Earlier this month I gave a little workshop to the Achievement Day girls in our Stake. The theme assigned to me was: *STAR* TESTIMONIES...
(basically the first thing that came to my mind was..."how do I make this fun for 11 yr. old girls?!" After much researching...I found a cute object lesson online that had to do w/ Jelly Beans
(which now I can't find for the life of me!) But the idea was that by just looking at a jelly bean they couldn't tell what flavor it would be...they could guess, but they wouldn't know for sure. So after they taste their beans, you explain that since they have tasted that flavor, they can testify of it...because bearing testimony is simply stating what you know to be true...and then liken it to the gospel...How do we know a principle is true? We also have to experience something, not by tasting like with the bean, or seeing or hearing, but more by the feelings we get from the Holy Ghost testifying to us that something is true. "Like a star has 5 points, there are 5 points to a testimony"
(Can you guess what the 5 points are?)
I had the girls write the 5 points as we went over them on the labels on the bags (below) that they could fill w/ jelly beans at the end of the workshop. When I was asked to do this, there was mention of a handout and I basically wet my pants... "of course there would need to be a handout!" Crap again. But then a delightful image came to mind of a star Ginger John had made for her little girl's room w/ her paper line (Glitz) mod podged on it... so the thought process began and I promptly called up Becky (Ginger's sis.) to impart her knowledge on me. She had the great idea of putting a 5 on the stars to remind the girls of the 5 points of a testimony... And I put a magnet on the back (thanks to my MIL's suggestion). They are sporting WAY CUTE Glitz Design paper (thanks to Bec for sending some up to me!) And thanks to Debbie for getting me started, because I really didn't know where to begin.

Mostly, and more importantly, I was grateful for the opportunity because through it, my testimony of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ was strengthened. I think a testimony is the most important 'thing' we could ever have, and the only thing that will sustain us through this crazy thing called life. While I'm on this topic.... have you read this month's issue of the Ensign?? I sat down yesterday and read it cover to cover... The first few articles really touched me. I am so grateful to have a latter-day prophet that leads and guides us. I loved learning new things about him and the newly appointed 1st Presidency, as well as the Apostle Quentin L. Cook. Take time to read it if you haven't yet, I could go on and on about several of the articles. (You can click on 'Ensign')