Building Personal Testimony: “One by One”

By the Relief Society General Presidency

When the Lord appeared to the Nephites, he invited each of them to “arise and come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know that I am the God of Israel, and the God of the whole earth, and have been slain for the sins of the world.” And so they came forth, “one by one until they had all gone forth, and did see with their eyes and did feel with their hands, and did know of a surety” (3 Ne. 11:14–15).

To Build a Personal Testimony

It is our greatest desire that each of you, our sisters, “arise and come forth … one by one,” that you might joyfully partake of the blessings that come from developing a personal testimony of our Savior. Relief Society flourishes because of righteous women who have come to know the Savior individually, “one by one.”

To build anything means to create, develop, or erect. A testimony follows the same pattern, with study, prayer, and attending meetings as the basic materials from which a testimony is built.

Question: How does building a personal testimony bless you?

Personal Action

Building a personal testimony demands personal action. It cannot be built without individual effort and dedication. Ruth, a Moabitess, is a good example of one whose personal action exemplified the depth of her personal testimony. (Read Ruth 1:16–17.)

Question: How did a personal testimony help Ruth to change her life? How can it help you change yours?

Personal Goals

The high goals of Relief Society should motivate each of us to set our personal goals high. These goals should reflect our individual needs, desires, and temperaments. They should be based on our strengths and encourage us to overcome our weaknesses. Most important, our goals should lead us to accomplishments that build our self-confidence, create a desire to live a more righteous life, and strengthen our personal testimonies.

Question: How can setting personal goals help you to build your testimony?

One by One

When the Savior visited the Nephites, he introduced himself by saying, “Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world. And behold, I am the light and the life of the world” (3 Ne. 11:10–11). After he introduced himself in this marvelous way, he immediately invited them to “come forth” that each one—“one by one”—might be able to “bear record, that it was he, of whom it was written by the prophets, that should come” (3 Ne. 11:15).

We rejoice at a similar opportunity to witness that He lives. Our testimonies should help us sink our spiritual roots deep so that we can grow to new heights of personal righteousness and achievement. As the Relief Society General Presidency, we invite you to join us “one by one” in building a personal testimony.

Question: How can sinking spiritual roots help you to build a personal testimony?

Illustrated by John Scott