This year at BYU I have grown so much spiritually, mentally, and socially.
I have also gained confidence and self-esteem.
With all of that growth, I made it my goal to bear my testimony on the last Fast and Testimony meeting of my first year at BYU.
Every Fast and Testimony meeting before that, I start to think about my goal and I start to panic. Public speaking is NOT my specialty.
It terrifies me.
For months, I've planned to do this, and every time I think about it I start to get knots in my stomach, and have a little bit of a harder time breathing.
It's been worse lately because tomorrow is the day that I need to bear my testimony.
(AHHHHH so stressful!)
But anyways, I think it would be easier to do if I write my testimony on here first.
It won't be very eloquent, I'm not very good with words, but it's all I've got.
So, here I go.
Before coming to BYU I didn't really have a testimony.
I felt a little bit lost all through high school and I ended up coming to BYU not knowing what I truly believed.
Everything has changed since then.
Coming to BYU probably saved my life.
If I've learned anything since coming here it's that my Heavenly Father loves me so much.
He loves me no matter what I've done, He loves me when I stumble, He loves me when I fall, He loves me when I mess up over and over and over again doing the same things.
He loves me when I make mistakes and He loves me unconditionally.
There is not a single thing I could do to make Him not love me.
I know that my Heavenly Father wants me to be happy.
I know that he blesses me so much more than I even realize or recognize.
Even though I don't appreciate the things He does for me as much as I always should, He continues to bless me with a beautiful Earth, with an amazing ward, with fantastic friends, family, and roommates.
I know that this church is true.
I know that the gospel is true.
I know that my Savior died on the cross for me, to give me second chances.
I know that Jesus Christ lives, and that He knows what I go through.
I know that He knows me, He knows everything about me.
He knows when I am sad, or mad, or happy.
He knows what I love and what my passions are.
He knows what my struggles are and understands how I feel.
I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet, and while I don't know every single detail about church history, I believe that he saw Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father.
I know that he translated the Book of Mormon so that I could read it and have a testimony of Jesus Christ and of past prophets.
I know that I don't need to worry about the future too much.
I know that if I do what I'm supposed to do, follow the commandments, and listen to the guidance that the Holy Ghost gives me I will be okay.
I will be taken care of and everything will be alright.
I just need to trust in my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.
There are so many things that I know now, but I'm going to stop there.
My testimony is very simple, but a testimony doesn't have to be amazing and eloquent and good enough to put in a magazine or a book.
It just has to be what I feel, and I these things are what I feel.
I'm so grateful for all that I have learned and the knowledge I have gained since coming here to BYU.
I love this church, and the gospel.
I love my Savior and my Father in Heaven, I would be lost without them.
I'm still really nervous about tomorrow, but I know that Heavenly Father will give me the strength to accomplish my goals.
