If You Want to Increase Your Testimony, Start Off by Making Your Bed

By Makayla Morris

Just as making your bed in the morning gets you in the right mindset for the rest of your day, the small and simple spiritual things you do can help you invite the Spirit throughout the day.

I recently watched a video featuring a retired United States Navy admiral. He said, “If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed.”¹

He listed a few reasons for making your bed in the morning:

First of all, making your bed completes your first task of the day, which puts you in a better mindset. Completing this one task makes you more likely to complete other tasks that day.
The second reason was that it helps you realize that the little things in life matter.
And the third reason was that if you happen to have a terrible day, at least you have a made bed to come home to—and a made bed can give you hope that tomorrow will be better.²

These are all great reasons to make your bed in the morning.

And just as doing something as small and simple as making your bed in the morning can make a huge difference in your life, doing those small and simple spiritual things each morning like prayer and scripture study can make a big difference to your testimony.

There are some great reasons to start your day with prayer and scripture study:

First of all, it will put you in a good, positive mindset. You will be starting your day off by inviting the Spirit into your life. You are putting on the “armour of God” first thing in the morning to help protect you throughout your day (Ephesians 6:11).
Also, as with making your bed, praying and studying your scriptures are little things that make a big difference. As you do those things, you will see the importance of the Savior and His gospel in your life.
Lastly, just as it’s comforting to come home to a bed that’s already made, you can receive strength after a tough day thanks to your daily spiritual habits. Because you’ve been strengthening your relationship with God through consistent scripture study and prayer, you’re prepared to feel His comfort, love, and guidance, no matter what challenges might come your way.

Sister Cheryl C. Lant, former Primary General President, shared: “It doesn’t seem to matter where or when I read the scriptures; I can still carry them in my heart. I have found that by reading them in the morning I am able to carry the influence of the Spirit with me throughout the day. When I read them midday, it is usually because a need has taken me there where I am able to find answers and directions that influence my decisions and actions. When I read them at night, the sweet, comforting messages from the Lord linger in my subconscious mind as I rest.”³

As Sister Lant emphasized, it doesn’t necessarily matter when in the day you study your scriptures. I’ve personally found that in reading the scriptures regularly, I can feel the Spirit’s influence throughout the day. Elder Richard G. Scott (1928–2015) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles made this promise: “As you dedicate time every day … to the study of God’s word, peace will prevail in your life. … It will radiate out from you to influence others in the world around you.”⁴

So start your morning with the Spirit. Put on the “armour of God” first thing. Develop that relationship with God so you are more attuned to His love and guidance. Making your bed physically every morning might put you in a better place to achieve your goals and make a big difference in the world, but if you want to increase your testimony of the gospel and be able to see God’s hand more in your life, start off each day by making your bed spiritually.