Every third Sunday of the month, my mission president would invite recent converts to talk about their conversion story. It was always such a powerful experience because of the unique circumstances these people came from and how the gospel changed their lives. This particular Sunday, one of my recent converts (who got baptized a week before) was asked to speak about her conversion story.She got up and started her talk. As she was talking, I realized why her talk was so powerful. Her talk was simple. She doesn't have the best grammar, she stutters when she gets nervous, and she has a thick African accent. But everyone was able to understand what she was saying because it was so simple.
Talks, lessons, presentations, are supposed to be well presented, but simple and easy for everyone to understand. People go off about deep doctrine or use big words to look sophisticated, but they're missing the whole point. Because she (and everyone else that night) spoke so simply, you knew it was from the heart, not something they threw together in 5 minutes to get it over with. I've come to appreciate the simplicity in speaking and everything else because of this one experience.
I could not agree with you more. I have always believed that any spiritual talk or lesson should be given in the most simple way possible. Children need to be able to understand the lessons and talks given in church because they are the future of this world and they are only able to understand them if they are put in simpler terms. Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI agree. I remember on my mission, hearing investigators pray for the first time...they speak, and they speak from their heart. Its very simple, but powerful. I think that is one of the beauties of the spoken word, we can convey and express so much. But as LDS, we sometimes get in a routine of saying the same thing. I wonder what it would be like if we could share the same simple testimonies like them?
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