Mi Testimonio en Espanol

If someone would have told me this time last year that I would be bearing my testimony in Spanish in a ward in Peru, I would laughed out loud like Sariah from the Old Testament.  Yet, at approximately 9:45 am this morning, I was doing exactly that.

For the last four months, I have lived in Piura, Peru as an college English teacher and I have been attending the Los Angamos ward in the Miraflores stake. While I do not speak or understand Spanish fluently, I do understand the Spirit and am grateful for my church membership as I've lived in Peru.

I have always enjoyed testimony meetings as a chance to reflect on my own thoughts and I have enjoyed sharing my testimony when the Spirit directs me to do so. I had the opportunity to share a few simple pieces of a testimony at an investigator's meeting here in Piura, but never in church. 

Unfortunately, in my previous Single Adult ward in Utah, because of the sheer magnitude of the membership (600+ members), the branch leadership would follow inspiration to invite members of the congregation to share their testimonies during the testimony portion of Sacrament. I was never selected during my time in that branch so the last time I bore my testimony in a Sacrament meeting was in December 2010, my last Sunday in a YSA ward. 

My first fast Sunday in the ward was in August. I prepared a lengthy testimony and planned to share my testimony then, after only being in Piura for about 2 weeks. However, when it came down to it, I was too nervous and scared.  

September, October, and November now seem to have flown by, but during those months, the days seemed endless sometimes. For one reason or another, I missed those Fast Sundays - either I was sick, or traveling. So today was the day I was going to bear my testimony. 

For the past week, I'd been practicing verbally in Spanish what my heart wanted to share in simple terms. A few nights, I was alone on the running track around the university's soccer field, so I had the perfect opportunity to practice out loud as I jogged or walked around the track in the cool, quiet evenings.  I was really looking forward to the opportunity. 

Last night, I wrote down what I had been practicing so I could have the words to rehearse and take a mental picture in my mind. I rehearsed again this morning before church and then realized I should verify how to say "oraciones" or prayers. I am glad I did, because I was pronouncing it wrong. I realized during the first part of  the Sacrament meeting that I didn't know if the Google translation was exactly correct. 

My mind started to race with all kinds of worried thoughts. 

Maybe I should have someone review my notes before I went up. 

How did I exactly say "true?"  Google said it was "cierto" but isn't verdad more correct?  How did I really say "oraciones" again?

Thankfully, the bishop used the word in his testimony so I could hear it from a native speaker and not the computer voice on Google.

As soon as the bishop turned over the time to the congregation for testimonies, my heart practically leaped out of my chest. I knew I had to go up, but the traditional testimony game began, even here in Piura. Who was going to go up first? Do I play leapfrog by going up to the first pew and wait, or do I walk all the way down the aisle directly to the podium and start speaking? If I wait on the pew, I can collect my thoughts, but if I go straight to the podium, I have to dive right in. I didn't go first, I thought, I'll go next, then it was third, then fourth. My heart and soul were on fire, my heart was beating so fast I felt like a hummingbird. 

Before I knew it, I stood up, walked down the side aisle and found myself at the pulpit staring at the full congregation. Perspective changes everything. The walk to the pulpit didn't seem that long until I started walking towards it. The view from the pulpit out to the congregation was quite different from what I expected from my usual vantage point of the 2nd row in the back on the left side of the chapel. I wonder what the ward members were thinking as they saw the lone gringa working her way towards the front of the chapel.

I do enjoy public speaking, I enjoy sharing my testimony, I even enjoy giving talks in church, yet I was literally shaking like a windblown tree. I was so nervous. I began and I stumbled through my simple testimony in Spanish. I was able to look out at the crowd, and I didn't use my notes;however, I wasn't exactly as smooth as butter and I apologized for my lack of skill. I'm sure I slaughtered the pronunciation of some words pretty badly, but I said "oraciones" right. I think.  

At one point, I totally forgot the word I wanted to use, and the bishop helped me. I wanted to say "mi encantada el tiemplo," and I forgot "encantada."  It means I love the temple.  At the end, I did have to refer to my notes. I know that testimonies are supposed to be spontaneous, but I think the Lord understands that I needed a little help. 

I ended my testimony and I felt so relieved and glad that I did something that I didn't think I could really do but thanks to the Lord, I was able to share my feelings about the gospel. I hope the ward members got the gist of what I was trying to say. Several ward members told me I did a good job. It was a choice experience that I will always treasure. 

So what did I say?  Here is what I said in English roughly.

My testimony is simple in Spanish. Many thanks for your help, support and friendship. I am very blessed. I believe in Jesus Christ, God, and the Holy Ghost. Jesus is my savior. The Father hears and answers my prayers. I feel the Holy Ghost here with you in the Los Angamos ward. I don't understand much Spanish but I understand the Spirit.  I have faith in the gospel.  The church is true.  I love the temple. I like to read the scriptures. The church is true no matter where you are in the world.