A question about children bearing testimonies?

Question

My daughter is five. She loves bearing her testimony. We have never coached her or told her what to say. She always does it on her own. Recently a letter was read in our ward about having children bear their testimonies in Primary, because they aren't ready. I would argue that my child is. Is it wrong for my husband and I to continue letting her bear her testimony in Sacrament meeting?

Let me clarify: The letter was read in sacrament meeting. It stated that children should not bear their testimony in sacrament meeting, but that they should do it in Primary. My daughter looks forward to fast sunday so she can bear her testimony in sacrament meeting. And she does it better than some adults.

My daughter knows what she is saying, she has known her ABCs since she was three ... yada yada, I could go on and on about how smart she is. That's not the point. The point is, the only way I see with a child bearing their testimony is if a parent is telling them what to say, that is not the case with my daughter.

Here's another tidbit of information: she is the ONLY child that stands up and bears her testimony in sacrament meeting.

Answer 1

The policy change has been gradual. First, testimonies regarding stories and obscure doctrines were discouraged when investigators and other non-members commented on the un-spiritual nature of Fast Sunday.

A few years later, when people began writing accusations of indoctrination in letters to Salt Lake, they began investigating the phenomenon of multiple children standing up to repeat the same 5 or 6 sentences, bearing testimony of their parents, their schoolteachers, their dog, etc.

As long as your daughter doesn't repeat the same 5 or 6 phrases each time she shares her testimony at the pulpit, you should be ok, if it's coherent. If she's repetitive or speaks of irrelevant things, however (see schoolteachers and pets, aboe), it's probably best to encourage her to do it in Primary.

Edit: The letter was from the First Presidency. We received it in our ward as well. Some Stake Presidents have been slower to send it out to bishops, though, which is why it might take longer in some places, or maybe never reach some wards.

Answer 2

When I was on my mission, we had a announcement in a Sacrament Meeting. I didn't really pay attention, no kids :-). I believe it was from the Stake Presidency, but I'm not sure. They set up a testimony sharing time in Primary and encouraged the children to bear their testimonies there instead of in Sacrament meeting. Talk to the bishop or whoever read te letter and find out where it came from. If it is from the leadership of the church, I'd recommend following it.

Answer 3

to be clear, this is my personal opinion & I'm no LDS church leader.

this gospel is truely of Jesus Christ & is very, very perfect. the members of this Church are less than perfect. If it is a time thing, that is hard to believe because little ones don't say much when bearing their testamonies. Most wards have the kids rush up in the beginning and they are all through within 5 mins. tops. the Holy spirit can control time for sure. what is the problem?! i am seperated from my children. it breaks my heart every F & T meeting when the sweet children show how close they are to the presence of GOD, how resently they left Him to live with earthly parents. I'm so thankful this is allowed in the many Wards i have attended.

Who wrote this Letter? when/where was it read?? my humble suggestion is to follow the chain of command for redress. But also have her bear her testimony in primary, & elsewhere to benifit all who hear it. I am benifitted just hearing about it.

Answer 4

Well I think thy are talking about not to have a testimony meeting on the primary, kids are encouraged to share their testimony if they want to on the opening of the primary Usually 1 or 2 weeks before the presidency of the primary will let you know of the assignment but just then and not as we do on the sacramental room. And is not wrong to let your child to express their testimony in fact on the primary we have a lesson is call my testimony glove to teach the little ones about whats is a testimony and what do we talk about on it. We give one to each of the children and asks them to keep it on their scriptures, so they can practise and remember and teach others aswell. I only have to say GOOD JOB ! What a special girl.

Answer 5

Who sent out this letter to you guys? I haven't heard of it.

I know children like to do what adults enjoy doing, if you and your husband continue to bear your testimonies in Sacrament your child will never lose the interest.

I don't like to go against what leaders of the church advice us not to do, but if it's just someone in church being upset over hearing children saying how they love mom and dad and going to church...without the whisperings of their parents in their ears (which I don't like to see), then by all means let the kids go up and do what they see their parents doing. They don't take long and certainly are not as long winded as some other members can be.

How they say things and what they say can be so cute and funny, I don't mind laughing out loud when a kid says something quirky so innocently.

But if the Bishop or Stake President or other church leaders say, NO...then don't. There's good reason behind that decision.

Edit:

Chuck, thanks for that! (Read Chuck Pengnostic's comment)

They do allow the kids an opportunity to bear their testimonies, just not in the sacrament meeting.
That's nice, that's fair. I haven't received the news from my Bishop yet either.

Answer 6

Hmm, never heard that before. I would rather hear a child bear his or her testimony, even with coaching, than what most adults get up and say. I would see what the source of that letter was first of all, though.

Answer 7

I don't think there's anything wrong with your daughter bearing her testimony. I don't know why anyone would want to prevent someone from bearing his or her testimony, no matter what age a person is. Maybe someone is jealous because your daughter can bear her testimony, and their child can't.

gw

Answer 8

I don't see why she can't. We have many children in our ward who do give their testimony, some as young as 4 or 5. I think the ward as a whole probably thinks its sweet, (I do, and its good practice for them when they get older and their testimony grows!

Answer 9

Children have voices too.I tell my boy to speak up,and to speak his mind.That's the only way people communicate.She can share her testimony as much as she likes,and no one can stop her.If she desires to share what the lord has done for her,then leave her be.If you quieten her down now,what's going to happen when she's around someone that needs to hear it?

Answer 10

you pretty much answered your question when you said your daughter is five, she doesn't even know what she is saying, she probably barely knows her ABC's you may think it's cute but you need to have her in Sunday school and not where ever it is you are letting her do this. first child huh?