receive an answer to our prayers on one condition, that we remain worthy of the companionship of the Holy Ghost. That means that we live our lives, make the decisions that we should, so that a member of the Godhood can give us the witness we need to keep that fire burning. Several times the past few weeks I have heard speakers reinforce that true happiness can only come into our lives when we are living worthy to have the Holy Ghost with us to answer our questions and prompt us to do that which is right.

For some reason I have had this burned into my soul the past few weeks. Here is what the church says about having our own testimonies: (This is taken from lds.org)

"A testimony is a spiritual witness given by the Holy Ghost. The foundation of a testimony is the knowledge that Heavenly Father lives and loves His children; that Jesus Christ lives, that He is the Son of God, and that He carried out the infinite Atonement; that Joseph Smith is the prophet of God who was called to restore the gospel; that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Savior's true Church on the earth; and that the Church is led by a living prophet today. With this foundation, a testimony grows to include all principles of the gospel.

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have the sacred opportunity and responsibility to obtain their own testimonies. Having obtained a testimony, each member has a duty to nurture it throughout life. Happiness in this life and throughout eternity depends largely on whether individuals are "valiant in the testimony of Jesus" (D&C 76:79; see also D&C 76:51, 74, 101). Testimony grows through the application of the following principles:

The quest for a testimony begins with a righteous, sincere desire. Speaking to a group of people who did not yet have testimonies of the gospel, Alma taught: "If ye will awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith, yea, even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion of my words" (Alma 32:27).

Testimony comes through the quiet influence of the Holy Ghost. The results of a testimony can be miraculous and life changing, but the gift of testimony usually comes as a quiet assurance, without spectacular displays of God's power. Even Alma, who had been visited by an angel and had seen God sitting on His throne, needed to fast and pray so he could receive a testimony through the power of the Holy Ghost (see Alma 5:45–46; 36:8, 22).

Testimony grows gradually through experiences. No one receives a complete testimony all at once. It grows as individuals show willingness to serve in the Church and to study, pray, and learn. It increases as individuals obey God's commandments."

End of quote

As parents, Garth and I tried to teach our children the things that we know to be true. We might not have done a great job of it, and we realize that each of our children need to gain their own testimony. But it is our desire that they life their lives so that they can have the Holy Ghost as their companion to help them find that testimony of their own. We love all of our children and want them with us for eternity. It is our prayer that they all gain their own testimony by reading the scriptures (more than a day or two, or even a week, or month), pray for answers and help in their lives, and make the decisions to live their life so the Holy Ghost can testify to them. Yesterday in Sunday School it was again said that the Holy Ghost cannot testify of things that are NOT true. He cannot testify to un-truths, only to things that are true. So we each need to ask the correct questions to receive answers to things that are true.

I know that Jesus Christ laid down his life for us to have eternal life, and that we each have a responsibility to live so that His gift of the atonement can work for us. I know that there is a way for us to return to live with our Heavenly Father again, which is what He desire most for us. It is His plan. We just have to take the right steps to get there.