Saturday, November 22, 2008

The testimony glove

So my oldest comes home this past week from achievement days, wearing a single white glove. After the inevitable Michael Jackson flashback moment, i saw that each of the five fingers [insert pointless argument over whether the thumb counts as a finger here] had a small picture pasted onto it: Jesus (the Del Parson version), the Salt Lake temple, a rendition of the first vision, Thomas S. Monson, and Joseph Smith.

This seemed odd to me, so i asked what it was. The answer? It’s a “testimony glove”.

Yes, folks, we’re now coming up with cheat sheets for things that are supposed to come from the heart. Go figure.

To be honest, it wouldn’t bother me except for the reasoning behind it: that these five things are

The Essential Parts of a Testimony

Some go even further—for example, saying that

teach[ing] children to express thanks for parents, brothers and sisters, for teachers and for home, is commendable, but it is not a testimony unless it is expressed within the five essential elements.

In fact, while poking around i even found what looks suspiciously to me like a testimony glove-driven script:

A Pure Testimony Is…
  1. I know that God is our Father in Heaven and He loves us.
  2. I know that Jesus Christ is His Son, our Savior and Redeemer.
  3. I know Joseph Smith is a prophet of God, and he was the instrument through which the gospel of Jesus Christ was restored to the earth. He translated the Book of Mormon by the gift and power of God.
  4. I know the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord’s church on the earth today.
  5. I know this Church is led by a living prophet who receives revelation.

Yeah, that’s just what we need—make testimony meetings even less interesting, with everybody getting up and saying the exact same stuff.

Funny, but here i always thought the angel was pretty straightforward in telling John that

the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

Apparently, though, that’s just all nineteen hundred years ago—we’ve moved beyond that point now.

Makes me want to pray for us to be saved from cutesiness, you know?

22 comments:

Unknown said...

Huh. I thought a testimony was what you know to be true from your heart, not from a script.

Though the lady in our old ward who always used props was a little over the top.

No testimony gloves in our ward's achievement days. They just learn boring stuff like how to set the table and how to make sour cream enchiladas that Ani said were good except for the sour cream.

lienchingai said...

The testimony glove helps to give words to properly express one's testimony. Just like when you taught your child to pray, you gave examples and promptings. You did not leave your child without the proper words to use in prayer. These gloves are just like that. Hopefully you will see them as a teaching opportunity to help give words to your child to express their testimony beyond "I love my mom and dad". While that may be a powerful truth, it is not part of a testimony. Perhaps, next testimony meeting you could point out which speakers share a true testimony and not a testilog or travelmony. Neither of which are testimonies.

David B said...

You know what, those of my children who are old enough to pray (one of them isn’t talking yet, so she doesn’t count here), i never gave any of them prompts. Examples? Sure—but i’m not sure if we used examples in the same way you meant it. They learned to pray by observing people pray.

Oddly, they didn’t need us whispering things to them, nor did they need a cheat sheet.

Similarly, for bearing testimony, they don’t need a glove—they need firm faith, and the courage to express it.

Marilee said...

Talk about scripting a testimony? I think I can tell you exactly what some people will say every month, because often in a Testimony meeting I have the feeling that all the testimonies are so much the same, especially those of the children. We all can repeat it right? “I want to bear my testimony. I know this church is true. I love my mom and dad and brothers and sisters. In the name of….” You get the idea. Then there’s the adult version. “I’m so thankful for the gospel in my life. I’m thankful for….., I’m thankful for…… in the name of…..” While I think it’s great that the kids are learning to get up in front of the congregation and while I think that gratitude is a true and important principle to master, it’s simply not a testimony. And far from being a script, the five things that are listed on the testimony glove are to help children (in an object lesson style) understand what a real testimony is. Every conference one of our general authorities tries to get us to remember this. There are some great examples of talks here: http://www.geocities.com/testimonygloves/talks.html. I can understand if you simply got up and listed the five things exactly as they are written without any feeling or real experience. That’s just as bad as what I was saying before. The five things are “elements” of a testimony and you should always allow the Holy Ghost to direct what you say.

Map Maker said...

Elder Oaks taught,

"A testimony of the gospel is a personal witness borne to our souls by the Holy Ghost that certain facts of eternal significance are true and that we know them to be true. Such facts include the nature of the Godhead and our relationship to its three members, the effectiveness of the Atonement, and the reality of the Restoration.

A testimony of the gospel is not a travelogue, a health log, or an expression of love for family members."

http://lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-851-10,00.html

When someone bears witness of a truth, the Spirit has the opportunity to confirm that truth in our hearts. Public expressions of love and gratitude are nice, but aren't really the point of Testimony meeting.

In my view, testimony gloves teach children the types of things they should seek to know for themselves and then share with others. It is not a script.

Children like yours learn to pray by watching others because they receive consistent examples of prayers with the basic and essential elements. Children also would learn to bear their testimony the same way, unfortunately, we often give them a poor example of a testimonies basic element and essentail points.

Southboisegirl said...

The idea of the testimony glove came from sister Oaks and is used to help teach children in foreign countries the basics of testimony

David B said...

@myra.christensen: So?

A flawed teaching method is a flawed teaching method, no matter its pedigree.

Also, i posted a followup to this some months later, which may clarify some of my objections: An anniversary, and the return of the testimony glove.

Julio T. said...

Dear David B:

Either you're not a member of the LDS Church, or you did not understand AT ALL what a testimony is really about.
A testimony is a godly confirmation in your heart (by the Holy Ghost) that confirms us of the truth and reality of the eternal truths of the Gospel, and it has nothing to do with your feelings about giving thanks for you parents, your brother, or else. The function of the Testimony Glove is an easy way to teach children how to express their humble feelings of what they have learned of the Gospel, and specially of our Savior and Redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ. Otherwise: How would you explain a five-year-old child about the Holy Ghost and how this member ot the Holy Trinity taughts us the eternal truths of the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Pretty hard, don't you think? What I'm trying to say is that the Testimony Glove is just a practical and "child made" way to teach children how and what to express when thay are asked to share their testimonies. It's not a matter of "telling them what to say or feel". I hope you could understand what I tried to say. And in the future, PLEASE: DON'T TRY TO TEACH THINGS THAT YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND! OR WORST: DON'T TELL LIES!!! Yours sincerely, Julio T.

David B said...

@Julio T.:

You know, you’re the second hit-and-run commenter this weekend to suggest that i might not actually be a Mormon—so i’ll tell you essentially what i told her: Sorry, i’m not only a Mormon, but i’m a firm believer, so you’re stuck with me.

In any event, to get to the main substance of your comment, i’m surprised that you hold that a testimony comes from one’s heart, but you seem to think that something that comes from one’s heart requires a cheat sheet.

See, that’s really not a consistent position to take.

Further, i would hold that the idea that a testimony must include the five (and precisely those five!) elements on a testimony glove is not just wrong, but dangerous to developing testimonies.

And i must admit amusement about your question on how i would teach a five-year-old about the Holy Ghost and its role. Well, having taught three kids past that point, and having one approaching that age, i’d say i’d do it exactly as i (and my wife) already did it: frequent, usually spontaneous discussions in places like car trips and the dinner table and hanging around as bedtime approaches.

Oddly enough, i don’t need to make any cutesy cheat sheets for my kids if i do that.

Finally, you do realize that you’re responding to a post from over two and a half years ago, yes? If you want more up-to-date thoughts, you should follow the link in the comment that i posted nearly two years ago. It appears in the comment queue immediately above your rant—if you’re interested in debate and not just hit-and-running, that is.

(Oh—and post-finally, how am i lying? What don’t i understand? Those are direct accusations, and so they really merit some clarification and evidence, you know.)

Spencer said...

Scripted? Know ye not that this is the work of the Oaks family?

I believe The Testimony Glove would make a powerful missionary tool. Not to discount the Book of Mormon, of course, but many of the investigators on my mission could not get past the many instances of "and it came to pass" that was the custom in Hebrew writing at that time. Then again, they were mostly aborigines from the seed of Cain so we can't expect them to grasp the finer elements of literary style.

The Book of Mormon could be best utilized as a teaching aid on Testimony Glove 2.0 (our ward clerk showed me the beta version) -- as an additional sixth finger or perhaps replacing Joseph Smith on the middle finger.

daddy-o said...

Testimony Glove...the ULTIMATE in Mormon Kitsch: Tasteless, inferior.
Just When I didn't think they could Sink Any Lower, along comes this...

Unknown said...

Different children have different learning styles. SOme children might not benefit from this where others might. I have Autistic children. Words are hard for them to come up with on their own. Pictures prompt them for the words that they have trouble with. They know the words but pulling them out of their little Autistic brains is sometimes difficult. As a mom who is also autistic I see the glove as a tool to help my children just like their "What comes next in my day" picture schedule boards. NOt all children may need to use the glove but that doesn't mean it is a flawed methodology for some children.

Unknown said...

http://deseretbook.com/Testimony-Glove-Kristen-M-Oaks/i/5044695

This is a link to the book that goes with the glove. It is based on a true experience of a former member of the Primary General Presidency. The story explains the symbolism and very likely they either read or told the girls the story. I have read the book and am just waiting for Christmas to buy the books for my my Autistic Children. It is a great teaching tool for children that are visual learners and concrete thinkers.

Most Autistic people are very visual processors and we are also concrete thinkers rather than abstract thinkers. Some of us can transition between the concrete and the abstract with relative ease but most cannot. I am an Autistic person that can transition and for me it will make teaching my very very very concrete children abstract ideas like the gift of the Holy Ghost possible.

Some of you may not need a tool like this but please do not condemn something as being bad just because your child does not need it. My children will never grasp the abstract ideas without me finding a concrete presentation of those ideas. This tool helps me to be sure that they actually believe what they are saying in their testimonies not just repeating words they hear their friends say without understanding what they mean.

It is critical complaints like the ones that are here that often cause very good products that help my children to be dropped. Try really hard, please, to consider that not all things created must be implemented by all people and also try really hard to avoid the thinking that your way of life is what everyone is experiencing.

Unknown said...

I am happy for all of you that have practically perfect children who have no need for the book or the glove. You truly have been given much from Heavenly father. Since you are so blessed then maybe you would consider contacting Deseret Book to find out how to donate a book and glove combo to a child in a developing nation.

Purchase of the combo from them gives all the proceeds to help provide the gloves to children in developing nations. Since you have no need of the book and glove in your home because the Lord has blessed you with such wonderful children and/or your inspired Primary leaders provided you with a homemade version, then maybe you could show your appreciation to the Lord for your gifts and share them by helping a child that would benefit from it to have one.

That child may not be as blessed as you and your child and, like my children, would benefit from having such a wonderful tool. Send a donation to whomever can accept one in honor of the practically perfect children the Lord has given you. Then bend your knees and offer a prayer of thanks to your Heavenly Father for showing you just how blessed you really are through some cranky old Autistic woman with a bunch of non-verbal Autistic kids that she bends her knees and thanks Heavenly Father for daily. She thanks him for allowing her to be the mother of his most precious Golden children that are not in need of Baptism because they lack the capacity to understand the gospel. They are pure, perfect, undiminished, valiant spirits and I am lucky enough to be their mother. I would not trade one of my pure spirits for a hundred practically perfect children. So I will buy the book and the gloves so that I can be sure that my Golden Children understand the words we use to describe what I see every time the sun breaks through a cloud and shines on their faces.

I will use it to let them know that I understand what they know from that not fully closed veil that keeps them from talking to me. I will assure them that we will be there for them when the veil is finally closed and that we know what they know and that we use certain words to describe those things.

I am grateful that my children have never had Primary teachers that think like those of you who have been complaining here because they would have learned nothing from you. I do not mean to be rude but you are just so closed minded and sure that your way is the only way to do something and it is a way that I know would never work with my kids. I am asking you as a Sister in Zion to please stop being so closed minded just because you do not have a need for this teaching tool.

David B said...

Sometimes i wonder if people actually read this post, or the comments (which would lead to a follow-up post) before commenting on this subject.

Are there children who could be helped by this sort of thing? Undoubtedly yes.

The problem, though, is that i suspect there are a lot more children (and adults!) who could be harmed by this sort of thing.

If it works for you and your family, fine—use it with your family. Just please don’t try to force it on my family, or for that matter on families in Ghana, okay?

Stephen said...

you said you are a firm believer right. so if you disagree with the testimony glove you should talk to your bishop about it.

David B said...

@is a juggernaut: Seriously? Since when is agreeing with the reductive absurdity that is the testimony glove a condition of Mormon faithfulness? Just because something is sold at Mormon-oriented bookstores, it’s now a requirement for…well, what, exactly? A temple recommend? I don’t think it’s been added to the list of questions, though i’ll admit i didn’t review them last week, so maybe you know more than i do.

What’s next? I’m going to be required to have a testimony of the truthfulness of Book of Mormon action figures?

dinah said...

Thanks for the summary of the testimony glove. I'm using it for camp this summer for the young women. I'll leave out your agnostic spirit and gospel according to your demented perspective. It's apparent that you spend a lot of time dwelling on how to start fires and from the comments on your blog, you do a great job. Thanks again and may the spirit of contention leave you soon, but then again maybe it's your constant companion.

Laura Dee said...

I so appreciate the above debate about the pros and cons of teaching with a testimony glove. The only thing that makes me uncomfortable is when people get accusatory and personal. I think both those who embrace and those who caution against the use of the Testimony Glove in teaching truth make valid points. The role of the Holy Ghost is to witness to us of God and all things that pertain to godliness. The five gospel principles highlighted by the testimony glove are vital although not exclusive.

Laura Dee said...

Also, isn't the bearing of a testimony an individual sharing some of what the Holy Ghost has born witness of to him/her? I think it's a fascinating aspect of American Mormon culture that we all observe similar elements of formal testimony bearing in our meetings: the children's repeated phrases and expressions of love to family, older youth and adults who seem to be praying as they express lists of what they are thankful for (with some even ending their testimony with "in the name of Thy Son, Jesus Christ, amen" as we would a prayer to the Father), travelogues and health updates, etc.

Tadpole said...

We are having a family reunion in about 6 weeks and I want to do an activity with my grandchildren; something fun, yet meaningful. Some years ago, my youngest child came home from Primary with a "testimony glove" to help teach elements of a testimony to young children. I went online to find instructions and happened across this blog expressing irritation at the cutesiness we use to teach sacred things and also being too "lock-step" in having everyone repeating the same things. And, of course, the defense of Sis. Oaks and how helpful visual aids like this can be. As I read the bickering on this blog, I thought of my mother.
My mother was a practical woman who seldom made handouts and visual aids for any group older than eight, preferring to have people dig deep into their scriptures and speak what was in their hearts. But when the inevitable trail of refrigerator magnets came home from church, she would put them up and leave them there for awhile, to be replaced regularly with the next batch. I can hear her now in my head. "Wasn't that sweet of Sis. Smith to take all that time and effort to make this just for you? She really loves all of you Primary children so much. What was the lesson that she wanted you to learn?" We were encouraged to save any handouts that had special meaning for us and put them in a scrapbook, and to trash the rest so the house didn't get too cluttered. She didn't like the handouts much, but it would not have been her nature to criticize.
My mother was the epitome of tolerance and tact. When I had my feelings hurt by someone's thoughtless remark, I can remember her sitting me down, putting her arm around me for comfort, and asking me these questions. "Would you ever hurt someone's feelings on purpose?" If you knew that what you were doing would hurt someone else, would you do it?" I told her that of course I would never hurt someone on purpose. "And don't you think others feel the same way? Do you think that ________ tried to hurt you, wanted to hurt you? Or do you think they would feel badly if they knew what they had done? And don't you think you should forgive them for accidentally hurting you?" It gave me a whole new way of looking at people.
I think I have followed my mother's example. I know that I drive my husband a little crazy for doing what he calls "making excuses for bad behavior". He complains about the members of our ward, our in-laws, the neighbor next door, the idiots in politics, and yes, our children that he loves so much. I find myself trying to explain away everything that they do, finding reasons for what seems unreasonable. And I know that when I find myself getting irritated, I can step back, look at that source of irritation, and who they are, the efforts they are making, and know that they really are trying to do what they think is the right thing.
I never used that testimony glove with my own daughter. It was definitely too cutesie for me. She was very capable of expressing her own testimony and not just standing up and repeating what she heard others say. But I have autistic grandchildren, and grandchildren who are not taught the gospel much in their homes and I think this will be a good thing for them, so I am going to use it.
I also think that since this is David's blog, he has every right to express his feelings and complain. I know that I crab about stuff on my blog and people reading it might very well be offended. Who knows? Maybe David, you enjoy the discussion and arguing. My husband would. And he is such a good guy. I bet you are, too. Thanks for an interesting morning reading all of these comments! And I'm off to buy some gloves and "brainwash" my grandchildren a little.

Unknown said...

From...Mom of 6, grandmother of 29 and great grandmother of 3: What is all the snarking about? Don't you all believe that adults have the power and inspiration to decide whether the "Testimony Glove" (which was designed by my sister-in-law) should be used or not in any given situation? Use the gift of the Holy Ghost to discern for Heaven's sake. Really..... it IS for Heaven's sake.