Temple growth

The Church is growing, slowly growing, across the face of the earth. Indeed in these historic times we are witnessing the spreading of the Gospel to every nation, kindred, tongue and people. I am truly blessed to be here now.

LDS Church announces 'hopes' to build new temple in France
Published: Friday, July 15, 2011 4:01 p.m. MDT By Joseph Walker, Deseret News
In 2004, President Gordon B. Hinckley visited Latter-day Saints in France as part of a 10-day European tour during which the Copenhagen Denmark Temple was dedicated. During a meeting in Paris, the LDS Church News reported that he told the French Saints they were "worthy of the richest blessings of the Church."
"I wish I could announce that we could have a temple here, but we do not have a suitable place yet, in my judgment, to build it," President Hinckley said. "So we will continue to look. I don't know when it will be built, but I am confident that that we will have a temple for the French-speaking people of the church sometime in the future.
"Sometime in the future" is closer now.
In a departure from recent tradition, LDS Church President Thomas S. Monson today announced that the church "hopes" to build its first temple in France on property on the outskirts of Paris.
"Customarily, new temples are announced by the president of the church at one of the church's general conferences, after local government building approvals and property acquisition have been secured," church officials noted in a prepared statement. "Although the local government approval process for the French temple is still under way, French newspapers are already reporting church plans to build at Le Chesnay, near Versailles, and this prompted today's announcement."
Church spokesman Scott Trotter said the church has been working for many months with local officials.
"There have been several previous attempts to find a suitable site for a French temple, but none were finalized," Trotter said. "French members of the church wishing to visit a temple usually travel to those in neighboring European countries."
Trotter indicated that additional details on the new temple will be presented as they become available.
The long-awaited announcement of a temple is just the most recent development in the LDS Church's 162-year history in France. Although there is earlier mention of sending missionaries to France, the first mission of the LDS Church there was organized in 1849. As was the case in so many European missions, the earliest Mormon missionaries met with considerable resistance, and church growth was slow. At one point the mission was closed for several decades, and wasn't re-opened until 1912.
A unique chapter of LDS Church history in France was the so-called "Paris Art Mission." In 1890, five young artists — John Hafen, Lorus Pratt, John B. Fairbanks, Edwin Evans and Herman Haag — were called as "art missionaries" and sent to study at the Julian Academy in Paris, where they honed their skills in preparation for painting the vast murals in the Salt Lake Temple. That "missionary" effort was, by all accounts, eminently successful.
Church growth in France increased significantly after World War II. The first stake in France was organized in Paris in 1975. Twenty-one years later more than 28,000 members of the church in France were divided into seven stakes. Today there are more than 35,000 Latter-day Saints in France in nine stakes, 57 wards, 54 branches, two districts and two missions.
And now, in the very near future, there will be a temple to serve them all.
Article links

•leParisien article on LDS Church temple in France
From the archive
•Fort Collins LDS temple site announced – July 8, 2011
•Open house begins Friday for San Salvador El Salvador LDS temple – June 29, 2011
•President Monson presides over groundbreaking for Mormon temple in Rome – Oct. 23, 2010
•President Thomas S. Monson opens Mormon conference by announcing 5 new temples – Oct. 2, 2010
•LDS temple in Ukraine given 'to the Lord' – Aug. 29, 2010
"And so, my brothers and sisters, I ask you to be patient for a time," he continued. "Sometime in the future a beautiful house of the Lord will grace this land."

72 hour kit

A writer and contributor from Utah made suggestions for these extra items be included in one's 72. We in our Ward have been doing just that for a number of years, ever since I was called the first time as Welfare Specialist

Additional items to consider for emergency preparedness kits
Published: Tuesday, July 12, 2011 4:00 a.m. MDT By Kathi Oram Peterson, For Mormon Times

I lived through Idaho's Teton Dam disaster. In a second, my parents' lives were turned upside down. I helped them flee their home on the river. Fortunately, my house was out of harm’s way, so they stayed with me and my family. Others weren’t so fortunate.
In the last few years we’ve seen earthquakes, tornadoes, floods, fire and hurricanes. Entire cities have been wiped out by tsunamis, neighborhoods have been claimed by fire and families have lost their homes. People have had to flee for safety in a moment’s notice. Many wished they’d had a 72-hour kit that contained essential hygiene needs, a change of clothes, water and food. Today you can find many online sites that detail what needs to be included in a 72-hour kit. But after living through a crisis, my parents added several items to their kits that you might find helpful as well.
1. Printed emergency plan. Print copies of an emergency plan and give them to your family members. This plan should show rallying points, locations of emergency centers, evacuation routes and the phone number of someone who lives out of state whom they can call. During some disasters, you might not be able to call within the city, but you may be able to reach someone living out of state. During the Teton Dam Disaster, I could call my aunt in Washington, but I couldn’t reach my parents who lived in the same city as I did.
2. First aid kit. Not only should it have bandages, Neosporin, aspirin and all the essentials but also medications that your family needs on a regular basis. You will need to diligently rotate some medications, but during an emergency you’ll be glad you’re prepared.
3. Survival books. This is different from the emergency plan above. Survival books give detailed information that explain such things as what to do if an electrical line is down on the highway or how long water must boil before it is safe to drink. Of course, these books should have been read beforehand, but during an actual emergency they will become most helpful. And don’t forget scriptures.
4. Money. Cash in large and small bills, plus change, will be in high demand. During an emergency you should not rely on someone breaking a $20 bill, especially businesses that will be overwhelmed with customers. Keep in mind, vending machines are easier to use with exact change.
5. Duct tape. This all-purpose tape can come in handy is many ways: taping shut broke windows, repairing torn material, keeping a broken arm/leg taped to a board, etc.
6. Photos and family history. When my parents fled their home, they realized they’d left all their photos and family history books behind. In some disasters, you might have time to grab them. So in case you do, have those priceless books plainly marked (a red x works well) and in one place ready to grab in an instant. If your information is stored on a computer, download a copy to a thumb drive or external hard drive. Keep it updated and in your kit.

There are many other items that you can add to the list. These are but a few suggestions that hopefully will make you think outside of the standard 72-hour kit box. Disasters can happen anywhere, any time. If you’re prepared, you’ll get through the crisis a little more comfortably than others.

Quebec Floods

Floods come and the helping hands get busy. During the recent Quebec floods our Saints were there with their yellow jackets.

QUEBEC — More than 550 members and friends of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints lent a helping hand in June to aid victims of the flooding along the Richelieu River in Quebec in the first ever Disaster Relief Mormon Helping Hands Project in Eastern Canada.
More than 2,650 homes and 330 cottages in Quebec were flooded, due to more than 90 inches of rain that fell in the region since mid-April. Close to 1,500 people had been evacuated from their homes, many for several weeks.
More than 500 volunteers helped clean up areas affected by flooding along the Richelieu River in Quebec on June 11.
From the archive
The Mormon Helping Hands program participated in conjunction with S.O.S. Richelieu, a local disaster relief group.
President Pierre-Paul Morin of the Longueuil Quebec Stake initially asked the 14 congregations under his direction to commit to helping with the clean up of the flooded homes. They were looking for 150 volunteers.
When news of the project spread throughout eastern Canada, members from congregations in Quebec, Ontario and the Atlantic Provinces offered to participate.
Laurent M. Leclerc, director of public affairs for the Longueuil Quebec Stake and Omer Pirlet, a member of the stake high council, coordinated the Helping Hands efforts in partnership with local authorities. S.O.S Richelieu recruited several thousand volunteers to assist with clean-up efforts over two weekends in June.
The Premier of Quebec Jean Charest met with President Morin to inspect the cleaning and hygiene kits donated by the LDS Church to assist local residents. Stake leaders had an opportunity to teach municipal and provincial authorities about the church’s disaster relief program.
Several volunteers traveled from as far away as Toronto, which is a six-hour drive.
In Venise-en-Quebec, a Bishop’s Storehouse truck delivered the cleaning kits in the morning just before the volunteers arrived. One resident was overwhelmed when she realized that the help was not only material but human as well.
“Oh, you are not only providing the products, but the labor force that comes with it,” she said as she began to cry.
A few days after the project in Venise-en-Quebec local residents were still talking about “the angels who came Saturday.”
“They were talking of the members as angels," Brother Leclerc said. "When we understand what it really means to be an angel, they could not describe us better than that. Angels are servants of God. When we serve our neighbor we are only serving God.”
Catherine Jarvis is the public affairs director for the Montreal Quebec Mount Royal Stake.

Another Afghanistan death

This is so sad when one so young loses his life at the hands of the nasties. My heart goes out to his young wife, parents and friends. One can wonder at the futility of this loss, but bear in mind that these soldiers are doing everything in their power to help a beleagued nation learn and then practice democracy, giving them the freedom of choice to choose who will lead them. The Lord bless these lads, and bless and strengthen their families, and bring home these fighters. Please Lord, help them to bring about peace in this troubled nation and bring our boys home

Family mourns and remembers Sandy soldier killed in Afghanistan
Published: Thursday, July 7, 2011 3:39 p.m. MDT By Benjamin Wood, Deseret News

A soldier from Sandy was killed Tuesday in Afghanistan when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device, according to the Department of Defense.
Spc. Preston J. Suter, 22, had been serving as a military policeman in Afghanistan since April, his mother Patricia Middleton said. Suter graduated in 2007 from Alta High School — where he played on the varsity basketball team — and had been pursuing a degree in criminal investigation at Snow College when he joined the military to serve his country and help pay for his education.
Laura Seitz, Deseret News
Suter was killed on July 5 in Afghanistan while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
From the archive
•Logan Marine dies in Afghanistan on Sunday – July 12, 2011
"He was an awesome kid," said Middleton, who lives in West Valley City. "He was so loveable."
Also killed were Staff Sgt. Joshua A. Throckmorton, 28, of Battle Creek, Mich., and Spc. Jordan C. Schumann, 24, of Port Saint Lucie, Fla. The soldiers were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom and were assigned to the 709th Military Police Battalion, 18th Military Police Brigade, 21st Theater Sustainment Command, Hohenfels, Germany.
The attack occurred in Paktia province, Afghanistan.
Middleton said her son loved the military, but he had also expressed anxiety about serving in Afghanistan. He did not tell her he had enlisted until two days before he was sent overseas, and she said she has worried about him every day since.
Prior to his tour in Afghanistan, Suter had been stationed in Germany, where he met and recently married his wife, Nicole, in April.
"It's the worst thing in the world to bury your child," Middleton said Thursday. "He was going to come home on leave with Nicole and instead he came home in a box."
Middleton met her daughter-in-law for the first time on Wednesday, when Suter's family met at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware to receive Suter's remains. Middleton described her as a "sweetheart" and said Suter loved his wife very much.
The couple met while Nicole was working at a military store at the base where Suter was stationed.
"The story that we got told last night was that he kept going in and going in and going in until she finally went out with him," Middleton said. "That sounds like Preston — persistent."
Alta High School basketball coach Jim Barker said Suter had a good work ethic and was always liked by the other players. At 6 feet 3 inches tall, Suter was often undersized in his position, Barker said, and put in a lot of practice to raise his skill level.
Off the court, Suter was just as motivated. Barker remembers a time when members of the team helped him move homes and Suter, he said, consistently volunteered for the more difficult tasks.
"He was willing to do the extra little hard stuff and that's how he was on the basketball court," Barker said. "It was just his nature to be a hardworking kid."
Samantha Suter described her brother as a strong man and said his military service and his goal of becoming a police officer fit his personality. She said the two of them were very close, especially when they were children.
"He was really loving and he cared about everybody and everything," she said.
Samantha Suter is organizing a candlelight vigil in her brother's honor. It will be held today at 8 p.m. at Alta High School.
Utah Gov. Gary Herbert issued condolences to the Suter family and said state flags will fly at half staff on the day of Suter's memorial services.
"The entire state of Utah mourns with the family of Specialist Suter," Herbert said. "Deeply grateful for the incomparable price he has paid while honorably defending our nation and freedom. Jeanette and I offer sincere condolences to his wife and parents, and heartfelt thanks on behalf of all the people of Utah for his service to the country and this state."

Anne Bradshaw and genealogy

Genealogy Quote of the Week – James E. Faust

I love James E. Faust for his dedication and service doing the Lords' work all his life. He is a truly wonderful example and his words regarding genealogy are a must, they need to be heeded for the salvtation and exaltation of ourselves and our families of the past and future.

July 8th, 2011 | Author: AnneBradshaw
This week’s genealogy quote comes from James E.Faust, (July 31, 1920 – August 10, 2007) an American religious leader, lawyer, author, and politician. He was Second Counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1995 until his death; an LDS Church apostle for 29 years; and a general authority of the church for 35 years.

James E. Faust
James E. Faust served d in the House of Representatives for the 28th Utah State Legislature (1949) as a Democrat for Utah’s eighth district. He also served as chairperson of the Utah State Democratic Party and helped manage a campaign for Senator Frank Moss. In 1996, he was awarded with the Minuteman Award by the Utah National Guard. James Faust was appointed by U.S. President John F. Kennedy to the Lawyer’s Committee for Civil Rights. He was also an advisor to the American Bar Journal. He was made an honorary citizen of São Paulo, Brazil, and received a national Brazilian citizenship award.
Genealogy quote from James E. Faust
In the great vision in the Kirtland Temple, Elijah the prophet appeared to the Prophet Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery and committed the keys of temple work and the sealing power into Joseph Smith’s hands. This fulfilled Malachi’s prophecy that Elijah would be sent ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the children to the fathers, lest the whole earth be smitten with a curse’ (see Doctrine & Covenants 110:14–15).
So what does this mean? To turn our hearts to our fathers is to search out the names of our deceased ancestors and to perform the saving ordinances in the temple for them. This will forge a continuous chain between us and our forefathers eventually all the way back to Father Adam and Mother Eve. (From The Phenomenon That Is You by James E. Faust, Ensign, Nov. 2003, 55)

Susan Dayle and Democracy

This is a very thought-provoking review on democracy and republicism. i have long wondered about the way Americans saw the difference between the two. I have always felt that democracy was the freedom to speak out against all wrongs affecting a normal, religious society, which dictatorship does its best to destroy. Republicanism I have seen as the freedom to run a capitalist enterprise within the grounds of circumspect, caution, and without special favours given by the chosen government. Hmmm, there is a lot more to that also I should think
Thanks Susan

Faith of our Fathers
by susandayley on July 1, 2011
There are a number of misconceptions that worry me whenever I hear them espoused as facts. Such as the statement that America is a democracy. Unfortunately, that may be true today, but in its beginning it was established as a constitutional republic. In this nation’s founding, the fallacies and weaknesses of a democracy were not only understood, but rejected. However, this post is not about what a democracy is, it’s about another fallacy that I read far too often. The idea that our Founding Fathers were predominately deist.
What is a deist? Deism is the belief “that reason and observation of the natural world, without the need for organized religion, can determine that the universe is a creation and has a creator. Further the term often implies that this Supreme Being does not intervene in human affairs or suspend the natural laws of the universe. Deists typically reject supernatural events such as prophecy and miracles, tending to assert that God (as “the Supreme Architect”) has a plan for the universe that he does not alter by intervening in the affairs of human life. This idea is also known as the Clockwork universe theory, in which a god designs and builds the universe, but steps aside to let it run on its own. Deists believe in the existence of God without any reliance on revealed religion, religious authority or holy books.”
What is a “Founding Father?” David Barton, in Original Intent (WallBuilder Press, 1997, ch. 6), defines a founder as “one who exerted significant influence in, provided prominent leadership for, or had a substantial impact upon the birth, development, and establishment of America as an independent, self-governing nation.”
A common support for the assertion that the Founders were deist, agnostic or even atheist, is to take statements out of context. For example the quote: “This would be the best of all possible worlds if there were no religion in it”—John Adams.
It comes from a letter he wrote to Thomas Jefferson on April 19, 1817. After describing a debate between Lemuel Bryant, his parish priest, and Joseph Cleverly, his Latin schoolmaster, Adams wrote:
"Twenty times in the course of my late reading have I been on the point of breaking out, ‘This would be the best of all possible worlds, if there were no religion in it!!!’ But in this exclamation I would have been as fanatical as Bryant or Cleverly. Without religion this world would be something not fit to be mentioned in polite company, I mean hell” (Barton, Original Intent).
While there was some anti-organized-religion sentiment among the Founders, such as from Thomas Paine and Ethan Allen, they were few. David Barton goes on to give a sampling (8 pages) of quotes such as this one: “The religion I have [is] to love and fear God, believe in Jesus Christ, do all the good to my neighbor, and myself that I can, do as little harm as I can help, and trust on God’s mercy for the rest”—Daniel Boon, revolutionary officer; legislator.
He also gives 55 examples of offices held by these heroic men, such as: John Brooks (Governor of Massachusetts; Revolutionary general): President of Middlesex County Bible Society; and Francis Scott Key (Attorney, author of “The Star-spangled Banner”): Manager and Vice-President of the American Sunday School Union.
What about Thomas Jefferson? In his own words: “I am a real Christian, that is to say, a disciple of the doctrines of Jesus.”
How would these men respond to being called deist? Consider this objection from Patrick Henry: “The rising greatness of our country. . .is greatly tarnished by the general prevalence of deism which, with me, is but another name for vice and depravity. . . .I hear it is said by the deists that I am one of their number; and indeed that some good people think I am no Christian. This thought gives me much more pain than the appellation of Tory [being called a traitor], because I think religion of infinitely higher importance than politics. . . [B]eing a Christian. . . is a character which I prize far above all this world has or can boast” (Barton, Original Intent).
Final thoughts by David Barton: “Despite the abundance of evidence on the highly religious nature of the Founding Fathers, many groups have ignored the clear historical records. Instead, they have promoted their own view of the alleged anit- or non-religious beliefs of our Founders in attempts to bolster their arguments for the current separation [of church and state] doctrine. The result is that the nation’s policies concerning religion and government have been turned upside-down. In fact not only does much of the nation not realize that the current ‘separation of church and state’ is not constitutionally mandated, many are not even aware that ‘the free exercise’ of religion is. . .How did this reversal happen?” (Barton, Original Intent).

Non-fiction Aussie books

#1Book Review: The Girl in the Steel Corset (Steampunk Chronicles #1) →July 1, 2011 · 9:17 pm ↓ July Challenge- Non-Fiction
Our Aussie Readers group @ Goodreads have chosen non-fiction as the July 2011 reading challenge. I do enjoy a juicy memoir or travel narrative.

So here’s what I pledge to read this month:

Me of the Never, Never by Fiona O’Loughlin

Biting the Big Apple by Bella Vendramini

An Umbrian Love Story by Marlena De Blasi


Do you have any non-fiction titles on your TBR list for this month?
And here’s an update on the Goodreads Aussie Readers Group 2011 Winter Challenge. View the original post HERE. I pledged to read the following books:

1.The white earth by Andrew McGahan

2. Bite Me by Parker Blue READ- see my review

3. Starcrossed: Perigee by Tracey L Campbell

4.Vampires Rule by K.C Blake READ- see my review

5.The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

6.Winter’s Shadow by M.J. Hearle READ- see my review

7.Airmail by Naomi Bulger READ- see my review

8.Me of the Never Never by Fiona O’Loughlin

9. Fallen by Lauren Kate READ- see my review

10. According to Luke by Rosanne Dingli READ- see my review

I have read 6/10 of the books on my winter reading challenge!

I have the biography of Margaret Hawke and read Bob Hawke's and am considering searching th eshelves for what are listed here. There are an awful lot of Australian biographies to choose from and hopefully in the future Aussie bookreaders will get to read Dad's Story, his autobiography that I am currently writing.

Aussie Books

Book Blogger Hop #1
The Australian Bookshelf | July 1, 2011 at 6:37 pm | Categories: Friday blog hop | URL: http://wp.me/p1cyae-ci
This is a weekly meme hosted by Jennifer at Crazy For Books
This week's question is:

"What keeps you reading beyond the first few pages of a book, and what makes you
want to stop reading a book and put it back on the shelf?"

I guess there's no set rule for keeping me engaged in a story. There's probably three main reading experiences that I encounter:
1) Love it from the very first page
2) It's a little slow to start and then becomes enjoyable
3) Slow to start and never really eventuates in rapid page turning


Sometimes a slow build is necessary for character development and to give a foundation to a story, but to get me past page 50 the author has to show me it is worth it. I suppose the characters are the main factor for me. I need to be drawn in and understand them for me to really enjoy a book and continue reading it. In saying that there are times when the characters aren't well developed but the plot has me hooked nevertheless.
It's rare that I have been unable to finish a book, I usually give it the benefit of the doubt that it will step up my interest at some stage. Overall, if the plot is mundane, the characters are superficial and I find myself skimming paragraphs in search of something interesting- then those are the things that will stop me from continuing with the read.
What keeps you reading a book?? Feel free to leave your answers in the comments section or to leave your link if you are signed up to the meme.

By the way, I have given my blog yet again another makeover. I am pretty happy with the design now, despite WordPress's limitations in customizing the page! I think the new look is simple and comforting- I know the autumn leaves are not really representative of the now Australian winter but it has a cosy feel to is anyway.

Let me know what you think

Have a great weekend!

Jayne

I left my comment. For a book to keep my butt on a seat the first few pages need to be interesting, the characters whetting my curiosity to what they are about and the plot looking as if it was heading for something perhaps adventurous, puzzling, mystifying, perplexing and lots of other 'ings' so that I want to continue on to see what happens next. If its good, I will return to reading it again and again and again....

Research On Schindler

Searching for Schindler by Thomas Keneally

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


As is usual with Tom Kenneally, his writing skills are superb and I am on the hunt to find his book Schindler's List or Schindler's Ark. I want to read what he has researched for this book. Here he gave us a description of his meetings with the Schindler Jews, trials of those involved with Schindler during the war and how they felt about him, and one exceptional man Poldeck, who actually got Kenneally interested in writing the story. It would be nice if more writers could do that, that write biographies and autobiographies. Their words on their research would make the story more interesting - at least that's how I feel after reading this book.



View all my reviews

5 point Testimony

This is how we need to bear our Testimony whenever we feel we need to , remembering these 5 major poionts which are so important in our relationship to our Saviour and Heavenly Father, our belief in the one true Church on the face of the earth, and in a living Prophet in these latter-days since the days of joseph Smith and his role in restoring the truth on earth through the Angel Moroni as organised by our Saviour. A Testimony is wonderful

Sharing the 5 points of a testimony with 'The Testimony Glove'
Published: Thursday, June 30, 2011 4:00 a.m. MDT By Christine Rappleye,
It all seemed to start simply enough.
It was from a Worldwide Leadership Training broadcast when Sister Kristen M. Oaks heard Sister Sydney S. Reynolds, first counselor in the General Primary Presidency from 1999 to 2005, quoting a November 1998 general conference talk by Sister Susan L. Warner, point out the five points of a testimony that leaders should be teaching children. Sister Warner, then-second counselor in the Primary General Presidency, held up her hand and counted off the five foundations.
Provided by Sister Kristen M. Oaks
Primary children in Korea show their testimony gloves. The testimony gloves include the five foundation points of a testimony. Those five points are knowing that God is their Heavenly Father; Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer; Joseph Smith is a prophet of God; The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord's church on earth today; and the church is led by a living prophet.
"When we were teaching a mission presidents seminar, we decided to use those five points just using pictures," said Sister Oaks, who at the time was serving in the Philippines with her husband, Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve.
Then the idea of using a glove with a picture on each finger for each point was developed, and soon Sister Oaks was taking gloves with her as she and Elder Oaks traveled around the world.
"It took on a life of its own," Sister Oaks said of how thousands, if not tens of thousands, of the gloves have been made, distributed and used since 2003.
The glove represent the Holy Ghost.
"They are so clear and so simple, and you always have your hand," Sister Oaks said.
The book "The Testimony Glove," which tells the story of a little girl and her testimony, was published recently by Deseret Book.
testimonygloves.blogspot.com, these five fundamentals of a testimony are available in nearly two dozen languages along with links to ideas for sharing time and family home evening lessons. The Friend magazine also published an activity on the Testimony Glove in the October 2008 issue. Barb McKeown from Washington, D.C., wrote "My Testimony."
Creating the testimony gloves
JoAnn Phillips helped make the first testimony gloves. She and her husband, a physician, were serving in the Philippines area. Phillips worked in the area office, volunteered with Sister Oaks at a local charitable organization and also worked in the temple.
The first ones were made out of paper, and they used hand-drawn pictures. They put together kits with the glove, pictures and a handout explaining it.
At one point, Phillips decided she needed to see if the testimony gloves worked.
She shared it in Primary in a local ward where they made the kits and practiced testimonies.
Phillips and her husband were the sacrament meeting speakers, and she explained about the testimony gloves that the children had learned about in Primary.
She asked a 9-year-old boy named Dan to come up and bear his testimony.
"It just amazed me how well he did," said Phillips, of the Fruit Heights 8th Ward, Fruit Heights Utah Stake in Fruit Heights. "It changed the way people bore testimonies."
They started using cloth gloves and pictures from the LDS Church's Gospel Art Kit.
"Children need to see real pictures," Sister Oaks said. "If they are looking at a cartoon, they are seeing it as a cartoon. When you are teaching spiritual things, you need to have the referent or the real thing."
Provided by Sister Kristen M. Oaks
Primary children in Korea show their testimony gloves. The testimony gloves include the five foundation points of a testimony. When Phillips returned from serving in the Philippines, she continued to make the kits for Sister Oaks to pass out. Others heard about it and wanted to help put the kits together.
People from California to Hawaii to Canada contacted her, and just about every organization, including Young Women, Primary and Relief Society groups at both the stake and ward level, wanted to be involved, as did individuals.
Lillian O'Neil, of the Olympus 3rd Ward, Olympus Utah Stake in Holladay, Utah, heard of the gloves as ward members who served in the Philippines had heard about the gloves from Sister Oaks.
"I really enjoy finding service projects that people can do in their homes," O'Neil said. In addition to church groups that helped put together the testimony glove kits, her 89-year-old parents, Leonard and Mildred, helped, too, along with others who were homebound and one woman who was legally blind.
"This has been a lot of people helping and a lot of youth groups would want to do them for a service project," O'Neil said.
Sister Oaks and Phillips were at a fireside with about 800 Young Women at Christmas time.
"Their testimonies changed making them," Sister Oaks said. "There is story after story about people who are working on them.
"The people who make the gloves, it changes their lives," Sister Oaks said.
Teaching about testimony
As she travels, Sister Oaks takes the gloves with her, leaving only a little bit of room in her suitcases for her personal items.
Sharing the gloves is more than passing them out. Primary children put on the glove, which represents the Holy Ghost. Then, they put the pictures on the appropriate finger as they discuss each of the five points.
"You have to be a participant," Sister Oaks said of the glove and sharing a testimony, adding that the glove is not just something nice to look at.
She has passed out the gloves and kits in many countries — Japan, Korea, Mexico, Brazil, Romania and Samoa — as well as to mothers in places in Africa. Others have shared testimony gloves in their own wards across the United States. She has also used the concept when she has spoken at single adult conferences. The gloves have also been given to missionaries and mission presidents.
There is more to this, but I felt that this was all that is necessary for readers to get the picture of the 5 point Testimony