Little Children Bearing Their Testimonies

[Sky]

How do you feel about little children bearing their testimonies during fast and testimony meetings? Does it bother you at all, especially when they repeat what their parents whisper in their ear? How can they know if the Church is true? Could it possibly be more appropriate for them to do this during their Primary class? How is this handled in your neck of the woods? Or is it pretty much the same everywhere?

Perhaps this shouldn’t even be an issue at all. Matthew 19: 14 comes to mind:

But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.

Thoughts?

[ERayR]

I think it is great that they want to. It doesn't bother me that the parents prompt them, after all stage fright is not an uncommon occurrence. Just get up to give a talk.

[wenglund]

I view it as an effective and appropriate pedagogical strategy.

Thanks, -Wade Englund-

[JAHS]

I am completely torn in half about this one. It gives the children the opportunity to get used to standing up in front of a congregation to speak and teaches them that they should share their testimonies with others. But at the same time they don't have a testimony yet and are just repeating what their parents or a friend has said before them without really meaning it or even understanding what they are saying. Our Bishop used to give the children the first few minutes of the meeting to come up and give their testimonies followed by the adults; but after a while there were too many children coming up, leaving no time for the adults, so they stopped that practice. I don't mind if one or two get up during the meeting; some of them can be pretty entertaining and can surprise you with some pretty profound comments.

[Bill “Papa” Lee]

How do you feel about little children bearing their testimonies during fast and testimony meetings? Does it bother you at all, especially when they repeat what their parents whisper in their ear? How can they know if the Church is true? Could it possibly be more appropriate for them to do this during their Primary class? How is this handled in your neck of the woods? Or is it pretty much the same everywhere?

Perhaps this shouldn’t even be an issue at all. Matthew 19: 14 comes to mind:

But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.

Thoughts?

Children learn 3 ways…

By example, By example and By example.

[KevinG]

I had a child a couple years short of baptism who wanted to bear her testimony - we practiced at home and talked about what a testimony was (and was not). She was prepared to declare her own beliefs over the pulpit and froze solid when she saw the congregation.

I whispered "its OK they are friends... just tell them what you told me."

I suppose a cynical person would assume I was telling her what to say.

BTW - she did have her own beliefs and witness. Adults often fail to give children credit for having intelligence at a young age.

Edited March 26, 2012 by KevinG

[blooit]

We have used the definition "a testimony is how you feel about Jesus" - with 8 kids, we've had pretty good success just telling them, "If you'd like to share how you feel about Jesus, go ahead."

Once in a while we have one get into the testimony poem mode, and we might sit down and talk about sincerity and true testimony, but we are careful not to quash their enthusiasm. So far it has worked ok.

I do admit I struggle to hear the same testimony over and over for 20 minutes. I worry it may teach bad habits, but I don't want to judge others on this.

[wenglund]

Children learn 3 ways…

By example, By example and By example.

They also learn via the: tell them, showing them, and have them do, method of effective instruction.

Thanks, -Wade Englund-

[Sky]

I can just hear the critics in my head calling it indoctrination or brainwashing, which definitely has a negative connotation attached to it. But it doesn’t necessarily have to be negative. Little children need to be taught the Gospel. That old Proverb came to mind:

Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.

Could the principle of “you gain a testimony by the bearing of it” be at work here?

[KevinG]

I have no problem indoctrinating my children or those I am called to teach. Indoctrination is not brainwashing.

Certainly those who publish their criticisms of the LDS church are indoctrinating their audience with their own teachings. I'm not about to leave my children ignorant of my faith so they can be turned by every whim and fancy of the world.

[wenglund]

I can just hear the critics in my head calling it indoctrination or brainwashing...

Please forgive them for they are nuance-challenged and know not what they say. LOL

Thanks, -Wade Englund-

Edited March 26, 2012 by wenglund

[Garden Girl]

I am firmly against a child parroting words whispered in their ear by a parent... I believe that parents can teach their children about testimonies in FHE, and the children can practice in primary. When they get old enough to walk up to the pulpit on their own and give a sincere testimony from the heart... not the sing-song version... then I'm a little more tolerant. Thankfully our bishop put a stop to the parents/child testimony practice.

Yesterday was a wonderful testimony meeting... we had many visitors due to Spring Break and they are welcome to share their testimonies, which several did.

One that has stuck with me... a sister who was visiting told about having her purse stolen... it was later returned to her, missing all the things from her wallet. As she looked at her empty wallet, only one item remained... it was her temple recommend. As she looked down at it, she realized that all the things of the world... driver's license, credit cards, etc., were gone... but what was left was the most important item of all... her entry into the temple to partake of blessings not of the "world".

GG

[wenglund]

I am firmly against a child parroting words whispered in their ear by a parent... I believe that parents can teach their children about testimonies in FHE, and the children can practice in primary. When they get old enough to walk up to the pulpit on their own and give a sincere testimony from the heart... not the sing-song version... then I'm a little more tolerant. Thankfully our bishop put a stop to the parents/child testimony practice.

I can respect your's and your bishop's point of view.

However, to me, even give the down-side, I would view such a prohibition as net-negative, an opportunity lost for adults to learn from the mouth of babes--particularly the one thing children can teach adults better than adults can teach themselves, and that is humility (becoming as a little child).

But, to each their own.

Thanks, -Wade Englund-

Edited March 26, 2012 by wenglund

[Damien the Leper]

I'm good with children WANTING to bear testimony. Being coerced or force fed testimonial statements to be regurgitated reminds me of the documentary "Jesus Camp".

[KevinG]

I'm good with children WANTING to bear testimony. Being coerced or force fed testimonial statements to be regurgitated reminds me of the documentary "Jesus Camp".

I think the former is more typical than the latter. I've never witnessed a parent who forced their child to recite a regurgitated testimonial statement. That is a caricature we can thank our loyal critics for.

[KevinG]

How do you feel about little children bearing their testimonies during fast and testimony meetings?

As a parent of little children who wanted to bear their testimonies I often felt ice cold fingers of fear down my spine as I pondered exactly what they might blurt out over the pulpit. I've mellowed since and trust them more as they have grown.

[Scott Lloyd]

The instruction from Handbook 2 on this point is gentle but quite clear:

It may be best to have young children learn to share their testimonies in settings such as family home evening or when giving talks in Primary until they are old enough to do so in a fast and testimony meeting without assistance from a parent, sibling, or other person.

[Bob Crockett]

The instruction from Handbook 2 on this point is gentle but quite clear:

Wise counsel indeed, although few bishops would want to enforce it.

[rongo]

It's nearly impossible to enforce. All you can do is teach correct principles, and remind and re-remind. When I was first married, I saw emphasizing this actually make things worse. The bishop explained the principles behind the policy from the pulpit on a fast Sunday, and encouraged families with children to work on bearing testimonies in primary or family home evening until they could give a non-testimony poem testimony *unassisted* (assisted testimonies and kids giving the testimony poem had been a big problem in that ward). After turning the time over to the congregation, like 20 offending kids and parents with kids in tow came up. It was worse than if nothing had happened ----- it looked like open defiance. Except it wasn't ----- it was innocent, like they hadn't even heard it. That was a tough spot for the bishop to be in ----- I mean, what would you do there? Preempt the mike and send everybody back down?

I have a father with children whose wife is a hostile anti-Mormon. He brings his two small children up with him and whispers what to say to them, and I'm not going to stop him. To him, he's doing what he can to raise his children in the Church (they alternate Sundays between her congregation and ours). Our ward is really good with this, though, overall. Yesterday, we had about 20 kids bear their testimonies, and all were unassisted and in their own words (i.e., not with that dreadful poem). It was pretty remarkable ----- I've never seen that before. It's a lot easier to "suffer the little children" when they are able to give good testimonies.

[Scott Lloyd]

Wise counsel indeed, although few bishops would want to enforce it.

I was executive secretary to a bishop who made it a point. And I think that was even before the handbook contained that instruction.

(Peripheral tangent: Notice I didn't say I was in a bishopric. Executive secretaries are not members of the bishopric; neither are ward clerks. A corollary: Stake executive secretaries and stake clerks are not members of stake presidencies.)

Edited March 26, 2012 by Scott Lloyd

[Scott Lloyd]

It's nearly impossible to enforce. All you can do is teach correct principles, and remind and re-remind.

It's standard procedure for the bishop or counselor who is conducting to speak in the meeting first. A gentle reminder each month before turning the time over to the congregation I think would put a stop to the practice after not very many months. Not many folks like to be seen as publicly ignoring or defying the bishopric. And the bishopric member could make it clear he is quoting from the handbook, so the instruction would be seen as coming from the Brethren, not just the bishopric.

Edited March 26, 2012 by Scott Lloyd

[bluebell]

I remember, in a few wards i've been in in the last three years or so, the counsel being repeated that little childeren are not to parrot testimonies from their parents during sacrament meeting. The counsel seemed to have been taken to heart as i hardly ever see the practice anymore (and it's never happened in my current ward, which we've been in for almost two years).

Personally, i agree with the new policy. One ward i was a member of had 30 kids with parents or siblings bearing their testimonies EVERY testimony meeting. It got to the point that only one or two adults would have time to bear their's as all the kids would go up at the beginning and just sit on the stand or wait in line. It was sweet to see them wanting to do follow Jesus but it started to be hard to take month after month. Especially when you had a bunch of 2 and 3 year olds being helped by a brother or sister. Cute-but just didn't seem appropriate at all.

[Storm Rider]

How do you feel about little children bearing their testimonies during fast and testimony meetings? Does it bother you at all, especially when they repeat what their parents whisper in their ear? How can they know if the Church is true? Could it possibly be more appropriate for them to do this during their Primary class? How is this handled in your neck of the woods? Or is it pretty much the same everywhere?

Perhaps this shouldn’t even be an issue at all. Matthew 19: 14 comes to mind:

But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.

Thoughts?

First, a child that is repeating what their parents say is not bearing a testimony, but parroting for the pleasure of their parents.

Second, any child that could stand on their own and bear a testimony is a joy and will often have a wonderful testimony born of the Spirit.

Third, I detest anything other than the bearing of testimonies in F&T meetings regardless if it offered by a child or an adult.

Fourth, we are not trying to brainwash children into "bearing" a false testimony, we are trying to teach them to discern the Spriit from their own desires and that of others. This practice is not cute, it is not uplifting, it is sad and I have never felt the Spirit guide in these acts.

We did not do so for our children when they were growing up and I fail to understand why a parent would ever do it. The only thing I can come up with is that they just haven't tought about it. When you child asks to talk in Testimony meeting; stop and ask if they have a testimony and do they think the Holy Spirit is encouraging them to do so. If so, invite them to walk up alone and follow the guidance of the Spirit.

[Nominee]

I have one daughter and one son. In 11 years of life, my son has only once requested to share his testimony during sacrament meeting. He was 10 and had been working on the Faith in God program in which he was led to pray about finding his testimony. He asked me to walk up there with him but I had no idea what he was going to say. I stood beside him and when he faced the crowd he got scared. He turned to me and not so quietly said "I am scared." I smiled and reminded him to simply share what was inside. He went on to give a great testimony, a real testimony. I continued to stand beside him but never said another word, just smiled anytime he would look to me for confirmation of my support. Sharing did help him to conquer his fears but more importantly it helped him to learn and recognize that he did have a testimony of his own and a conviction to share it with others.

I have heard adults give sing-song testimony more often than I have heard children do it. And I don't agree with that practice at all, at any age.

Edited March 27, 2012 by Nominee

[Duncan]

This past sunday was the first sunday i can recall when a kid helping out another kid got up. My boy wanted to get up a few years ago and heaven only knows what he would have said! he is very candid and blunt sometimes! But unbeknownst to me one year he memorized his scripture for the primary presentation, so I don't know what to think of what he would have said. I don't mind one or two kids getting up just as long as it isn't a distraction and going on and on and on like some adults...!

Edited March 27, 2012 by Duncan