tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47279696905949178182024-02-20T05:45:04.215-08:00Becoming LDS: Conversion StoriesConversion is a process, not an event. You become converted as a result of your righteous efforts to follow the Savior. These efforts include exercising faith in Jesus Christ, repenting of sin, being baptized, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end in faith. -True to the FaithPokemonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16880788926930516661noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727969690594917818.post-14531256122282825342014-06-01T20:56:00.001-07:002014-06-01T20:56:13.009-07:00Dustin's Testimony and Conversion...<div style="border-top-left-radius: 3px; border-top-right-radius: 3px; border-top-style: none; padding: 16px;">
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px; zoom: 1;">
<div>
<h2 style="font-size: 24px; line-height: 28px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">I was sent this amazing conversion story and had to share it with all of you. His testimony has made mine grow. I hope you will read through his experience and
reflect on your own testimony and conversion. It made me think of where I
am at now and where I'd like to be. I know that each of us can grow and
be strengthened by the testimonies of others and I am grateful that he
has taken the time to share with all of us. </span></span></h2>
</div>
</div>
<div style="margin-top: 5px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-top: 16px; word-wrap: break-word; zoom: 1;">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
Unto all who reads,</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
I
am a convert to the Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-day Saints. I grew
up in a loving family that taught me good morals and supported me from
day one. I love them! We were not very religious however, so I really
had no solid spiritual foundation. Friends in elementary and high school
spoke to me about Jesus and the Bible, but I did not understand Their
importance at that time in my life. When I was about 15 years old my
kidneys began to fail, and I eventually ended up on dialysis by the age
of 18. I was a very miserable teenager during those high school years.
It was a difficult challenge having a chronic disease, and I was
depressed because of it.</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
Fumbling
through life, I partook of anything and everything the world had to
offer. You could say I was quite comfortable in the presidential suite
of the "Great and Spacious Building" (what the world has to offer). At
the age of 19 I received kidney transplant, selflessly donated by my
grandmother. It was like night and day with my health. I had been sick
for so long that I had forgotten what it was like to be healthy! I had a
new lease on life (or so I thought.) Not only did I have a new kidney, I
was now also of legal age and could go to the bars and clubs -
involving myself foolishly in them. I began to hang around people whom
you could consider modern-day Gadianton Robbers (bikers and gang
members). I began to have a chip on my shoulder, thinking the world owed
me respect. The false sense of security I had around these "gentlemen"
had also puffed up my pride even more.</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
Then,
one morning, my mother woke me up and told me to turn on the
television. It was September 11, 2001. My heart sank into my stomach. I
was scared, confused and ashamed. Ashamed at how I had been living my
life up to that point. Ashamed by my selfish recklessness and utter
disregard for the sacrifices my family and friends had made for me over
the previous years. Something stirred inside of me. I had a deep
yearning to know the TRUTH. What was I doing with my life? Why had I
gone through so much? What was the meaning of it all? I had been given a
second chance at a healthy life, yet I was literally wasting it away
with frivolous living. I was also troubled because those who allegedly
crashed the planes said they did so in the name of their God and their
religion. This did not sit right with me. From the little I knew about
God, I was under the impression that He loved us - or He at least liked
us enough to not have us kill each other! From that point on I began a
“spiritual binge“. I quit cold turkey all of the substances, places and
people that had been a negative influence in my life. I had no desire
for ANY of it. I went to the library on many occasions and studied the
different religions and beliefs of the world. Islam, Buddhism, Taoism,
Sikhism, Hinduism. I LOVED it!! I was soaking it up. I was a sponge.
Eventually, I began to learn about Christianity. I cracked open an old
bible and began to read.</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
"In
the beginning..." As hard as I tried, I couldn't really understand it.
And to make things even MORE confusing, there were many, many different
denominations and sects within Christianity itself. Catholic, Baptist,
Methodist, Seventh-day Adventist, Presbyterian, Evangelical,
Episcopalian... You get the idea. I was overwhelmed! And who WAS this
Jesus? My answers soon came.</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
About
mid-October I was at a "friend's" house, sitting on a couch. Whilst
sitting, I had an unmistakable feeling that I had to leave, NOW!!! -
that it was not safe to stay. I abruptly left and got into my car. I
began to drive home, wondering if the impression I just had was real.
Then, all of a sudden, a thick warm blanket of pure love and light
enveloped me from head to toe. To describe this experience with mere
mortal words cannot do it justice. The feeling was like having all of
the best times of my life wrapped into one joyous, happy moment. The
feeling was like having every birthday party, Christmastime and
colourful dream coming true - all at once - multiplied by infinity. My
heart burned within me. It was so familiar. Someone or Something not of
this world knew exactly who I was, and loved me with a love that is
indescribable. I began to ball like a baby and wept with sheer joy. I
then began to weep with sadness, realizing that the life I had been
living was not what I was put on this earth to do. I felt encouraged to
continue seeking, searching and I would find the answers I was so
desperately yearning for. I experienced peace in my heart, comforting me
and urging me to continue to the Light - to continue to fight for good.
That moment changed me forever. I know that what I felt and experienced
was real and true. I also know that God knew it, and I could not deny
it - neither dared I! From that day on I continued my spiritual journey.
I learned more about the different denominations and doctrines, but
they were more confusing than comforting. I even went to a bible study
group. They spoke about God and Jesus, which was good, but something was
missing. Where was that feeling that I had previously experienced -
that burning within my heart that had filled me full of hope, faith,
love and light? I was starting to get frustrated.</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
November
13, 2001 was my father's birthday. That evening, my family decided to
go out for dinner to celebrate. I wasn’t feeling too well so I stayed
home, alone. I turned on the television to one of my favourite shows. A
woman on the show explained to a man that she was a Mormon. What was a
Mormon? Was it another religion I could study? I was getting excited.
And while I was pondering this new topic, the doorbell rang. Oh, who
could that be?! I was watching my show, just beginning to process this
new information about Mormons.</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
I answered the door...</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
Two
missionaries from The Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-day Saints stood
before me, The Book of Mormon in their hands. These two young men
introduced themselves, both curiously named "Elder". They explained to
me their message about the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ,
Joseph Smith’s First Vision and the purpose of the Book of Mormon. What
touched my heart the most was their invitation to read passages from the
Book of Mormon, and then ask God MYSELF to know if it was true. We
talked in the doorway for about 20 minutes. They gave me a copy of the
book and said they would contact me in a few days. I felt like I was
walking on air.</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
I
immediately went upstairs and began to read. I did not understand
everything right away, but I knew in my heart that I had to pray to God
to know if this was what I had been searching for. Besides, it just
couldn't have been a coincidence that the Mormon missionaries showed up
at my door at the EXACT same time there was a Mormon on television,
right? I got down on my knees, not knowing how to pray, but prayed
silently nevertheless. I offered up the sincerest desires of my heart
and asked God to show me what was true. I asked Him if it was right to
meet with the missionaries. I prayed to know if the Book of Mormon was
true. I got up, poured myself a bowl of cereal and opened a magazine to
an article in the back. I began to read. The article was about BYU's
football team. It explained how players on the team sometimes left
football for two years to serve throughout the world as missionaries for
The Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-day Saints. This was NOT a
coincidence any more. This was divine intervention. This was an answer
to the prayer I had said only minutes before.</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
I
met with the Elders the next day. They taught me many truths - plain
and precious truths that had been lost due to the Great Apostasy – that
were restored once again to the earth through the Prophet, Joseph Smith.
They boldly testified of living Prophets and Apostles upon the earth
today, teaching me how I could find out for myself if what they were
telling me was really true. How? By sincerely studying, pondering and
then praying to my Father in Heaven. I learned about the Holy Ghost. Who
is the Holy Ghost and what does He feel like? He is a Personage of
Spirit – the third member of the Godhead. He testifies and bears record
of God the Father and Jesus Christ. He reveals all truth. He can cause a
warm burning within our chest and heart - like purifying fire. He can
cause sudden strokes of ideas and quicken our understanding about
scripture and doctrine. He can fill us full of hope, faith, love, peace
and light - all of the things I had felt that day driving home!! The
Holy Ghost is also a still, small Voice. If we are too preoccupied or
distracted, we can drown out that Voice. After a couple of meetings, the
Elders then asked me to pray aloud for the first time. I had never done
that before! Nervously, I bowed my head and crossed my arms. I began to
pray to my Heavenly Father. And you know what? My chest burned within
me! I felt pure warmth and peace. I had received a witness from the Holy
Ghost! I had found what I was looking for! Over the next two weeks I
participated in the concluding lessons, and prepared myself to enter the
waters of baptism. I was baptized November 29, 2001 and received the
gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands a week later. The
Spirit of the Lord has been my constant companion – my guiding light (so
long as I remain worthy of His companionship). Entering into this
sacred covenant with God has been the greatest and best decision I have
ever made.</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
I testify
that God lives, and that the Heavens are open. He is the Father of our
spirits and Jesus Christ is His Only Begotten Son - the Redeemer and
Saviour of the world - our Advocate with the Father. Through His
Infinite Atonement, He has made it possible for us to return to the
Father’s presence by obedience to the Gospel principles of faith in
Jesus Christ, repentance and the ordinances of baptism and confirmation
(receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands) by
proper Priesthood Authority. God the Father and His Beloved Son have ALL
power. Their timing is perfect. Jesus Christ is the Light and the Life
of the world. My greatest of joys is knowing exactly who I am, where I
came from and where I am going – that there is a plan for each and every
one of us. I testify that Joseph Smith truly was a Prophet called of
God, and that angels ministered to him (and to us) continuously. Joseph
was an instrument in the hands of the Almighty in restoring the Fullness
of the Everlasting Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Church of JESUS CHRIST
of Latter-day Saints is the only true living church upon the face of the
whole earth - God Himself bearing witness of it. This knowledge has
opened and softened my heart. I love and care for EVERY human being upon
the face of the earth. We are ALL God’s children – each and every one
of us! It’s magnificent! The Bible AND the Book of Mormon are true. They
are the Words of God – both witnessing and testifying of the glory of
Christ. I invite all to exercise faith by reading these scriptures,
(especially The Book of Mormon) and you will come to know that they are
true for yourself. Come; humbly learn what The Church of JESUS CHRIST of
Latter-day Saints has to offer. God is faithful, and will not leave us
alone in the dark - if we but reach out and seek Him. This humble
testimony I leave before the entire world, in the most sacred name of
Jesus Christ. Amen.</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
My warmest regards,</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
Dustin Lee Burnham</div>
</div>
</div>
Pokemonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16880788926930516661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727969690594917818.post-8422492382260557222011-09-21T08:02:00.000-07:002011-09-21T08:02:41.335-07:00How and Why I Became a MormonAlex's Conversion Story<br />
<br />
I guess my Story is pretty much like many other conversion stories out there. And because I really love to read stories of other members, i thought i'll give it a try myself and let you know how i found my back to the Saviour and into his church. This is my very first attempt of writing about my conversion and even though i am German, i think that i can reach a broader audience when it's written in English.<br />
<br />
I was born in 1978 and got baptized into the Roman-Catholic Church in the same year and grew up i a Christian-Catholic Environment. When i try to look back at those childhood years, i wouldn't consider my family particular spiritual, but active. My mother, my two sisters and i went to church almost every Sunday, my mother always being the driving force for us kids to come along and start going in the first place. I remember that i quite liked going to church. I had many friends there and the church even had some youth programs like scouting or handicraft classes we could took part in. In my early teenage years i also got confirmed into the church, a Roman Catholic tradition where the believer receives the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands (sounds familiar?). We had to take special classes for that, the closest thing to Sunday school i ever experienced. I even became an altar boy in my congregation, so all things considered i think it's fair to say that i was a pretty active Roman-Catholic kid.<br />
<br />
However, the spiritual value for me during that time was limited and almost non-existent. Looking back and trying to remember, I can't say that i really understood everything that was talked about during Mass or that i had a very close – if any - relationship to Jesus or Heavenly Father. Sure, we prayed to him and read about him and listen to what the adults had to say about him but to say that we kids (or just me, dunno) were really spiritually aware of what was going on would be an overstatement. So i unfortunately can't say that this early years helped me spiritually mature very much. One thing i did understand as a kid though was the idea that Jesus did something very sacrificing by dying. But i wasn't aware why he did that and under what circumstances and what it really means for me. I remember being in awe of the whole presentation and "packaging" of Roman-Catholic Masses. They use loads of incense (I remember that the incense "cloud" was sometimes so intense that i even fainted once), the pastor and the altar boys all wear white robes and colored scarfs and there are many candles around. You couldn't help but feel intimidated.<br />
<br />
Nevertheless, i consider the experiences growing up in the Roman-Catholic church a good and worthy time and i have many fondly memories of it. And even though I now know that it is not the true church and teaches many false doctrines, i am sure that it was helpful to me and in any case better than being without any religion as a child at all. Those experiences ended and everything changed when my parents got separated. It's odd but i can't remember exactly how old i was at the time we moved away, i think i was around twelve or thirteen. The separation of my parents wasn't a dramatic thing though, i don't remember it being very painful or traumatizing in anyway. My parents just fell apart over time, didn't talk much in the end and finally decided it would be best to go separate ways. It was foreshadowed for quite some time so it wasn't a big surprise for us kids. It was nevertheless a huge change for everyone of course. My mother and we kids moved from the House we grew up into a small apartment in the neighbour town. I remember that we did go to a local church there a few times but it was never the same as it was before. At some point, my mother stopped going to church altogether which meant that we kids didn't go anymore either. And thus my “membership” in the Roman-Catholic church ended.<br />
<br />
I have to make a little jump of years now because there isn't really much to tell. At least nothing that has anything to do with religions or churches or my conversion story. I lived a totally non-religious and non-spiritual life for almost fifteen years. It was an average life, i guess. I did spend my time doing what most Teens and Twens spend their time with. I played basketball, was a member of a local rock band and got involved with both the grunge and hip-hop movement very actively. I smoked cigarettes and marijuana regularly and drank alcohol on many occasions. Everything within reason though, i never got into trouble with the law or anything. I eventually dropped most of those habits, finished school and got a job as a forwarding agent at a logistics company in my hometown. I had been living that life ever since.<br />
<br />
So there i was, thirty years old, having a fairly secure job and good friends and a healthy social life. I had a few relationships but was single at the time. So what happened? I always struggle to answer that question when other members or missionaries ask me that but i can't remember the exact point or circumstances when i decided that i wanted Jesus back in my life and live a Christian life again. There was no dramatic event or a huge change in my life that could have triggered those wishes and feelings. But when i think more about it as i am writing this, it may had unconsciously something to do with the current state of our planet, it's wars and injustice, the loss of morality and the amount of ignorance and hatred in the world. Maybe i was sensing that things are getting really bad and that i could die without having had any positive impact in this life and almost no hope for anything good after life. I think i wanted hope. I needed to know that there was more meaning to life, that things aren't so bad and that it was not too late to do the right thing and change your life the best you can. I didn't know why but the first thing that came to my mind was Jesus Christ. I made the decision to give him another chance and put my trust in him and in what he had to offer. I decided to go to church again.<br />
<br />
But which church? Does it really matter which Christian church i go to? What are the differences between them anyway? Don't they all offer salvation? I already had some doctrinal requirements and ideas of my future church and the values it should promote before trying to get answers to those and other questions. For example, I never really believed in the "saved by grace only" concept, i don’t considered salvation less a gift only because it is conditioned to obedience. I had also abandoned the presumptuous Roman-Catholic idea of an infallible Pope. I also didn't believe in the total inerrancy of the Bible or the concept of being born in sin.<br />
<br />
So while i was looking through the different Christian believes, my goal wasn't necessarily to find the only true or totally correct church (I didn't know that such a thing even existed) but the one Christian church that made the most sense and with which doctrines i can best identify with. That might seem like a more logical choice than a spiritual one but that approach brought me to the only true church nonetheless.<br />
<br />
So i learned more about the different Christian denominations and was surprised how many differences there actually are. Of course, It didn't take long before i came across the name of a church called The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints or, as they are commonly known, the Mormons.<br />
<br />
I heard the word Mormon before but I didn't really know anything about them besides the fact that they, for whatever reason, don't drink alcohol and don't smoke. When Mitt Romney ran for President for the first time in 2008 however, Mormonism got more into the spotlight. I remember finding it curious that Romney had to almost defend his believes in one of his campaign speeches. That peeked my interest a little bit because the United States claim to be the one country that cherishes the freedom of expressing and performing religion more than any other country in the world. I was curious to find out what it is about these Mormons that makes so many people oppose them. I did that research very sloppy and barely scratched the surface. I just read something about their history of Polygamy, its eventual abandonment and that Mormons seem to have their own Bible. I didn't find anything too controversial (or particularly interesting for that matter) so I couldn't quite explain why people would treat them differently from other religious communities with seemingly weird believes. The whole Mormon issue eventually went away when Romney dropped out, so i just shrugged it off at the time and lost my interest in it.<br />
<br />
When i rediscovered Mormonism during my research of Christian churches, I was surprised to learn that they were indeed Christians that also believed in the Bible and even had living prophets. I guess i can consider myself lucky that i barely knew anything about Mormonism so i wasn't loaded with prejudices and misconceptions but discovered and learned many things for myself. And when i want to learn something, i try to do it thoroughly and with the best available sources. I barely ever came across any Anti-Mormon websites, i was always very cautious of the source and who says what and why. My first and main source of information on the internet was and still is the official lds.org website.<br />
<br />
One thing i remember very clearly, is that I was immediately drawn to this church and its believes, the values they promote and doctrines they teach. I was also very impressed with how highly they regard family values, personal responsibility and involvement in the organisation of the church. I also loved and adopted the idea of living prophets and an open scriptural canon and was willing to give their Book of Mormon a chance.<br />
<br />
I took the wonderful offer of ordering a free Book of Mormon online and began reading it only a few days after i had found the church. I have to admit that it took me some time to get into it and get comfortable with the language. But it eventually grew on me and before i knew it, i couldn't lay it out of my hands. I very rarely have that with books and i am an avid reader of all kinds of genres. I can't tell how much influence the spirit already had on me at the time but it was enough for me to start believing in the Book of Mormon and its message and that it could really be another Testament of Jesus Christ. The conviction of reading something very special increased with every chapter, no book i have ever read has spoken this directly to me, it felt and still feels like this book has been written just for me.<br />
<br />
I began to believe that this gospel could really be what i was looking for so I decided to take the next step and visit a sacrament meeting and see for real how people live this religion. Again with the help of the internet, i located the nearest ward and was happy to learn that it was only a 10 minute drive away. But i still wasn't sure if it was really okay to just go there and have look.<br />
<br />
So i just called the bishop and he assured me that it was of course okay to visit sacrament meeting. From that phone call on, everything went pretty fast. He asked me if it was okay if he gave my phone number to two missionaries and i agreed. A missionary with a heavy North-American accent called me back just thirty minutes later and we made an appointment for the following day. I didn't prepare any special topics for the appointment, I just wanted to finally meet some Mormons for real. Naturally, both came from Utah and since my spoken English is pretty good, i offered them to hold this appointment in English which they gladly accepted. It helped a lot to make them and me feel much more comfortable.<br />
<br />
I didn't want to talk about any of the "usual suspects" like Polygamy, Proposition 8 or magic underwear. I did a fairly thorough investigation of most seemingly controversial topics beforehand so i didn't have any questions in that area. What i wanted to know was how these two guys and other members actually implement these doctrines in their daily lives, what their difficulties and blessings are by living this gospel. I wanted to know how the Bible and the Book of Mormon can coexist and how and why they complement each other. I was curious to know more about temples and learned about baptisms for the dead and the concept of the celestial afterlife became more clear to me. I was also introduced to scripture marking, something i have never done before and came to love doing. We were reading several scripture passages together and they taught me how to gain my own testimony. It was a very educating and inspiring first meeting and so they invited me to sacrament meeting and also assured me that guests are always welcome.<br />
<br />
Like i said, I had already located the wards address on the internet and when i drove onto the parking lot on the following Sunday morning, i was surprised to see how many cars there actually were. To be honest with you, i expected maybe a handful of people there (which wouldn't have been a problem for me) and was again positively surprised to see that there were around 150 members attending sacrament meeting that Sunday. “My” two missionaries spotted me right away, welcomed me and gave me quick tour of the ward. I was introduced to the Bishop and a couple of other very nice people and felt at home right away. The sacrament meeting itself confirmed what i already started to believe, that this church was exactly what i was hoping to find. I was sure that this church has the ability to bring me closer to Jesus and Heavenly Father than i ever imagined would be possible. I could feel that this was the place God wanted me to be and where i could find the hope i was so desperately looking for.<br />
<br />
I spend the following days reading and eventually finishing the Book of Mormon but I didn't yet feel spiritually mature enough to ask the Holy Ghost for confirmation and gain my own testimony. I didn't pray in a long time and i had to get used to that practise again. But one of the many beautiful things this church has done for me is to help me find a new appreciation for praying. I never before had the feeling that i was really talking to someone when i was praying before, it was an automated process and the prayers in the Roman-Catholic church were always the same anyway. We never prayed as a family at home and for some reason, it was never encouraged very much. At least not that i can remember.<br />
<br />
But now i could really talk to Heavenly Father in an intimate way and ask him for help whenever i need guidance. That connection was a completely new experience for me and so i started to make frequent and eventually daily use of it. With the help of the missionaries i learned how to better recognize the Holy Ghost, how to listen to him and gain the confirmation that this Gospel was indeed true. This process is a unique experience for every believer and it wouldn't make much sense trying to describe how exactly i knew the Gospel was true or what exactly it felt like when the Holy Ghost told me that truth. It was a moment of clearance where the mind and the soul were kind of brought more into sync and the truth just sank into me. I knew i found the true Church of Jesus Christ.<br />
<br />
You are probably wondering by now what the rest of my family was thinking about my involvement with the Mormons and my sudden new interest for religion. Well, I didn't tell anybody it for a long time but i eventually opened up to my mother and sisters and my two grandparents. They were all surprised of course, especially my grandparents, and they initially assumed that I had to be in some kind of trouble if i would consider joining such a group. These first reactions never came in a hostile way though and their worries eventually went away when they realized that i really meant it and knew what i was doing. After all, they have known me their entire life and trust me because i never gave them any reason to doubt me.<br />
<br />
This approval of the people closest to me meant a lot and confirmed me in my decision that would become the most important decision in my life: To become a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I was regularly visiting sacrament meetings for about two month when i told the missionaries what every missionary wants to hear: That i was ready and wanted to get baptized.<br />
<br />
And on the 25th of October in 2009 it finally happened, i was baptized into the Church by one of my Elder missionaries. The moment i emerged out of the water was again something almost indescribable. I really felt like i was reborn and washed spiritually clean and i immediately knew that i had just began a completely new life. A covenant life. I was very happy that my mother, one sister and my young nephew could attend and be there with me on that day.<br />
<br />
As it turned out, the following weekend was going to be Stake Conference and because the Bishop didn't want two weeks to pass between the baptism and confirmation, i received the Gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands on the same day i got baptized. That only attributed to the overwhelming spiritual experiences of that day and the confirmation of the truth that i had finally found my way back to Jesus and his true church on earth.Pokemonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16880788926930516661noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727969690594917818.post-90082273724837963522010-09-07T13:55:00.001-07:002010-09-07T13:57:18.507-07:00The Same Church that Jesus Christ Organized - Wilford Woodruff's Conversion StoryThe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (aka - the LDS Church or the Mormon Church) is the same church that Jesus Christ organized while he was on the earth.<br /><br />Elder Haight said, "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints proclaims to the world that this church is a restoration of Christ’s church…. It is therefore not a reformation, a revision, a reorganization, or a mere sect. It is the Church of Jesus Christ restored in these latter days."<br /><br />Watch this video of Wilford Woodruff's search for the truth as he sets out on a search to find the church of Christ on the earth. He later became the 4th Prophet of the Church.<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='509' height='399' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dy--LmH5dYHT5aV4R8CoQ8kExPAjC0aA5ASsRS3FTelLa4BPksFdv5UP0APlYxe8_9vEpVkh0VOMQ1obbMwPA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br />To read about The Church of Jesus Christ in Former Times click <a href="http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=48e21f7962d43210VgnVCM100000176f620a____&vgnextoid=5158f4b13819d110VgnVCM1000003a94610aRCRD">HERE</a><br />(all of the features discussed exist in the church today).<br /><br />To read about The Church of Jesus Chirst Today<br />(including how the Church was restored) click <a href="http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=79f21f7962d43210VgnVCM100000176f620a____&vgnextoid=5158f4b13819d110VgnVCM1000003a94610aRCRD">HERE</a>.<br /><br />To download this video for yourself click <a href="http://lds.org/library/display/0,4945,6635-1-4786-3,00.html">HERE</a>.Pokemonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16880788926930516661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727969690594917818.post-58823106658530567662010-01-13T07:24:00.000-08:002010-01-13T07:26:34.777-08:00Read Oodles and Oodles of Conversion Stories Here<a href="http://www.mormonconverts.com/">Mormonconverts.com</a>Pokemonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16880788926930516661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727969690594917818.post-46964524184011529222009-06-15T13:25:00.000-07:002009-06-15T13:32:03.353-07:00The Sacred BenchAnthony Diaz's Conversion Story<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAjFUQFPEVB6YF6M4Ko8hE7AHRCk0L6g8BQKejpk0bimZdviT9p5zuF9NmjpEhDoKGScvkUyzpt-1ZahwPI482voXJjQoFjp3Y_eDsU5Qub_hE4m451XWTQJxAL1qbaqUEWGcJX88i_vM5/s1600-h/bench.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 163px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 276px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347654673764995266" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAjFUQFPEVB6YF6M4Ko8hE7AHRCk0L6g8BQKejpk0bimZdviT9p5zuF9NmjpEhDoKGScvkUyzpt-1ZahwPI482voXJjQoFjp3Y_eDsU5Qub_hE4m451XWTQJxAL1qbaqUEWGcJX88i_vM5/s320/bench.jpg" /></a>I had always wondered about those life questions that people found so cliche but knew they thought about too: Who are we? Why are we here, where did we come from, and where are we going?<br /><br />However, I never really acted on those questions. I was baptized Catholic, but never active in that faith. I grew up as a precocious little kid, always wondering and analyzing. My mother and father split up while I was still young. At about age 7, I moved with my mom and her then boyfriend, and later husband. He was verbally and physically abusive to both of us, but looking back on it I forgive him now, because I know those trials made me the person I am today. Later on in my pre-adolescence, my mother and I started attending a Baptist church, and we enjoyed it. It was in lamens terms, and was rather family oriented. I remember one day as I was in Vacation Bible School, the teacher had us all gather round and close our eyes. She asked something like, "if anyone would like to recieve Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, please raise your hand." I thought about it, and did it. She then had us open our eyes. It turned out I was the only one. She later talked to me and my mother about how special that was. I still didn't realize the meaning of it, but would later learn that that is what they felt allowed a person to recieve salvation, through such a simple act of faith.<br /><br />Much later into my teens, after having moved around various times and not going to any church, I found myself going downhill. My mother had left the man I lived with for so long and had found another, who was nice to her, but for some reason it didn't matter to me. It got so bad that it was to the point where I was almost always thinking negative. If you looked up the word pessimisstic in the dictionary, you would have found a picture of me there. I just didn't see the point to life, and was so unsure of myself and who I really was. I had gone through various ups and downs, at one time even smoking pot and cigarrettes, though I luckily stopped that just as soon as I had started.<br /><br />That's when things started to happen. I was probably about 15. It was 2006. My uncle died at no more than 35 years of age, and it hit me like I never would have imagined. I started wondering why it would happen, and if there really was something beyond death. It was around that same time that I heard some of the most beautiful music I had ever heard on tv one day. It was an English boy choir named Libera. I was instantly captivated with it and found its celestial music comforting in a way the world just wasn't. Even still, I was stubborn in my ways and unhappy with what I felt life had dealt to me.<br /><br />2007 came. One September night, my mother, the kids, and I, had walked back from the deli to the downtown area of our city at night. We sat on this bench that was missing a piece of wood. It was then that I saw them. Two college aged kids, in black suits and white shirts and ties, walked up to us seemingly out of nowhere. They asked if they could share a message with us, while explaining that they knew it could be strange to talk to two people you didn't know. God Bless her heart, my mother accepted their invitation. They walked away and we made our way to the house.Their names were Elder Hancock and Elder Kelsey.<br /><br />They started teaching all of us, but it got to the point where it was just me. I was fascinated with what they taught, especially the plan of salvation and the idea of a young boy getting a heavenly manifestation simply because of a prayer of faith. It all made sense to me. It answered those life questions that I had pondered for so long. They told me to pray about the Book of Mormon. I remember reading it for hours on end, so much so that my mom would complain that I had become a hermit crab. I didn't realize it at the time, but I felt the Spirit each time I read. Finally it was December, and they commited me to be baptized on the 15th of that month. I remember praying to know if I should be baptized after having repented, and getting an answer in such a vivid manner that it was undeniable. Elder Kelsey was there with me in the water, and he raised his hand to the square. I looked up out of the font and saw my mother and father there. As that wonderful, loving man said the prayer, I felt a feeling so strong, so pure, so full of love and light that it took over my whole frame. My face made one of the biggest smiles I could have ever made. I knew at that moment that my sins were forgiven me, and that I was in the right Church.<br /><br />It has been quite the journey in these past few years, but the memory of that Spirit I felt at baptism has never left me. I think of how my whole demeanor and outlook on life has changed, done a whole 360, and how even my mother can attest to the great change of heart that I have undergone. I have never been more happy in all my 17 years of life, even with all the good and bad that I go through in this life. I know I was with my Father in Heaven before I came here. I know that I was placed here on this earth for a reason, and that if I continue to follow His guidance, and use the Atonement of my Savior Jesus Christ in my life, that I can be with Them again. I may never be sealed to my earthly mother and father, but I know that they can recieve the same blessings that I have, whether here or in the next life. I know they love and support me. But most of all, the thing that keeps me going is the sweet knowledge that my Heavenly Father loves me. That is what has made all the difference. I so testify of these things, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.Pokemonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16880788926930516661noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727969690594917818.post-80037188759841980322009-06-04T20:29:00.000-07:002009-06-04T20:32:58.005-07:00Half Way In and Half Way OutDavid Huff's Conversion Story<br /><br />I have been a member all of my life and yet did not have a strong family in the church to follow. All of my life I had been trying to find myself in all of the wrong ways. My mom would bring us to church while my dad smoked and drank. Being half way in and half way out was a real challenge. I wanted to be a good member but for some reason the draw of the worldly things were stronger than the gospel.<br /><br /> I joined the air force to get away from my parents and physical abuse I had grown up with. Only after joining did I realize that I jumped from the frying pan into the fire. After serving a year remote in Greenland I arrived at my new base in Las Vegas. I decided it was time to marry and being somewhat active in the church I married a local young lady. The funny thing is when we were being married I felt that it was not right thing to be doing. After six years of trying and not being happy, my wife asked for a divorce. I knew she was right in asking for it. I had been abusive and very angry, really not knowing why. <br /><br />During the days following the divorce I realized that I needed to change but I didn’t know how. The one thing I knew I could change was my relationship with Heavenly Father. For the first time I realized that Heavenly Father was giving me a second chance for a better life.<br /><br />I took it and ran with it. I was sorely tempted by satan to follow him many times but I saw that it was just a façade. I realized that to be happy I had to change. After going to church on Easter Sunday I saw this young lady walking out of church and the spirit told she was the one I could trust. Trust for me was a major issue in my life, being raised in a dysfunctional home it was hard to feel any kind of love or peace without strings attached or always wondering when the bottom would fall out.<br /><br />Three months after my divorce we were married in the Salt Lake temple. I vowed that I would never be the reason for another divorce and that I would do everything I could to make things right. After being married for 25 years and getting counseling for myself for 5 years I am happy to say that although life has been hard I am happier now than I would ever thought possible. I was able to break the cycle of abuse I received so that my three children would never go through what I had. The spirit has spoken to me many times and as I struggle with life and issues I know that my Heavenly Father will continue to be with me throughout all of my life. My wife was a Godsend to help me through the hardest times of my life. I couldn’t have done it myself. With her patience and unconditional love we have made a life for ourselves centered in the Gospel.<br /><br />Life is still hard, however the Lord does answer prayers and I know that he knows who I am. I have learned that I do have a father in heaven and even though I don’t always feel him, I know that he is there. One incident that I remember was when I was 12 years old and had just been thrown out of the house. I remember telling Heavenly Father that if this was all there was to life please take me now and let me die and return to him. The spirit of the Lord came to me and said that I was to rise above all of this and that I was better than that. From that time forth when things got real bad I would remember that feeling and press on. <br /><br />Through revelations and scripture study I have come to realize that there are many ways to fulfill a mission here on earth. Through genealogy I have seen my ancestors receive the Gospel and know that my mission here on earth was to save my ancestors and break the cycle of abuse I grew up with. I have come to realize that we all have missions to serve and that as we finish one mission the Lord will give his children greater opportunities to grow and learn about him. The trials are hard but I have learned to trust in the Lord and seek him out for strength and wisdom in all things.<br /><br /> I went from being a proud selfish angry person to a loving caring husband and father. I thank God for the patience and love he has shown me throughout my life and I can hardly wait to be with him once again.Pokemonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16880788926930516661noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727969690594917818.post-16251234764234905762009-04-13T12:22:00.000-07:002009-04-13T12:24:40.109-07:00Mormons Were Out to Get Me!Deanna's Conversion Story<br /><br />I’m not sure if my story is terribly unique from others you have available to you but it usually causes some raised eyebrows!<br /><br />In 1995 I was an opportunity select active Catholic. My life has not been one raised in any church. As a matter of fact, my world had been anything but one of any faith at all.<br /><br />I was not raised by my mother, but off and on by one of her sisters and her husband. My world was one of complete insecurity. I never had a home that was mine. Furniture that was mine. Even my clothing was usually borrowed or hand me downs until I was too old for the process.<br /><br />Alcohol was an everyday affair in my family. Lots and lots of alcohol. Along with being sexually abused by two of my uncles these “assets” created a woman with serious anger issues, extreme insecurity and my own alcoholism. I had no successful or appropriate relationship examples in my life. I would fall into the trap of relationship after relationship trying to fill the hole in my soul for love.<br /><br />By 1995 I had five living children and one that was killed in my seventh month of pregnancy due to a car accident that almost killed me as well. I won’t go into all the times I can look back on and find myself amazed I lived through them. In many ways my life was comparative to Glenn Beck. It seemed like the “Mormons were out to get me”!<br /><br />It 1974 I went to the LDS Church with my neighbors. I was searching everywhere in every church around for a place where I “fit”. I loved the services, but unfortunately becoming members of the church destroyed the marriage of my neighbors. While the husband found a true calling to the Church, his wife found it confining and old fashioned. During their divorce their home was up for sale. The real estate agent had come to evaluate the home for his listing and left the gate to the pool unlocked. To cut a long story short, my second son fell in the pool and was nearly drowned. When he was in the hospital Richard’s Bishopric came and gave him a blessing. Every machine that Jason was attached to went quiet as soon as they laid hands on him. Two days later he was out of the hospital with a doctor – a man with only faith in science and medicine – amazed that he lived nonetheless was whole mentally.<br /><br />But did I join the Church then? Oh no. Not stubborn me. Several years and many LDS friends and colleagues went by. My eldest son married a very sweet girl in 1992. Her family was LDS but she was inactive at the time. Again, long story short – by the time they had been married three years they had lost two children. Amy was pregnant again and Christopher came into the world quite healthy and happy. Don was sent overseas in the Marines and Amy took her little boy back to Church.<br /><br />When Don came home he had agreed he would go to Church with Amy but never said he would agree he would join the faith. During the summer of 1995 my youngest daughter went to spend the summer with her brother so she was attending with the family as well. Due to health issues my daughter had it was necessary to allow Don to have custodial rights in case she needed to be treated. So when Don called me with the “news” everything was pretty much over and done with.<br /><br />He called me at work and announced to me that the last Saturday he AND Kathleen were baptized and confirmed into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I was furious! What in the world did he think he was doing? By the time Katie came home to start school I had calmed down enough to look for a new place to live that would allow me to take Katie to Church and still be close enough for me to go to Mass. We went on this was until 1996.<br /><br />Katie and Don were both quite the Missionaries. By spring of 1996 I agreed to take discussions but only so that I could prove them both wrong! I was baptized by my son (his first!) six weeks later. Since that time I have served in Relief Society presidencies, been called as a teacher, Stake Missionary, and found that place of security and family I never had as a child. When my first Bishop taught me about my Patriarchal Blessing and I had learned that I could continue to learn and grow and take it all with me to be with Heavenly Father. My Blessing told of my position of Warrior in the Pre-Mortal life (which explained my drive for justice), a calling to Family History and Genealogy and a promise of attending the Temple.<br /><br />I was endowed in the Las Vegas Temple one year later.<br /><br />My life now is clean and sober. While my husband is not a member he supports my membership whole heartedly. Two of my grandchildren attend church with me weekly (unfortunately, their parents are divorced) and love the scouts and Young Women programs they are involved in. I am serving as the Relief Society Secretary.<br /><br />Keep up the good work. The Mission Field is white and ready for harvest – especially right now. May Heavenly Father bless your works and your world.Pokemonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16880788926930516661noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727969690594917818.post-32316100689758517012009-03-12T12:40:00.000-07:002009-03-12T12:43:00.435-07:00Testimonies and Stories of ManyOn <a href="http://www.mormon.org/mormonorg/eng/">Mormon.org </a>there is a page dedicated to testimonies and conversion stories of members across the world. <br /><br />You can visit this page and watch many wonderful videos <a href="http://www.mormon.org/mormonorg/eng/basic-beliefs/members-stories/members-stories#d">HERE</a>.Pokemonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16880788926930516661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727969690594917818.post-59561099554837873652009-02-05T12:37:00.000-08:002009-02-05T12:40:22.209-08:00My Re-Conversion StoryCarolina Girl's Story<br /><br />I grew up in the church for the most part. My parents were baptized when I was 2, we were sealed when I was 4. I always dreamed of the day that I would be sealed to my return missionary for all time and eternity and we would start our wonderful family and have a happy little Mormon life. But fairy-tales don't always go from beginning to end so smoothly.<br /><br />When I was 12, much to the surprise of everyone in our ward, myself included, my parents divorced. I remember questioning where I stood in the eternities now, if my family was broken did that mean that if I died I wouldn't be part of a "forever family?" It troubled me so much but what troubled me more was to see my father, the wonderful priesthood leader of our home, turn away from the gospel. I lived with him as did my sisters, and he forbid us to go back to our ward. I was heartbroken, but I knew the church was true. I asked him one day "How do you go from believing that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God one day and the next day we aren't allowed to even talk about the gospel?!" He simply said, "I just don't believe it anymore."<br /><br />Fast forward 5 years to the day I left my fathers home, because of his influence I didn't have a desire for the gospel, I knew it was true deep down, but I put on a front, it was easier to live by the world's standards. I lived with my grandparents and attend church with them at their Baptist church regularly and enjoyed it. But I knew there was more, I sat there looking at all those people thinking, how can they not have this burning desire to fill the void?<br /><br />I was engaged just before my 19th birthday to a wonderful man. We were married in December of 2005. We attended several different churches, looking for a place to belong, a place that felt right, none of them met our spiritual needs. 11 months after we were married we found out I was pregnant, then we discovered it was twins. I was so scared, the doctors said there was a problem, it appeared I had only one placenta, the initial ultrasound also looked like there was only one sac, meaning I might not make it past 20 weeks. It was heart broken and I cried out to God. I prayed as I drove home "Heavenly Father I will do whatever it takes, I will raise these children the way You want me to, just please let them be healthy." Those were my exact words and I meant them, but I didn't know what it meant, but I meant them.<br /><br />The NEXT DAY I was at home with my husband when the doorbell rang. I opened it and there stood to young men in white shirts and ties and asked if I was Sister Christa Berrier (my maiden name). I said "I'm Christa Rushing I used to be Christa Berrier." Now I know that the story is amazing as it is, but it gets better. The missionaries here are given a certain number of miles that they are allowed to drive their car because our ward boundaries are so large here (I live 25 minutes away from our building). These two elders Elder Fletcher and Elder Gillette had been praying for someone to teach the gospel to and the spirit told them to come to me, they had EXACTLY the number of miles left to get to my house and back to their apartment, I lived 20 miles outside of town.<br /><br />My husband initially was leery as most people in the south are, but he was baptized in just a few short weeks, and we are working towards being sealed to our beautiful twin daughters, who were born 8 weeks early (not due to complications) Cordelia Beau weighing 2lbs 8oz and Caroline Bleu 2lbs 1oz. They were the healthiest babies in the NICU, they amazed everyone when they never needed oxygen, and came home in a short 41 days, before my actual due date. It turns out I had two sacs; fused together, and two placentas; fused together, rare but so are fraternal twin girls without fertility treatments. We have had our scares with doctors, but we have never doubted the promise that I made and was given in return. I will raise them in His way, because He kept His word.<br /><br />I hope that it helps someone to see the truth, every person deserves the chance to have these opportunities, to know this joy, to have a real lasting relationship with our Father in Heaven, to know His love and to be together forever.Pokemonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16880788926930516661noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727969690594917818.post-28952136742903411322009-01-07T11:47:00.000-08:002009-01-07T11:58:04.871-08:00I Am a Child of GodRiin's Story<br /><div><a href="http://caterpillars.wordpress.com/">http://caterpillars.wordpress.com/</a></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSUwZEYjbROYagIs79Qb-PAm4Mo56bGBwJzW13kno9oljL4t2Z6AzL4SHms21qsSrro-4i36IMPgc1P6EPDeclTu6Rf5qAp_7JG9K9UG758d7FqkSB2506WYqjpKKNW9_vbyqcbtkECLEx/s1600-h/I+am+a+child+of+god.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288642949272466658" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 124px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 124px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSUwZEYjbROYagIs79Qb-PAm4Mo56bGBwJzW13kno9oljL4t2Z6AzL4SHms21qsSrro-4i36IMPgc1P6EPDeclTu6Rf5qAp_7JG9K9UG758d7FqkSB2506WYqjpKKNW9_vbyqcbtkECLEx/s320/I+am+a+child+of+god.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Many years I've had problems with self-esteem. It's been hard for me to love myself. The world hasn't been very helpful because when you see all the gorgeus girls on the pictures of the magazines and all the pretty actors in movies, it's easy to start comparing yourself with them (which is exactly what I did). I would act all happy but I was actually a depressive mess.<br /><div></div><br /><div>Once when the sisters were teaching me about loving thy neighbour, it occured to me that how can I love my neighbour if I can't even love myself. I knew that I had to figure out who I am, who I really am. I finally figured it out - I am a child of God. I'm created in His image and nurtured in His hands. He knows me and He loves me just the way I am. </div><br /><div>I tried so hard to be normal, to be just like everyone else but I should have done the opposite. I don't have to be normal to feel good, I have to be myself. We are all special, not only few of us. We all have good sides and bad sides. No one is perfect, not yet. We were supposed to look different, act different and love different things. We are on our mission here. We can't waste any time feeling sorry for ourselves. We should appreciate the opportunity to have a body, to see the world, to live in it, to be a part of it. </div><br /><div>My favourite scripture is 1 Samuel 16:7 - But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord<a title="TG God, Omniscience." href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/1_sam/16/7d" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"></a> looketh on the heart. I believe most of us have good hearts or something good in our hearts. The Lord sees it and knows it. He remembers it and appreciates it. He smiles every time we smile. I know that we are all children of God.</div>Pokemonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16880788926930516661noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727969690594917818.post-85092891662932914342009-01-06T15:08:00.000-08:002009-01-06T15:22:03.191-08:00An Intense Desire to Know the Truth: Science vs. The Spirit<div align="left">Josh Sy's Story<br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4pxZEbs4ZSY4hLyfcTGESM72lUJd8HFYxsYohPzqm1FtpFuxvOMpk8mJPsqqcjhidICi5PmfsoUnWtjqOSy8QD9UbQLUN8sNw0DZ3keAo05N-8-aNufmGE2TupQ537iF-tZqBmrWDYVTh/s1600-h/science.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288324819182887698" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 156px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 259px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4pxZEbs4ZSY4hLyfcTGESM72lUJd8HFYxsYohPzqm1FtpFuxvOMpk8mJPsqqcjhidICi5PmfsoUnWtjqOSy8QD9UbQLUN8sNw0DZ3keAo05N-8-aNufmGE2TupQ537iF-tZqBmrWDYVTh/s320/science.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"></a><span style="font-size:78%;"><a href="http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://grants.nih.gov/grants/partners/NexusImages/science.jpg&imgrefurl=http://grants.nih.gov/grants/partners/0108Nexus.htm&usg=__U78FPVpTVFniVTWqswEbVoryB9g=&h=480&w=342&sz=15&hl=en&start=31&sig2=6MLUxiqFnPoHcxKr96VNIw&um=1&tbnid=d1quAk94cUfmZM:&tbnh=129&tbnw=92&ei=_-VjSf-8KpCktQO9vZCfDQ&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dscience%26start%3D18%26ndsp%3D18%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:en-us%26sa%3DN">Image Credit</a></span><br /></p><br />I was born in the church to a great family and liked church as a young boy. I was also one of those odd kids who knew exactly what I wanted to be when I grew up even while I was very young. I wanted to be an engineer or inventor, and as this was my desire later on for life I had a natural love for science and physics. I was baptized at 8 and enjoyed my time in the church, never wavering in my early youth.<br /><br /><br />At the age of 15 I knew life was presenting choices to me for the future. I had previously kept all the commandments of the church, but one was starting to seem difficult to me, I wanted to ski on Sunday. It seemed as if every Sunday the sky was clear and the snow was fresh. We would usually go to my families cabin for dinner after church and I was well aware that the ski lines at Sundance Resort were empty on Sunday.<br /><br />I made up my mind to prove that God didn't exist, or that the church wasn't true using science. I started with evolution, until I read writings of several LDS authors about it and my argument was lost. I knew I had something with the Big Bang Theory until I went to my mom who smiled and said “out of everything nothing was created? Then who lit the match to start the explosion?” Once again I'd failed. I tried against the Book of Mormon but the evidence for it was overwhelming.<br /><br />After my brief run trying to prove the church incorrect I was left with an intense desire to know if it was true. I always read the Book of Mormon at night and focused on Moroni's promise. Days went by with me on my knees every night, never knowing for sure. After about 2 weeks of trying I attended a baptism of a friend on a Saturday that would have been the perfect ski day. There, in the Stake Center sitting between my friends Matt and Jessica I felt the spirit really strong as a hymn was playing; in that moment I asked the Lord if that was my answer and that emotion that I'd never felt so strong before grew to a massive degree and so I asked again “Lord, does this feeling mean that Joseph Smith was your prophet of the restoration and the Book of Mormon is true?”, and as it grew again I received light and knowledge from heaven.<br /><br />That was the first time in my life that knowledge was given to me like that. Everything else I'd studied was learned by study and based on theories, equations, or principals; this was so different as it stood alone as divine knowledge in my mind. I didn't head back to ski that day as I had previously thought to do, and the following day walking to church that mountain was non temptation for me.<br /><br />Seventeen years later much has changed, but I still know. I've been on a mission in Italy, married a girl much better and prettier than I deserve in the temple, blessed with 3 great kids. I've watched my dad be called as a General Authority and seen the dedication, increadible sacrifice, love, and goodness of those with whom he serves. Most inspiring are the 13 sophomores who attend my seminary class each morning who are willing to wake up an hour early to read the New Testament with me.<br /><br />All these blessings and the anchor of my faith was gained in a moment when I needed to know, so I asked, and He answered. I'll forever be grateful to the Lord for that witness and the blessings that have flowed from it into my life.Pokemonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16880788926930516661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727969690594917818.post-43901682202846589182009-01-01T08:52:00.000-08:002009-01-01T09:00:38.857-08:00In the Lord's Due TimeKeith L. Brown's Story<br /><a href="http://keithlbrownblogs.blogspot.com/">The Vicissitudes of Life</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYqjzbDYNgwEi1Q78u9-TB409W_n7_TVfuJLA4Z-cvojuqroi9Xbgzvi2RdEJJi-M95vO9gkAA5fd-fnPeIXUF74P8xWQ80rDgPUy-K6hkH_JU7zrHppTxHwuSz-1nnbJ9pw4igYTQWsGs/s1600-h/clock.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5286370910942639810" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 89px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 131px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYqjzbDYNgwEi1Q78u9-TB409W_n7_TVfuJLA4Z-cvojuqroi9Xbgzvi2RdEJJi-M95vO9gkAA5fd-fnPeIXUF74P8xWQ80rDgPUy-K6hkH_JU7zrHppTxHwuSz-1nnbJ9pw4igYTQWsGs/s320/clock.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />In 1 Nephi 19:23 we learn about likening the Scriptures unto ourselves “that it might be for our profit and learning.” With that thought in mind, I would like to turn to the Old Testament book of Jeremiah, chapter 29, verses 11 through 13 and share a few thoughts with you this morning as to how the Scriptures found there apply to my own personal life and perhaps to your own lives as well.<br /><br />In Jeremiah 29:11-13 we read these words, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.”<br /><br />On March 10, just a little over a month ago, I celebrated my ten year anniversary as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I actually began investigating the Church in late 1980. I had seen several television commercials about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and each one normally ended with how one could obtain a free copy of the Book of Mormon. I have always had a love for books and was always on the watch for any new book of interest that I might be able to add to my small library of books. Having no knowledge of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and having never heard of or seen a copy of the Book of Mormon, I thought that this might be an interesting addition to my library, and besides it was at the right price, free. What I later found out is that the commercials failed to mention one minor detail. Nothing that I can recall was ever mentioned about the fact that two young men, riding bicycles, dressed in suits would personally deliver the free Book of Mormon. I later learned that these young men were missionaries for the Church.<br /><br />The day the missionaries arrived at my parents’ home were I was living at the time; I invited them in and had a brief conversation with them. I found that some of what they had to say was of some interest to me and so I invited them to return again in a few days when I had more time to sit and talk with them and continue with our conversation. Time went on and after having met with the missionaries for about 5 months, I decided to leave home and join the United States Navy in March 1981. I thanked the missionaries for taking the time to visit me and teach me about what the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believes and teaches, and promised that I would continue to investigate the Church and its teachings at a later time. At that time I had only read a few passages from the Book of Mormon and though I had found what I read to be of great interest, I placed the book on the shelf in my library thinking that it would make a good reference book and perhaps I would return to read its pages some day.<br /><br />Moving forward now in time, I found myself in San Diego California where I attended basic training, my first “A” school in electronics, and was eventually assigned to my first ship, the U.S.S. Jouett CG 29. One day while on liberty from the ship I came across a small bookstore. Being a lover of books I decided to go in and take a look around to see if I might find anything of interest. I did not realize at first that it was an LDS bookstore, but it didn’t take long to figure out. I distinctly remember on that visit I purchased several things to include another copy of the Book of Mormon and a set of conference tapes. I would love to tell you that I went back to the ship and spent time listening to the conference messages and reading the Book of Mormon, but that is not the case. In fact, I tucked the tapes and the Book of Mormon neatly away thinking that I would get back to those some day.<br /><br />In addition to the conference tapes and the Book of Mormon, I bought several other books. The title of one of the books particularly caught my attention that day for whatever reason. The title of the book is “In The Lord’s Due Time”. I still have that book in my personal library. I did not at that time stop to notice who the book was written by or even what the book was about. I would later come to realize that the book was written by a Black Brother of the Church by the name of Joseph Freeman. The name Joseph Freeman is perhaps unfamiliar to most of you, but Brother Joseph Freeman was the first Black to receive the Priesthood following the 1978 Revelation. I thought that was interesting and wondered what was meant by receiving the Priesthood and what exactly a revelation is. Like the other materials that I purchased that day, I put the book away intending to further research the matter at a later time.<br /><br />As years went on, I decided to begin studying for the ministry. The Baptist church that I was attending while stationed in Norfolk Virginia had its own Bible College and so I enrolled and began preparing to one day become a Baptist minister. During my course of studies I heard, read, and learned about many negative comments about the Mormon Church and why one should not join this Church. I became very well acquainted with anti-Mormon materials through media resources such as video tapes, cassette tapes, newspapers, magazines and the like. For a time, I even communicated through letters with people who had at one time been members of the Church and for one reason or another had left the Church. Though I will admit that some of the negativity sounded interesting, I could not buy into the fact that this Church was all that these folks where proclaiming it to be. I reflected upon the things that the missionaries and I had discussed in earlier years and came to the conclusion that there must be more to the story than these folks that were against the Church were telling, and that there must be some evidence of truth in what the missionaries had taught me. In short, I determined in my mind that I would seek after the truth and ignore all of the negativity.<br /><br />Let us move forward in time once again. The year is now 1997 and I found myself stationed at a NATO command in Keflavik Iceland. One day as I was surfing the internet in my room, I decided to do a search on the Mormon Church out of curiosity just to see what I might find. I found a link for the Church News and decided to check it out. I later found an email address and decided to send an email to the newspaper inquiring as to the cost of sending a subscription to the newspaper to an overseas location. I received an email back from one of the editors of the newspaper at that time whose name was Doug Osborn. In his email he inquired as to what I was doing in Iceland and what my interest was in the Mormon Church. I sent an email back stating that I was serving in the United States Navy and that I was merely interested in reading about what was going on in the Mormon Church at that time. He emailed me back and said that he thought that was interesting and then he said, please do not be upset with me, and I hope you do not mind, but I have contacted the local missionaries in your area and have asked them to contact you. Partially thinking that I was on a secure NATO base and that the chances of the missionaries being able to locate me was slim to none, I wrote back stating that would be fine. A few days later my telephone rang. I answered the phone and who do you suppose was on the other end of the line? You guessed it, a missionary from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. My first question was how he obtained my telephone number. He replied that it was really quite easy, I just called the operator and she gave it to me. My thoughts were, well so much for security. I gave them my address and invited them over.<br /><br />To make a long story short Brothers and Sisters, I met with several groups of missionaries over the course of about a year. We had many wonderful conversations and discussions about the Bible and the Book of Mormon. At times they were asking me where I found certain Scriptures and would make notes of them. At other times they would call me and tell me that they found another investigator that was also Baptist and asked how I would handle answering certain questions that their investigator had. It became a great teaching / learning experience for each of us.<br /><br />Finally, in January 1998, I told the missionaries that I appreciated everything that they had taught me and that I would not make a final decision about being baptized until after I had read the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price in their entirety. I believe that the Lord had a hand in that as well as I believe that I was inspired to develop a 40-day reading schedule to complete all of the reading. For the very first time, a little over 17 years after my initial investigation of the Church, and for 40 consecutive days prior to my baptism, I read the Book of Mormon in its entirety, followed by the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price each in their entirety. Having completed all of the reading, I returned to Moroni’s promise as recorded in the Book of Mormon in Moroni 10: 3-5 – “Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts. And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.” After reading those words I knelt beside my bed and asked the Lord to let me know if these things were indeed true. I received my answer, called the missionaries and on the evening of Tuesday, March 10, 1998, I was baptized and became a member of the Lord’s true Church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The rest as they say is history with all things being fulfilled and accomplished according to the Lord’s plans and in His due time.<br /><br />Brothers and Sisters, I may not know a whole lot, but what I know, I know of a surety. I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord’s true Church upon the earth today. I know that Joseph Smith was and is a prophet of God. I know that the Bible and the Book of Mormon are the Word of God and that both testify of a loving Savior and Redeemer. I know that President Thomas S. Monson is our prophet today and I sustain him as Prophet, Seer, and Revelator as I also sustain his counselors. I also know that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ holds all of my tomorrows in the palm of His hand. He has already prepared the work that He would have me do in the days ahead, is preparing me to do that work, and will one day in His due time call me forth to accomplish that work. Whether the work will be in a section of the vineyard of this great Stake of Zion or wherever the Lord may call me to serve, I humbly pray that I, like Nephi of old will be obedient to the call and go forth and do those things which the Lord commands.<br /><br />I close by reading once again the words found in Jeremiah 29:11-13 – “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.” God our Eternal Heavenly Father lives and Jesus is the Christ. Of these things I do so testify and bear solemn witness in His Sacred Holy name. Amen.Pokemonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16880788926930516661noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727969690594917818.post-1640130259522938052008-12-30T15:07:00.000-08:002008-12-30T15:14:17.158-08:00"I married Nephi, the true story of Conversion"Shawna Iverson's Story <div><a href="http://www.iversonfamilyof3.blogspot.com/">http://www.iversonfamilyof3.blogspot.com/</a></div><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGkxVyUd6kP9H_WOseRL-DBxOwtI_IA_NoE_d5ZyS-z0PSvtlGTqR_uS8ZJOgxaxFlMe_5OI0_sH_DWPwl1J3sn-3OKXEMYyERI6Yrj8i8m7joWxcdB7L8fJVwcVDZhfRPlhdByb7DT971/s1600-h/FribergNephiBoat.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285725035970918706" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 101px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 103px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGkxVyUd6kP9H_WOseRL-DBxOwtI_IA_NoE_d5ZyS-z0PSvtlGTqR_uS8ZJOgxaxFlMe_5OI0_sH_DWPwl1J3sn-3OKXEMYyERI6Yrj8i8m7joWxcdB7L8fJVwcVDZhfRPlhdByb7DT971/s320/FribergNephiBoat.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXMbXPWQPZc8HulxNz3Hhhmoq-z6LCc8TlrdD_1bAjOYfgJCZF_-FgNkRH3Ej7XFyY1pJsskprAwFjZt1ktptHqngM6uCwRo-I3D0Kb7X4AilZjtX9B4Sxg0P4wZhU-MUCK_d9DXTiOJPz/s1600-h/FribergNephiBoat.jpg"></a>I grew up in Utah a Pentcostal Mormon hater. I used to carry my Bible in my backpack and try to "Save" everyone I could. I would pray over the high school in the mornings on the football field with my best friend.<br /><br /><div>I was not happy about being surrounded by Mormons and never ever ever thought I would join. Then my senior year of high school my parents moved me to a new school and I met, fell in love with and married my high school sweet heart I met there three years later. He was a member of the church and his parents were both converts. They loved me and welcomed me with open arms. </div><br /><div>About two-three years into our marriage I found out that my husband the person I thought I knew was a herion addict. My life was turned upside down. I spent the next two years trying to save him for his life style that he kept hidden from so many people. I came across an LDS 12 step meeting for addicts and their family members. I started attending the meetings faithfuly and couldnt deny the spirit I felt when I was there. </div><br /><div>I started asking my boss at work questions about the church and desided to take the missionary lessons for like the third time, only this time I wasnt trying to "save" them. ;) I made the choice that night that I wanted to be baptised and two weeks later I did it.My boss who is like a brother to me baptised me. 162 people attended, I think they all wanted proof that I was really doing it. It was the best day of my life. </div><br /><div>I know now looking back that Heavenly father knew I needed to be humbled and broken to finally except the gospel. Unfortunatly my husband never cleaned up his life and I knew I was supposed to leave him. I prayed, fasted and knew it was the right thing to do. I moved home with my parents and three months later on ldssingles.com I met my new husband, Nephi Alma Iverson. Never in my life would I have dreamed about dating someone named Nephi let alone marry him. We just got sealed as a little family with our 19 month old son in Sept. of this year. Although my family still struggles with my choice they love me and it has all been so worth it. </div></div>Pokemonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16880788926930516661noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727969690594917818.post-44641644623306492842008-12-30T11:28:00.000-08:002008-12-30T12:25:13.068-08:00From Catholicism to MormonismLinda Bacigalupi-Blackhurst's Story<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibWx3o47xSIaXeE_uX_fHo6WGDDRFqYAupVbB5vU2VzI2Qdl4LWS_faXbZAuf7YJ8HVlwIVyrDUNTF6hWZRJTAm9x8QUuSH4hl5TVpFZWwTPpdvgxQfmeda7jLY9mv-w3YpkxClT7Xvu7F/s1600-h/Catholic+Church.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285681716082699394" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibWx3o47xSIaXeE_uX_fHo6WGDDRFqYAupVbB5vU2VzI2Qdl4LWS_faXbZAuf7YJ8HVlwIVyrDUNTF6hWZRJTAm9x8QUuSH4hl5TVpFZWwTPpdvgxQfmeda7jLY9mv-w3YpkxClT7Xvu7F/s320/Catholic+Church.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>I was raised in the Catholic church by a father with strong catholic roots and a mother who was raised with nearly zero religious or spiritual upbringing. She was probably agnostic but bordered on atheist. My father had several cousins who became catholic priests and others who entered the seminary but never became priests. But the Catholic traditions ran strong in his family line. We went to mass on some but not all Sundays and to Saturday confession more often than I like to remember! I wouldn’t call my father a deeply religious man but religion and church meant a lot to him and raising God Fearing Children was very important to him.<br /><br />Even as a young girl I was never satisfied with who God was portrayed as being in the Catholic church. He didn’t feel warm, personal, individual and loving to me in the Catholic Church’s portrayal of Him but all those traits were who He was to me in my heart, mind and soul.<br /><br />While a young girl of 12 or 13 my two older siblings became interested in the LDS Church through associates in High School, football and baseball teams and because of LDS friends and influences they had met. My brother originally took the lead going through the missionary discussions with my sister taking a close second in the process. My father was not very enthusiastic about my brother’s immediate desire to be baptized and asked him to wait a short time before deciding. He reluctantly did as my father asked but my sister just a year his jr. wasn’t so patient or obedient and decided to be baptized without his blessing and without the wait he had hoped for. Once she did so, my brother followed her lead within a few months time.<br /><br />They convinced my parents that it would be a good thing for my younger sister and I to also hear about the church and somehow they agreed. So Laurie & I along with our Mother sat through the missionary discussions together and Laurie & I were baptized together very shortly thereafter. It was clear to me almost from the beginning that the message the missionaries had to share with me was just good & right and true. It rang in my soul as HOME – it clarified who exactly God was for me. This loving Heavenly Father that they taught me about WAS the God I had always felt existed but who I had NOT found within the teachings of Catholicism.<br />Joseph Smith seeing the Father & Son, the Book of Mormon, the Word of Wisdom, Eternal Families, being an eternal daughter of God who He loved & valued and for whom Jesus Christ had come to die and pay the price for my sins – THIS was the God, the doctrine, the Savior, the religion that was always in my heart but never found until I learned about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I knew it was true almost immediately. I remember sitting in my first testimony meeting and tears began to flow almost immediately when that meeting began – the spirit was so strong I could hardly contain it on that day. I could not wait to be baptized. My sister, my mother and eventually my father followed in baptism. Over the course of a years time my entire family had converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ. My father was a hard sell…. Having to sit through 3-4 sets of discussions – but his hard shell was eventually softened to the truth thanks to the goodness, grace and mercy of God and thanks to the outpouring of the spirit that became too strong to ignore<br /><br />That was over 35 years ago – my brother served a mission. All four siblings married in the temple to good return missionaries and our spouses and children have produced 18 children, several dozen grandbabies, 9 missionaries in the field and years of joy, happiness, trials, tears, deaths and yet continued faith & testimony of this gospel.<br /><br />On an interesting side note: my father’s mother who was from this staunch catholic back ground and very resentful of our initial departure from the catholic faith – in her later years (age 93) came to live with our family due to her declining health and advanced age. She sat through missionary discussions and was baptized into the church before she died. THAT is an amazing thing! I love the gospel. I know it to be true. It is joy, happiness, truth and HOME to my soul!</div>Pokemonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16880788926930516661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727969690594917818.post-3695453541757669032008-12-30T11:27:00.000-08:002008-12-30T12:26:58.856-08:00A Series of Small EventsAlissa's Story<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLxXG7FZ6eHn1Gy5KfxQMIBQ0F_ZR7TkIUkYZbclDtfk-qMaEz22exCOkjTQ0B-I20if6DHRZ8qREtOYCUy04-R0wPO7zEdrWYyqiybz7GmJ4oRN6GJBDcQlWqVgk19NqHxS48Af79KsTN/s1600-h/Book+of+Mormon.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285682224339817554" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 222px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLxXG7FZ6eHn1Gy5KfxQMIBQ0F_ZR7TkIUkYZbclDtfk-qMaEz22exCOkjTQ0B-I20if6DHRZ8qREtOYCUy04-R0wPO7zEdrWYyqiybz7GmJ4oRN6GJBDcQlWqVgk19NqHxS48Af79KsTN/s320/Book+of+Mormon.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>I was born and raised in the church. I was baptized at age eight mostly because that's what all my friends were doing. I continued to go to church and to mutual and did everything I was supposed to do. I was always told that I needed to gain my own testimony and not rely on my parent's testimonies. A series of small events was what converted me. There were times when I prayed and I could feel Heavenly Father giving me a hug and telling me everything was going to be all right. When I read the Book of Mormon I felt really good inside. When I did things that were very bad and had to see the bishop, I couldn't feel the spirit with me and I didn't feel good at all. When I repented I was overwhelmed with the spirit and saw all the many things God was doing for me. My conversion just comes from all the little things where the spirit told me that something was true.</div>Pokemonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16880788926930516661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727969690594917818.post-75447416966044156982008-12-30T11:25:00.000-08:002008-12-30T12:28:44.260-08:00Saturday's Warrior and the SpiritKG=Lucky Duck's Story<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg05Xmg_pa3sR_sUHS2godhtRw9ePlPa__Aw_LJV-RMb7zIt3anwdZSW4sEIDwwCwImC91SkZOOnzjd8EJbSaNNIQN2_zO08VZr1llG5ELGt6IkNpImCigXQNgnlZA93Zen-94qi2ectbyv/s1600-h/Saturday's+Warrior.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285682701799335250" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg05Xmg_pa3sR_sUHS2godhtRw9ePlPa__Aw_LJV-RMb7zIt3anwdZSW4sEIDwwCwImC91SkZOOnzjd8EJbSaNNIQN2_zO08VZr1llG5ELGt6IkNpImCigXQNgnlZA93Zen-94qi2ectbyv/s320/Saturday's+Warrior.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>My husband (now, not then) was born a member. I was not raised in any religion. He was inactive when we first met. I wanted NOTHING to do with the church. I had lots of misconceptions (as do most people who don't know any better). We moved in together and had our first daughter. oops. But anyways, we got married when she was 5 months. Around that time my husband wanted to start being active again. I didn't care as long as he left me out of it. So one day, his mom sent us Saturday's Warrior. He went to work and I was curious, so I started to watch it. I was really moved and felt something. So I told my husband I was ready to take the discussions. I got baptized on New Years Eve, 2000. We then had a second child and went to the temple in 2001. I remember walking outside one day after I got baptized and feeling how great it was to be alive. I am thankful that my husband didn't push me and that I did it for myself.</div>Pokemonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16880788926930516661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727969690594917818.post-72179194110988922082008-12-30T11:16:00.000-08:002008-12-30T12:33:02.640-08:00A Gradual Change, A Wonderful DreamJessica "Untypically Jia" Woodruff's Story<br /><a href="http://colormeuntypical.blogspot.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://colormeuntypical.blogspot.com/</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdmk63HsMSl-M7mv0ZNu5B3u8f3zems5ZP6PRKvnbHixujOQDC6tWU3RRSrsM-5Bn_ZIgR9e3v3mX_oR9HOrWdSamxPW3WTkYdiXO8A8bC0MZq0Degqp754CYdzE6XvVeBbFn7Gd1zk1jO/s1600-h/baptism18.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285683745351324482" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 319px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 279px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdmk63HsMSl-M7mv0ZNu5B3u8f3zems5ZP6PRKvnbHixujOQDC6tWU3RRSrsM-5Bn_ZIgR9e3v3mX_oR9HOrWdSamxPW3WTkYdiXO8A8bC0MZq0Degqp754CYdzE6XvVeBbFn7Gd1zk1jO/s320/baptism18.gif" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLGnwrUfBQUE58bveNeVFtJgqaFPMKSn499l3zwkAW29PT9Y-9mblLOqFQZQBmoa-wfZU9Sqs3t8_Sp1pnz4I6NC16s4_dhgPqBGZMnyBd_c0MGbemQbLpH7xKbaeSF_4Tr7OzgGB7BD4m/s1600-h/SL+Temple.bmp"></a><br />There wasn't a moment in my life that I never believed there was something greater than what the world was trying to lead me to believe. And when I joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when I was 15 years old, that belief was confirmed.<br /><br />Life has never been easy, but I've known that if I look to the Lord with faith that He will see me through my trials, I will live on and be the better for it. A very good friend in my first Home Ward once told me, "The Church is true. There is no doubt in my mind. But if by some chance that it's not, it's still the best way to live your life." I believed that with all my heart. There is no doubt in my mind that Joseph Smith recieved a vision that day so long ago, and that the gospel of Jesus Christ was restored to this dispensation. God lives, and He loves each of us for we are His children and He knows us completely.<br /><br />I was raised half in the Church and half in the world. My family had generations of Mormons, but my parents and Grandparents had been inactive for many, many years. With no regard for their own salvation, they were determined to at least send me to Church when I was a young girl. Unlike the other kids in my Ward, I was not baptised when I was eight years old. My Grandmother had a stroke and the family became more concerned about her health than taking me to Primary every Sunday. I didn't go back for years.<br /><br />In fact, I grew to be far from Mormon. Raised on and off by three of my Aunts growing up, I was tossed between Christianity, Agnostic, and Wiccan. I followed the Wiccan path set before me by my Aunt Kathy. I remained a solitary practitioner until I was fifteen years old. That's when I met Matt. Matt was LDS, only inactive. He was the kind of bad boy I craved to date, and eventually I did date him. To suck up to his parents I said yes when asked to go to Church. I felt cornered and odd. I didn't fit in there at all. At fifteen years old, I did not dress modestly, I wore black makeup and had purple hair.<br /><br />I was such a fool for Matt that I agreed to take missionary discussions in order to suck up to his parents. I had finished the discussions and come January 14th, 2000 I was ready to start my new life, in a new century, with a clean slate. I was taught by two wonderful missionaries, and then as they were sent away, three Sister Missionaries were ready to take me the rest of the way. I asked my Bishop at the time, Bishop Brown to baptise me. He was a good man, and had been very kind to the fifteen year old girl who came to Church with purple hair.<br /><br />I was completely against joining the Church. I wanted to be a rebel, and so did my boyfriend. I was however polite and went to Church with his family every single Sunday. In November of the same year, my Grandmother was sent to the hospital. Her heart was bleeding and there was nothing that could be done. On her deathbed, she asked of me 3 things. I was to marry Matt (she loved and adored him), I was to take care of the family, and I was to join the Church. I prayed about the decision for weeks and weeks, and then I had a dream about my Mother one night.<br /><br />My mother had died when I was 2 years old, so dreaming about her was a special thing for me. In the dream, she and I talked about the Church, about Grandma and about everything else in my life. She told me she needed me to join. She said that her temple work had not been completed, and I needed to do it for her.<br /><br />I remember being so nervous. I thought for sure that during my last interview before my baptism they would say they had changed their minds and I wasn't supposed to be there. I was worried that I would do something stupid to embarrass myself, or that everyone would know all the wrongs I had done in my life. I was afraid my former Wiccan friends would burst in and kidnap me. I was worried that if I turned a new leaf, Matt wouldn't want me anymore. Of course, little did I know that while he took the discussions with me, his heart turned as well.<br /><br />I got dressed in white and had walked into the font looking down the stairs at my Bishop who stood there with a smile on his face. I was so nervous. The water looked freezing, and I was certain that the fabric I was wearing wasn't thick enough to be both white, and wet and modest. But I went in anyways. I remember the rush over water over my face and I remember thinking, "This is it. I'm clean." And I was pulled back up. Water dripped back off of me, and I barely had opened my eyes before my foot slipped and I went back down under a second time. I guess God thought I needed a second dose . . . just to be sure it took. It's a running joke in the family, and I was the first to laugh about it.<br /><br />A short while later I found out that my Mother's temple work was completed more than ten years earlier. I like to think that it was her way of telling me that I should stop doubting that the Church was where I needed to be. She gave me that final push.<br /><br />So here I am now. 8 years later. I went to Seminary for 3 years, Institute for one. I served as Seminary Secretary, Laurel President, Laurel Secretary, Ward Missionary, Sunday School Secretary and Sunbeams Teacher. I was able to watch Matt leave for his Mission, and I waited for him. We were married in the Salt Lake City Temple on February 28th, 2004.<br /><br />All in 8 years. I can only imagine what eternity has in store for me.</div>Pokemonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16880788926930516661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727969690594917818.post-43844943292522361332008-12-30T11:14:00.000-08:002008-12-30T12:34:38.162-08:00Seeing the Gospel in ActionRac's Story<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCKYGrzBQKP-8rd3zG6ZF5XMQdjApYeveMFQqsCOcVfSixhZin9frieYHFKxzOwGcFcH4OGaaTCyLFj36-HZXLsJK8v-BSIUHfBfLbFTcHAYnMiJj-axjFfaO_orWejnotLIb6xyF2A5KF/s1600-h/byu.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285684211175426290" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 186px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCKYGrzBQKP-8rd3zG6ZF5XMQdjApYeveMFQqsCOcVfSixhZin9frieYHFKxzOwGcFcH4OGaaTCyLFj36-HZXLsJK8v-BSIUHfBfLbFTcHAYnMiJj-axjFfaO_orWejnotLIb6xyF2A5KF/s320/byu.gif" border="0" /></a><br /><div>I am sixth generation LDS but as you stated, we are all converted at some point in our lives. For me, I count my conversion to my freshman year at BYU. I had learned the book answers previous to that but it wasn't until I saw the gospel in action on the BYU campus that I finally felt the answers in my heart and in my mind. It was as though I had love for everyone and everything. I was just so filled with joy and happiness that no amount of stress or toil could spoil my peaceful feelings. I knew that my church leader's loved me and I knew that God loved me. I knew that everything I had been taught throughout my life was indeed true. The Church could not have come about simply by the machinations of devious men, but only by the inspiration and revelation from God. The scriptures were and are true and the men that brought them to light were and are prophets. I knew that then and know it now and what I knew and know, I cannot deny for the reality of it.<br /><br />If any man will do my will, he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speak of myself. So spoke the Savior and we would all do well to follow that counsel.</div>Pokemonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16880788926930516661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727969690594917818.post-65102993150989552352008-12-30T11:13:00.000-08:002008-12-30T12:35:20.624-08:00A Feeling of Peace at Temple Squarerkd6's Story<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZnHrJXAPWlKJTMkyFITuclyI65Kh2WZzJCoF94tCcLTQmH5EYQIut4jfpL8jxDZy3c5VQjH2zQOWoUuCSwQAER271KLoQJ2s9I9DWmJlvLC68FRflL-8Ok4Zil3z2BAR-94Uh01rOB0PF/s1600-h/SL+Temple.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285684405186807698" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 113px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZnHrJXAPWlKJTMkyFITuclyI65Kh2WZzJCoF94tCcLTQmH5EYQIut4jfpL8jxDZy3c5VQjH2zQOWoUuCSwQAER271KLoQJ2s9I9DWmJlvLC68FRflL-8Ok4Zil3z2BAR-94Uh01rOB0PF/s320/SL+Temple.bmp" border="0" /></a><br /><div>My family was moving from Dallas, TX to the Bay Area in CA. On the way, we stopped in Salt Lake to visit family and go see Temple Square. I was 9 and it was my first time (that I remembered) being there or at any of our temples. As we were walking through temple square, an amazing peace came over me, "filled me" (that's what it felt like), and I knew that it was all true, that Jesus and Heavenly Father were real, that the temple was their house, and that I was a member of their Church. Up until that point my faith was in my parents. I trusted them and believed they were telling me the truth; but after that experience, I knew for myself that God and Jesus Christ were real and that the LDS Church really was Christ's Church. My testimony of those truths has grown since then and expanded to other principles, but that was the beginning...when I first felt truly converted.</div>Pokemonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16880788926930516661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727969690594917818.post-7684379903532714662008-12-30T11:10:00.000-08:002008-12-30T12:36:10.032-08:00A Prayer and a Knock at the DoorGina's Story<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIFZVU8bOwbR7F4zxrxRgD-CPRN8LaAhZlVWD20G75gR-A5sx6G4iljSYi8GHPixSjoa_7bWv5ps8VpcYldBCnFksB474e1YVlVY3QMT95xMMOXREp55VbA7Ls9khCH5PZUty_03xxyTcw/s1600-h/Missionaries.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285684626951696242" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 169px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 225px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIFZVU8bOwbR7F4zxrxRgD-CPRN8LaAhZlVWD20G75gR-A5sx6G4iljSYi8GHPixSjoa_7bWv5ps8VpcYldBCnFksB474e1YVlVY3QMT95xMMOXREp55VbA7Ls9khCH5PZUty_03xxyTcw/s320/Missionaries.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>I was 15 when I was converted. I was headed down the wrong path and I knew it. I hated the things I was doing and the person I was becoming. One night when I felt I had hit rock bottom I said the most sincere, heart felt prayer I had ever said. I asked for guidance - nothing more. I wanted to live my life right and needed to be pointed in the right direction. I didn't have good examples at home and I knew it.<br /><br />The next morning, bright and early a knock came at the door. I opened it to 2 young men who told me they had a messege from our Lord and could they come in and share it with me. I had NO doubt that they were the answer to my prayer. I felt it in every fiber of my being. Everything they said made sence and I wanted to know more. We set an appointment for me to begin the lessons and a few months later I was baptised. The whole time I prayed with an open heart and mind and never did I have any doubt.<br /><br />My life turned around completely. Because of the teachings and guidance of the church I headed down the right path and now 28 years later I love the person I have become and have never regretted joining the church.<br /><br />One thing I have always found interesting is that the elders later told me that they had already tracked my nieghborhood a couple weeks before and were headed a few streets over. They both had a feeling they should try again and came to my house. I had only moved in with my dad 4 days before! I truely think it was Heavenly Father directing them to me.<br /><br />People will say I was brainwashed etc - but that's not the case. I think it's so sad how other churches always feel the need to talk smack about the LDS church when our church teaches tolerance of other religions .... interesting. That alone tell me ALOT about the LDS faith.</div>Pokemonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16880788926930516661noreply@blogger.com0