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Subscribe!Sun - Mar 01, 2009 : 02:48 pm
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Collin's Testimony
During last month's testimony meeting, our wonderful Luci whispered into Sarah's ear, as the church members were expressing their feelings about Christ, that she really didn't want to go up there. It was totally unprovoked, but as she is somewhat frightened of unfamiliar situations, was totally understandable.
We told her that it was okay to be afraid, but that she might want to try her best to go up there one day. "Sharing our feelings about Jesus helps us feel more love for him.", we counseled. And that was that.
This morning, I got up, and after not nearly enough sleep (having gone to sleep at 3:00am this morning, doing server maintenance which was not really needed), I proceeded to get ready to go to church. During the usual Sunday morning rituals, I found myself feeling a bit more of the spirit than I had intended to. Usually, when I do unnecessary things, causing myself to be tired the next day, I don't feel much of the Spirit of God. To add insult to injury, I also was totally unprepared for a lesson I was to give today.
Yet... Still, while driving to church today, I really was digging the Spirit. Something was up, but I didn't know what. I was about to find out.
Now fast forward to a little less than 3 hours ago.
Sarah needed to leave sacrament meeting to nurse Sam, so it was me with Collin and Luci during the majority of sacrament meeting. I didn't really notice it, but Collin was sitting down a bit more attentive than he usually was.
As he was watching what was going on at the pulpit, I was listening to what was being said, and it was then that I heard Collin say something totally undecipherable, as if he was a bit shy saying it. Luci was on my lap, so I bent over and asked him what he said.
He repeated something of which I understoond nothing, and with a slight bit of impatience in my voice, I told him to speak up. The third time he repeated what he was trying to say, I understood the words, "my turn" out of the ever-so-soft words coming out. I looked at him and noticed he was looking straight at the podium.
I then asked him if he wanted a turn to talk "up there", pointing at the podium. He nodded his head, still looking straight ahead, and didn't flinch.
I wasn't sure how to react. I didn't really know if he knew what was going on, so I decided to test him. I leaned down and asked him what he would say if he went up there. He hesitated for a moment, but then, in the same soft voice, said,
"I love Jesus."
I was ... totally taken aback. I didn't have any idea what to do. I just kind of ... sat there. Sarah was gone, so I didn't really want to take him up there without having Sarah there to participate, yet, if my son wanted to bear his testimony, I didn't want to keep him back.
I was thinking this through, still in amazement, when Collin said, "I'll get my shoes on." He was very serious about this.
So, while helping him get his shoes back on, I asked Luci if she would be okay alone waitng for us to go up to the stand. She said she would be fine, so, in one last ditch effort to make sure Collin was serious, as soon as his shoes were back on, I told him, "Okay... Go on up there.", and sat in my seat.
He looked at me, thought a moment, then turned and started walking straight up to the front, and up the stairs while I watched him from the bench.
He was half-way to the podium before I caught up to him, took him in my arms, and sat down on the stand, waiting our turn.
When the time came to do the deed, I got up with Collin in my arms, when he immediately protested. I thought he was getting cold feet, but he soon made it known that he wanted to do this on his own. "Me do it!", he said.
So, I put him down, and he walked up, not being half as high as the podium. We got the block used to boost kids up, and then I hoisted him up by the hips to the microphone.
He then proceeded, with a little help from me, to say, with all the confidence a 3-year-old could muster,
"I love Jesus Christ. I love Mommy, Daddy. In name of Jesus Christ, Amen."
I then put him down, and he went back to sit with Luci, as I cried and strove to bear a testimony which paled in comparison. I was still in shock.
I concluded, went back down, and hugged my little boy.
Never in a million years would I have guessed that the spirit I felt earlier in the day would be a pre-cursor to my precious little boy giving his first testimony from the pulpit.
Definitely a day to remember.
We told her that it was okay to be afraid, but that she might want to try her best to go up there one day. "Sharing our feelings about Jesus helps us feel more love for him.", we counseled. And that was that.
This morning, I got up, and after not nearly enough sleep (having gone to sleep at 3:00am this morning, doing server maintenance which was not really needed), I proceeded to get ready to go to church. During the usual Sunday morning rituals, I found myself feeling a bit more of the spirit than I had intended to. Usually, when I do unnecessary things, causing myself to be tired the next day, I don't feel much of the Spirit of God. To add insult to injury, I also was totally unprepared for a lesson I was to give today.
Yet... Still, while driving to church today, I really was digging the Spirit. Something was up, but I didn't know what. I was about to find out.
Now fast forward to a little less than 3 hours ago.
Sarah needed to leave sacrament meeting to nurse Sam, so it was me with Collin and Luci during the majority of sacrament meeting. I didn't really notice it, but Collin was sitting down a bit more attentive than he usually was.
As he was watching what was going on at the pulpit, I was listening to what was being said, and it was then that I heard Collin say something totally undecipherable, as if he was a bit shy saying it. Luci was on my lap, so I bent over and asked him what he said.
He repeated something of which I understoond nothing, and with a slight bit of impatience in my voice, I told him to speak up. The third time he repeated what he was trying to say, I understood the words, "my turn" out of the ever-so-soft words coming out. I looked at him and noticed he was looking straight at the podium.
I then asked him if he wanted a turn to talk "up there", pointing at the podium. He nodded his head, still looking straight ahead, and didn't flinch.
I wasn't sure how to react. I didn't really know if he knew what was going on, so I decided to test him. I leaned down and asked him what he would say if he went up there. He hesitated for a moment, but then, in the same soft voice, said,
"I love Jesus."
I was ... totally taken aback. I didn't have any idea what to do. I just kind of ... sat there. Sarah was gone, so I didn't really want to take him up there without having Sarah there to participate, yet, if my son wanted to bear his testimony, I didn't want to keep him back.
I was thinking this through, still in amazement, when Collin said, "I'll get my shoes on." He was very serious about this.
So, while helping him get his shoes back on, I asked Luci if she would be okay alone waitng for us to go up to the stand. She said she would be fine, so, in one last ditch effort to make sure Collin was serious, as soon as his shoes were back on, I told him, "Okay... Go on up there.", and sat in my seat.
He looked at me, thought a moment, then turned and started walking straight up to the front, and up the stairs while I watched him from the bench.
He was half-way to the podium before I caught up to him, took him in my arms, and sat down on the stand, waiting our turn.
When the time came to do the deed, I got up with Collin in my arms, when he immediately protested. I thought he was getting cold feet, but he soon made it known that he wanted to do this on his own. "Me do it!", he said.
So, I put him down, and he walked up, not being half as high as the podium. We got the block used to boost kids up, and then I hoisted him up by the hips to the microphone.
He then proceeded, with a little help from me, to say, with all the confidence a 3-year-old could muster,
"I love Jesus Christ. I love Mommy, Daddy. In name of Jesus Christ, Amen."
I then put him down, and he went back to sit with Luci, as I cried and strove to bear a testimony which paled in comparison. I was still in shock.
I concluded, went back down, and hugged my little boy.
Never in a million years would I have guessed that the spirit I felt earlier in the day would be a pre-cursor to my precious little boy giving his first testimony from the pulpit.
Definitely a day to remember.
Comment by Hailey on Mar. 02, 2009 @ 12:32 pm
That is so precious! Little children are so simple but yet SOOOO powerful! I remember Mazzy's first time too, it brought tears to my eyes, and just reading this the spirit touched my heart. Collin is such a sweetie!
Comment by Chloe on Mar. 02, 2009 @ 03:52 pm
That is the sweetest thing I have ever heard! It brings tears to my eyes! Jesus said to be like little children, this is why. What a cherished moment you all will never forget! Thank you so much for sharing! :)
Comment by mom on Mar. 02, 2009 @ 06:33 pm
What a precious moment for your family! Be sure & write that down in Collin's baby book. Was Sarah able to hear it where she was nursing Sam? Wish I had been there!!! hugs!
Comment by PoeticIntensity on Mar. 02, 2009 @ 11:09 pm
Thanks for the kind words, guys... Mom, yes, Sarah came in after the meeting ended, and just looked at me. She had been tearing up in the mother's lounge, and confirmed she had heard the whole thing. I still have a hard time believing it really happened.
Comment by Shugee on Sep. 22, 2009 @ 02:44 pm
This is beyond precious. Collin I love Jesus also and that you wanted to express and tell everyone is so brave and shows how much love resides in your little body.
Jason, it is so good of you to take the time to write this story and to let him tell everyone that he loves Jesus and to let him do all of this in his way and to not prompt him. I think children can grasp so completely how much Jesus loves all of us and especially the children. I especially love you Collin.:)
Jason, it is so good of you to take the time to write this story and to let him tell everyone that he loves Jesus and to let him do all of this in his way and to not prompt him. I think children can grasp so completely how much Jesus loves all of us and especially the children. I especially love you Collin.:)