When I was a teenager, I had NEVER participated in ‘the bearing of my testimony’ ritual (mainly because I didn’t have one, but also because I dreaded speaking in public). I’ve read here that some of the girls’ programs had classes or activities during which EVERYONE was expected to bear their testimony. We never did that in our mutual groups.

As the time neared that I was getting to be missionary age, I was asked a couple of times if I was interested in going on a mission. I turned them down at that time, but I’m now wondering – would it have been possible to get into the MTC without ever publically bearing a testimony?

I also understand (again from this discussion board) that missionaries in training are expected to bear their testimonies multiple times in the MTC. Is it possible to get through the MTC without uttering the words associated with ‘knowing’ the church is true? Is it possible to get through a mission without having to publically bear a testimony?
What if you politely declined every time you were asked (perhaps saying it was too sacred, or that you have panic attacks when speaking in public)? What would have happened?

I was never a big fan of bearing my testimony either. I don't remember being forced to do it ever until I was a missionary. It was taught how we should do it at the MTC in very basic language as I was in a foreign speaking mission. It was encouraged at the MTC but I don't remember ever going beyond the proscribed text much like that of the average primary child. In French I learned to say, "I know the church is true. I know Joseph Smith was a prophet. I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God." I probably gave the scripted testimony once at the MTC and possibly two or three times during my mission.

The only time I ever shook in terror was when a G.A. visited our mission and pointed at every other missionary at a missionary conference and "ordered" the pointed out missionary to stand and give a ten minute extemporary talk in the French language. At that time I had been out of the MTC only two weeks and could not speak more than a fist full of words in comprehensible French. I certainly could not manage ten minutes of anything in French. I was about to burst into tears until the G.A. pointed to my companion and relieved me from nearly tossing my cookies.

I forgot to answer your question about what would happen to me if I refused bearing testimony. I don't think I would have been sent home. But I'm pretty sure I would have been encouraged, then needled, then chastised, and possibly even shamed if I couldn't spit out at least a meager testimony. If I had burst into tears, as I'm prone to do when shamed, they probably would have backed off. I don't remember being treated harshly at the MTC but I do remember feeling like a number much of the time.

I think the church will take anyone who can pass an interview. Of course, the whole point of going on a mission is to bear your testimony day in and day out to the world so they see how awesome it is and magically decide they want to be mormon, so while technically possible to get through it without saying the exact magic words, it would be kinda pointless.

Why not? It would take some craftiness with language, but the GAs don't really even bear testimonies that they "know" the church is true in general conference. If they can get around it, so could a missionary.

The difficultly lies in foreign speaking missions where the grasp
Of the language is so elementary that at least I had to memorize and robotically repeat the discussions. But because it was in a foreign language it didn't feel as real or as embarrassing to say.

social pressure is an amazing thing. when you are in a room with eight people, and there is a designated testimony time every week, the pressure to not be the only one to stay silent is immense. You can't imagine the looks of condemnation you receive if you "pass" on telling the room about your latest "Smithgasm."

There was only one place in the world I would have been interested in going to, and if they offered to send me there, I would've seriously considered it. But I couldn't do it if I was expected to bear a testimony all the time (or even once). I just wonder how far I could've gotten by viewing it as an adventurous, extended vacation rather than as a sales job.

In my MTC branch, the branch president expected everyone to bear their testimonies frequently.

I was in the MTC for 3 weeks. the first week, we had to bear our testimonies 25 times, the next week 30 times, and the last week 40 times. The testimony would not "count" if we bore it to anyone within the branch. So, we pretty much had to spend our lunch and free time finding random missionaries to bear our testimonies to.

On Sunday, we had to account to leadership if we had completed the assignment. During week 2, my companion and I reported "no" since honestly we were tired of it and stopped during the middle of the week. Later that day,the branch president called us into a class room and guilt tripped us for not completing the assignment and that he expected us to complete it by the end of the night. Needless to say, I completely stopped after that point because I was sick of performing an assignment that was simply a test of obedience and to talk me into believing the church was true.

The MTC was absolutely the worst experience I have ever had in TSCC. It's an experience I would not wish on my worst enemy. A place that should be the most spiritual on earth was just a training ground to break down missionaries and get them to be obedient in the mission field.

I, too, hated the MTC. I was claustrophobic in the small rooms all day with eight people. All I wanted at the end of those three months was OUT! The rest of my mission was really okay. We had a nice MP who didn't micromanage us. I converted nobody. I ate French pastries and spent a lot of time on the French Riviera. The missionaries were pretty nice people. Altogether it was a nice cultural experience and a break from real life. I was chill.

Wish those contemplating MTC or mission could see the experience from hindsight of 20 years hence.

The worst form of slavery is that which is volitionally self-imposed, because your thinking has been violated.

It is a long road to Freedom.