Testimony Outline

[ZealouslyStriving]

Today I will have the opportunity to bear my testimony in a Branch Conference for the leaders and volunteers of our local prisons Branch. I just wanted to share it here also...

• You will realize someday the importance of your calling to God and the heavens. 

  • Members would be clamoring to volunteer if they knew the blessings that will come to those who minister to the prisoner.

 

• Heavenly Father loves us with a love that we can barely even conceive of. 

  • He is our literal Father, we truly are His beloved children.

  • He yearns for us to come home. As the Lord's newest Apostle, Elder Patrick Kearon, recently said, and as I can personally witness, “God is in relentless pursuit of you. He “wants all of His children to choose to return to Him,” and He employs every possible measure to bring you back.”

 

• Jesus Christ is our Messiah, Redeemer, and King. 

  • Because of His love for us, His literal brothers and sisters, He voluntarily suffered, bled, and died so that we could repent and receive forgiveness. He is our only hope for forgiveness, salvation, and exaltation.

  • By His Resurrection all of God's children will gain immortality. 

  • He is the Light and Life of this world and all creation. He is creation's only hope. Without Him all would be darkness and chaos, without form and void. 

  • He is coming again soon to establish His Kingdom of Peace. He will stand again on the earth as King of kings, and Lord of lords.

 

• Joseph Smith holds the keys of, and is the Prophet and head of this, the Dispensation of the Fullness of Times. Those keys will never be taken from him- “ever and ever the keys he will hold!”. 

  • He really did see God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.

  • He is the Servant of the Lord in the parable of the Vineyard. He will stand again on the earth to lead forth in the redemption of Zion- “Millions shall know Brother Joseph again!”. 

  • The Lord gave me a testimony of the calling of Joseph Smith Jr. at 16, and the all  devils in hell haven't been able to, and never will, take that witness from me!

 

• The Book of Mormon is a real history, of real people, that really lived. It contains the fullness of the Gospel (Good News) of Jesus Christ. 

  • It is the keystone of our religion. 

  • It is our Latter-day survival guide. 

  • I have, and you will, come closer to God by abiding by it's precepts than any other Book.

 

• The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord's Church. 

  • It was established through the ministry of angels.

  • Only in it are found the keys of salvation and eternal life. As President Russell M. Nelson recently said, “no other organization can and will influence your life after death.”

 

• Russell Marion Nelson is the Lord's Presiding High Priest to direct His work in these days. 

  • He is the prophet, seer, and revelator to the Church and the world. 

  • If we obey the counsel given through him we will receive the power to endure and survive the sorrows that are coming upon the earth, and receive a fullness of joy in the mansions of our Eternal Parents.

[Tacenda]

1 hour ago, ZealouslyStriving said:

Today I will have the opportunity to bear my testimony in a Branch Conference for the leaders and volunteers of our local prisons Branch. I just wanted to share it here also...

• You will realize someday the importance of your calling to God and the heavens. 

  • Members would be clamoring to volunteer if they knew the blessings that will come to those who minister to the prisoner.

 

• Heavenly Father loves us with a love that we can barely even conceive of. 

  • He is our literal Father, we truly are His beloved children.

  • He yearns for us to come home. As the Lord's newest Apostle, Elder Patrick Kearon, recently said, and as I can personally witness, “God is in relentless pursuit of you. He “wants all of His children to choose to return to Him,” and He employs every possible measure to bring you back.”

 

• Jesus Christ is our Messiah, Redeemer, and King. 

  • Because of His love for us, His literal brothers and sisters, He voluntarily suffered, bled, and died so that we could repent and receive forgiveness. He is our only hope for forgiveness, salvation, and exaltation.

  • By His Resurrection all of God's children will gain immortality. 

  • He is the Light and Life of this world and all creation. He is creation's only hope. Without Him all would be darkness and chaos, without form and void. 

  • He is coming again soon to establish His Kingdom of Peace. He will stand again on the earth as King of kings, and Lord of lords.

 

• Joseph Smith holds the keys of, and is the Prophet and head of this, the Dispensation of the Fullness of Times. Those keys will never be taken from him- “ever and ever the keys he will hold!”. 

  • He really did see God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.

  • He is the Servant of the Lord in the parable of the Vineyard. He will stand again on the earth to lead forth in the redemption of Zion- “Millions shall know Brother Joseph again!”. 

  • The Lord gave me a testimony of the calling of Joseph Smith Jr. at 16, and the all  devils in hell haven't been able to, and never will, take that witness from me!

 

• The Book of Mormon is a real history, of real people, that really lived. It contains the fullness of the Gospel (Good News) of Jesus Christ. 

  • It is the keystone of our religion. 

  • It is our Latter-day survival guide. 

  • I have, and you will, come closer to God by abiding by it's precepts than any other Book.

 

• The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord's Church. 

  • It was established through the ministry of angels.

  • Only in it are found the keys of salvation and eternal life. As President Russell M. Nelson recently said, “no other organization can and will influence your life after death.”

 

• Russell Marion Nelson is the Lord's Presiding High Priest to direct His work in these days. 

  • He is the prophet, seer, and revelator to the Church and the world. 

  • If we obey the counsel given through him we will receive the power to endure and survive the sorrows that are coming upon the earth, and receive a fullness of joy in the mansions of our Eternal Parents.

Love it! I hope it gives these people some peace. ETA: Oh, at first I thought it was for the prisoners themselves. But it's for the leaders and volunteers I see. My friend and her husband would go each Sunday to the local jail and give lessons or teach I believe. That was their calling in the church. 

Edited April 14, 2024 by Tacenda

[Pyreaux]

The senior missionaries in Oakdale have to wait 6 months to train to enter the prison, only to move or go home 6 months later. They have to wait 6 more months for the new missionaries to be trained. 

Edited April 14, 2024 by Pyreaux

[ZealouslyStriving]

1 hour ago, Pyreaux said:

The senior missionaries in Oakdale have to wait 6 months to train to enter the prison, only to move or go home 6 months later. They have to wait 6 more months for the new missionaries to be trained. 

The Stake in which the prison is located is in charge of prison ministry for that prison. The SP should be seeking willing local stake priesthood to call as prison ministers.

[Calm]

56 minutes ago, ZealouslyStriving said:

The Stake in which the prison is located is in charge of prison ministry for that prison. The SP should be seeking willing local stake priesthood to call as prison ministers.

Maybe have both local ones that are long term but spend less hours monthly and senior missionaries that are short term but once in, spend more time?  That way you get continuity but not too heavy of a demand on the locals so they burn out.

Edited April 14, 2024 by Calm

[ZealouslyStriving]

4 minutes ago, Calm said:

Maybe have both local ones that are long term but spend less hours monthly and senior missionaries that are short term but once in, spend more time?  That way you get continuity but not too heavy of a demand on the locals so they burn out.

We have about 6 stake members who are trained to go up there, so they are able to trade-off when the regulars can't go. But in the absence of that, some type of hybrid stake priesthood-service missionary program is a great idea. We just need to think outside the box, prisoners need the light of the Restored Gospel.

[teddyaware]

On 4/14/2024 at 11:24 AM, Tacenda said:

Love it! I hope it gives these people some peace. ETA: Oh, at first I thought it was for the prisoners themselves. But it's for the leaders and volunteers I see. My friend and her husband would go each Sunday to the local jail and give lessons or teach I believe. That was their calling in the church. 

What a ridiculous comment! This is what happens when people are so embittered against the church that they’re unable to think straight. Are you actually suggesting that just because there was ONE special Branch Conference specifically organized to instruct and encourage prison ministers in their ministry to a local prison church branch, that this means these same leaders and volunteers don’t conduct church services and provide instruction for prisoners on most every other Sunday throughout the year? Do you see the illogic in jumping to the conclusion that just because there was a testimony meeting designed to inspire and encourage prison ministers, that this means they don’t actually do any prison ministering? By the way, your comment is a perfect example of damning by faint praise.

Edited April 15, 2024 by teddyaware

[Calm]

2 hours ago, teddyaware said:

What a ridiculous comment! This is what happens when people are so embittered against the church that they’re unable to think straight. Are you actually suggesting that just because there was ONE special Branch Conference specifically organized to instruct and encourage prison ministers in their ministry to a local prison church branch, that this means these same leaders and volunteers don’t conduct church services and provide instruction for prisoners on most every other Sunday throughout the year? Do you see the illogic in jumping to the conclusion that just because there was a testimony meeting designed to inspire and encourage prison ministers, that this means they don’t actually do any prison ministering? By the way, your comment is a perfect example of damning by faint praise.

What the heck?  Who is jumping to conclusions here?   Where does she assume no one went to minister?  She was just explaining how she was aware of prison ministries happening. Why would she think there was no ministering when there was training for the ministering that Sunday or others?

Looking for people to accuse a bit too hard, teddy.  Talk about a ridiculous comment, especially accusing Tacenda of being embittered. 

Edited April 15, 2024 by Calm

[bluebell]

18 minutes ago, Calm said:

What the heck?  Who is jumping to conclusions here?   Where does she assume no one went to minister?  She was just explaining how she was aware of prison ministries happening. Why would she think there was no ministering when there was training for the ministering that Sunday or others?

Looking for people to accuse a bit too hard, teddy.  Talk about a ridiculous comment, especially accusing Tacenda of being embittered. 

It's an embarrassingly ridiculous comment.  I reported it since it's antithetical to what the social hall is for.

[ZealouslyStriving]

💥🚂 let's all take a breath

Edited April 15, 2024 by ZealouslyStriving

[Tacenda]

3 hours ago, teddyaware said:

What a ridiculous comment! This is what happens when people are so embittered against the church that they’re unable to think straight. Are you actually suggesting that just because there was ONE special Branch Conference specifically organized to instruct and encourage prison ministers in their ministry to a local prison church branch, that this means these same leaders and volunteers don’t conduct church services and provide instruction for prisoners on most every other Sunday throughout the year? Do you see the illogic in jumping to the conclusion that just because there was a testimony meeting designed to inspire and encourage prison ministers, that this means they don’t actually do any prison ministering? By the way, your comment is a perfect example of damning by faint praise.

I understand something about this reaction to my comment, because of how you perceive me. Very understandable because I am in a way an enemy to you. But I don't think you read my comment at all right. I was genuinely liking @ZealouslyStriving's testimony.  I wanted to add that my friend and her husband taught or helped the people in the jail. So, did you think I was being sarcastic when I loved ZealouslyStriving's comment? I am sad that you immediately think I'm being critical. But understand that you didn't read my comment how it was mean't to be.