For all the times I complain about

[Pheidippides]

Open Mike Sunday and lack of focus on Christ in church, I have to acknowledge when things go well.

Today there were no weird testimonies, no thankimonies, no travel logs, no overly weepy stories of random coincidence (one weepy story that could have gone that way but turned out to be nifty). Just person after person getting up and giving short and simple testimony about the Savior (and associated gospel principles in some cases).

If every Open Mike Sunday was like this, I would not be a critic.

[Fiyero]

Our F&T meeting was two weeks ago; however today's Sunday School was essentially an "open mic" as the teacher asked everyone for their conference thoughts. Pretty much everyone liked Elder Holland's talk the best. And I'm always tempted to share the great one-liners from CUF (such as "he really missed his calling as a Bible-thumping evangelical" ) but as usual I held my tongue.

[TripletDaddy]

Open Mike Sunday and lack of focus on Christ in church, I have to acknowledge when things go well.

Today there were no weird testimonies, no thankimonies, no travel logs, no overly weepy stories of random coincidence (one weepy story that could have gone that way but turned out to be nifty). Just person after person getting up and giving short and simple testimony about the Savior (and associated gospel principles in some cases).

If every Open Mike Sunday was like this, I would not be a critic.

Like foyero, we had FT two weeks ago. Sac was pretty good. Teacher development was fun (we learned how to make circuits with a battery, wire, and a small light bulb...fun!). EQ was an abomination. Poorly planned lesson. We literally went around the room reading from the manual, with breaks to ask "does anyone have any comments on that?" That was old school bad lesson. Hadn't seen such an egregious example since my days in a BYU singles ward.

[grapevine]

Ours is usually pretty good. There was a parade of kids before the ward was divided. Now there are three people that get up every testimony meeting with something to say. interesting to say the least. Rest are pretty normal. David said lovemonies really are not necessary last week.

Same people that get up every f and t also dominate sunday school with there life stories too.

[doctorcoug]

A lady told a story about napolean dynamite. I couldn't keep from laughing.

[Viking]

We are back in our old Manhattan neighborhood in two weeks. I can't wait to go back to the old ward

[Pheidippides]

We are back in our old Manhattan neighborhood in two weeks. I can't wait to go back to the old ward

Which neighborhood? UWS? The Village?

[Viking]

Which neighborhood? UWS? The Village?

Lincoln Center/Columbus Circle...my old 'hood

[Levin]

Open Mike Sunday and lack of focus on Christ in church, I have to acknowledge when things go well.

Today there were no weird testimonies, no thankimonies, no travel logs, no overly weepy stories of random coincidence (one weepy story that could have gone that way but turned out to be nifty). Just person after person getting up and giving short and simple testimony about the Savior (and associated gospel principles in some cases).

If every Open Mike Sunday was like this, I would not be a critic.

I actually find these testimonies too mechanical; too rote. What is interesting or inspirational about reciting stock phrases, especially when self-expression is shunned by public pronouncements about what a testimony should be? And testimony should be, as you say here, "short and simple testimony about the Savior."

The best testimonies expose something about the person as a unique individual, and his/her relationship to the Savior. The following does not do:

"I know the Savior lives. I know Jesus Christ is the Son of God. I know he leads this Church. I know Thomas S. Monson is the prophet of God. I know that Heavenly Father loves me. . . . " Might was well get up there and say the Lord's Prayer!

[JohnnyLingo]

I actually find these testimonies too mechanical; too rote. What is interesting or inspirational about reciting stock phrases, especially when self-expression is shunned by public pronouncements about what a testimony should be? And testimony should be, as you say here, "short and simple testimony about the Savior."

The best testimonies expose something about the person as a unique individual, and his/her relationship to the Savior. The following does not do:

"I know the Savior lives. I know Jesus Christ is the Son of God. I know he leads this Church. I know Thomas S. Monson is the prophet of God. I know that Heavenly Father loves me. . . . " Might was well say the Lord's Prayer!

Such phrases can be used sincerely by an individual.

[Levin]

Such phrases can be used sincerely by an individual.

But they mean very little when recited repeatedly by one person after the other without any personalization/narrative/anecdote/experience/etc.

The impulse to control what is said during F&T meeting, to reduce it to a liturgy to be recited by the membership, is reductive in the extreme.

[JohnnyLingo]

But they mean very little when recited repeatedly by one person after the other without any personalization/narrative/anecdote/experience/etc.

Maybe you're right.

The impulse to control what is said during F&T meeting, to reduce it to a liturgy to be recited by the membership, is reductive in the extreme.

Control by whom? Are you saying the Church actively works to reduce testimonies to such rote recitations?

[falafel]

Control by whom? Are you saying the Church actively works to reduce testimonies to such rote recitations?

I've heard it said from the pulpit that testimonies should be short, concise descriptions of a person's love for and knowledge of the Savior. Basically, the opposite of a story-mony

[JohnnyLingo]

I've heard it said from the pulpit that testimonies should be short, concise descriptions of a person's love for and knowledge of the Savior. Basically, the opposite of a story-mony

Short and concise does not mean rote.

[falafel]

Short and concise does not mean rote.

I didn't use the term rote. But basically, that's the idea that I got from the announcement.