Bree at the Podium

Yesterday in church, Bree took her turn at the podium to bear her testimony. She's become a "regular." The first time she went up there was about a year ago, and it was a little rough because I had made it clear that if she wanted to do it, she had to be ready to do it all by herself. So I stayed on the pew with Mason and Lincoln, and after she started her testimony successfully, I watched with increasing discomfort as she stood there silently, not sure what else she wanted to say. The bishop knelt beside her and whispered a few things in her ear, but she just kept shaking her head. Finally she looked disappointed, said "Amen," and came back to her seat.  She's come a long way since then.

This is basically what she said yesterday, after marching up there and dragging the step stool into place herself so she could see over the podium:

"I'd like to bury my testimony. I know the church is true. Some of you haven't been here for a while. And you should know that the church is true. And we are all brothers and sisters. And I know my family loves me. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen."

Then she high-fived the bishop and the first counselor, and skipped back down the aisle to her seat. She's an example of bravery, determination, and is apparently not hesitant to call the congregation to repentance.