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Originally Posted by Aesa
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Personally I disagree with the notion of "teaching" the child to bear testimony. When they are old enough to read and comprehend what you would call scriptures, and they find it to be "true," then bearing testimony should come naturally.
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I have known of God and Christ and had a testimoney since I was 3 long before I read a scripture, the vast majority of the Earth;s inhabitants are religious and have a relationship with God, but are illiterate, God is not a book and scripture is not necessary for a basic testimony - a child that states they love Jesus and they love their Mummy and Daddy is bearing the testimony they have at that stage. Scriptures are necessary for progression, but so is that initial testimony - without it the the Bhagdad Gita is as useful as the Standard Works. My daughter's testimony is based on when she prays she finds her cuddlie and the rain stops etc, and that her Mummy and Daddy love Jesus and Heavenly Father, she also has a strong testimony at 5 of the pre-existence not an understanding just a knowledge it exists.
You cannot teach a testimony but a child can be taught and given confidence, so when that testimony does come they can share it. At 3 they are merely wanting to join in the service like everyone else. Like my son at 2 cannot speak but sits down every night with his blue Book of Mormon when we do family scripture study and he kneels and puts his hands to pray he doesn't know what he is doing but he knows he is part of a family that does these things,
-Charley