“Trying to figure out what I want to write here for my testimony is a little like Fast Sunday’s testimony meeting: you have a million thoughts running through your head and aren’t really sure what you want to say as you make your way up to the microphone. Some people share short, “I know this church is true” testimony, while others share an experience that tested and/or strengthened their testimony. For me, my testimony grew from a series of events during my two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in southern France.

“Prior to leaving on my mission, I had a testimony… at least enough to get me to commit myself to two years in a foreign country teaching the gospel to people in a different culture. While serving, I had very specific instances where I placed individual stones in my testimony’s foundation: Joseph Smith is a prophet of God; the Book of Mormon was correctly translated by Joseph Smith and is one element that makes The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints stand apart from all other churches; families can be together forever.

“But it was near the conclusion of my mission that all of those elements came together. While standing in the mission home, sharing my testimony with other missionaries during a Christmas get-together, I began to explain the specific experiences I had throughout my mission that added stones to my foundation. I was using my fingers to count those various elements, and once I had completed that count, I came to the realization that each and every one of those experiences led to an understanding of the Savior, Jesus Christ. I knew at that point that Jesus Christ made everything possible and that by following his example, I can return and live with Heavenly Father and my family for eternity.

“My testimony hasn’t kept me from trials in my life. And I’m sorry to say that sometimes I have forgotten my testimony while I’ve encountered some of life’s trials. But finding opportunities to share my testimony with others will help me remember what I do know to be true and hopefully keep my testimony in the forefront (as opposed to the background) when life throws me lemons.”     – Jason Carlton (Sandy, Utah)