Re: Toddlers speaking in testimony mtg

Diana wrote:

<snip>

First, it is NOT a 'stretch' to figure that it is a good idea to "help[]
kids get over the fear of standing in front of the ward and sharing their
testimony." When you are small, (younger than eight, anyway...and most of
the time older than eight, as well) you don't HAVE a testimony of your own.
However, when a small child sees their Mom or Dad or older siblings get up
and bear their testimonies, and she pulls on your sleeve and says "Me, too,
Mommy.." What is the best way to handle the situation?

I said "OK, do you need help?" The answer was ALWAYS 'no.." until of course
they got up there and were faced with a microphone and aaaaallll those
people. Having mommy or daddy there to whisper something to say is priceless
in the development of her ability to ever do it again, this time on her own.

My way of dealing with the same situation: My 7yo, when she was 3
approaching 4, desperately wanted to go up to bear her testimony. A
couple fast Sundays i asked her if she wanted to go up, and she said
no--then, one Sunday, she said she did. So i took her up, we waited her
turn, and i went up with her to the microphone.

She froze.

She continued to be frozen.

After giving her a while to unfreeze, it was obvious that she wasn't
going to say anything--so i picked her up, delivered a short testimony
of my own, and headed back down to our seat with her.

The audience got to hear a testimony, i got to bear a testimony, and my
daughter got to experience what it means to have several score people
looking at you at once (and she got to hear a testimony, too, and that
at a time that i'm pretty certain she was listening!). Oh, and she got
to keep her dignity intact. A win all around, it seems to me.

<snip>

So. Do we get priceless words of wisdom from tiny children when they say "I
know the church is true I love my mommy and my daddy and my sistows and my
brovows?"

In a way, I think we do.

I agree--but if and only if they actually *do* know/love as they're
saying they do. Otherwise, it's a ventriloquism act.

And FWIW, i was never "fed" a testimony, and i have absolutely zero fear
of public speaking in front of groups of any size, but i know lots of
Mormons (both those who were fed testimonies and those who weren't) who
are scared silly of public speaking.

David, welcoming Diana nonetheless
--
David Bowie http://pmpkn.net/lx
Jeanne's Two Laws of Chocolate: If there is no chocolate in the
house, there is too little; some must be purchased. If there is
chocolate in the house, there is too much; it must be consumed.

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