Testimony

"I believe that this is the true Church on the face of the earth today and that the gospel has been restored to this earth in this dispensation. I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only true church. I know that Joseph Smith is a Prophet of God and that there is a prophet on the earth guiding the saints today. I know that Jesus Christ is the Savior and that He forgives my sins. I am thankful that I can hold callings in the church and I have the golden opportunity to attend the house of the Lord. I know that the Book of Mormon is true."

This is a typical type of Mormon testimony, that I was taught to say in my youth, that is ritualistic in every 'Fast and Testimony' meeting on the first Sunday of every month. That is the day when there is no written speech(s) given so the members of the ward can stand and give their own so called "personal" testimony. It is the day where the first two meals of the day are not eaten and the money that is saved from those two meals is gathered by the Aaronic Priesthood holders during that Sunday. (They come to the home between services.) The money is supposed to be put into the 'fast offering' for the bishop's storehouse. (It is always good to give a little extra money to the missionary fund on this day, and it keeps temple goers current on their recommends.)
When the prayer, hymn, and sacrament are done at the beginning of the meeting, the bishop or his counselors stand and encourage all to stand and bear a testimony of their belief, faith, and loyalty to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In my years of experience in these kinds of meetings, the ritualistic testimony is basically the same out of every mouth, no matter if you're male or female. There is always the side stories of family, missions, or illness, etc.
I've never felt comfortable in these meetings, because they never came from a 'personal' perspective, nothing from the heart. Through all of the tears and balled-up voices, the message is still the same. The testimony is a taught, or programed, mini speech designed to puff up the church. Even though I bore my testimony on several occasions, through them all, I always felt that it was no where near what it should be.
A testimony should come from the heart. It should be about what Jesus Christ has done personally for the believer, not a ritualistic chant that is expected to come out of the mouth of every "good upstanding member."