Feeling The Spirit...

I want to share a "proud parent" moment that Jens and I experienced in fast and testimony meeting this morning. I was sitting next to Briggs, holding sleeping Will, and listening to all the wonderful testimonies when, out of the corner of my eye, I see Briggs get a thoughtful look on his face. He then, sat up straight, set his scriptures down on the chair beside him and stood up. He stood there for one brief second and then a look of determination set in. He started off down the aisle putting his hands in his pockets, walking very reverently up to the podium.

..... Now, have all parents experienced this, or is it just me, when you kids start walking up to bear their testimonies and you're thinking to yourself...okay...oh no....what are you going to say??? and you're really, really nervous .......

Well, what came out of Briggs's mouth shocked us all... I mean the whole ward. People came up to us all morning, commenting that as soon as he started speaking the congregation WOKE UP!
He said (as well as I can remember),
"People think that when you come up here you have to have a special experience to share or all the right words to say, but I've been thinking and have noticed that you just need to speak from your heart. As long as it is from your heart it's good. I know that the Book of Mormon is true and that Thomas S. Monson is a true prophet. "
I believe he said more, but I was crying by this point and it's hard to remember. I was so overwhelmed by the Spirit and as I'm typing this I'm trying to think of the last time I have felt it so strongly.

The things that spoke to me and touched my heart about his testimony were...
First, just being able to see Briggs sitting next to me and to watch him feeling and hearing the Spirit speak to him, watching him recognize it and react on it... determined to obey the prompting.
Second, his speaking skills. He relayed to me afterwards that his heart was pounding, but you wouldn't even know it. He got up there and spoke clearly and strongly and I wondered and hoped that I was witnessing him practice being a faithful missionary and disciple of Christ.
Third, the message his testimony relayed to me. Being someone who has a very hard time with words...with getting across all that I want to say. If you know me best, you know it takes me and hour to tell a 5 minute story... and that stops me a lot of times from sharing my true feelings and testimony...because I'm embarrassed that I'm not so eloquent. I felt like his message was for me.
Fourth, his example to me! I was able to muster up the strength and obey the Spirit's prompting to me to bear my testimony. It is a simple testimony and one that I hope I can continue to grow and strengthen. It was strengthened today by my son being and example to me. When I got back to my seat he said, "I'm never an example to you!" I told him, "you just were!"
The Spirit does teach, and all those times when we've had Family Home Evening and read scriptures and I've thought that he wasn't listening, all those hours laying awake in my bed scared for him and hoping and praying that he makes good choices and listens to the Spirit. I know Heavenly Father hears my prayers and that he is hoping just as I am, if not more for His children to choose the right and come home.

Now, I know that this doesn't mean he'll never yell at his sisters again, or that I will never get a note sent to me from his teacher, or that he'll never sass me again, or that...or that....or that.... But, my faith and my testimony have been strengthened this morning from feeling the Spirit and I wanted to share that with you.
I know my Savior lives. I know the Gospel is true. I know the Book of Mormon is true and that when you read it to your children the Spirit will enter there and teach them that it is true. How grateful I am for the temple and that Jens and I could be sealed there and our children to us. I love my family so very much. And I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.