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Lorraine was a pretty girl. Everyone liked her and she always had a smile to go with her big brown eyes. She was a cheerleader at the school she attended and many times she could hear the other girls saying they wished they could be like her. So much confidence, so happy all the time and so talented. What they did not know was, that was the mask Lorraine would wear everyday to school to hide the secret. The secret she lived with every day of her life and if the secret wasn't kept, it could very well cost her, her life. Lorraine had a father that was a very violent and unpredictable alcoholic. Her mother wasn't much better. Always covering up for Lorraine's father and forgiveing him for his wrong doings. Lorraine was at the mercy of her father every weekend. It was always the same old story. He would go out drinking, come home and beat up the family and when Lorraine's mother would fall asleep, Lorraine's father would sneak into Lorraine's room and violate her in every way imaginable. He told Lorraine that it was a normal way of life. All Daddies loved their daughters like that to prepare her for her husband when she would marry one day. When Lorraine was about 15 years old, she was invited to a Mormon dance. She went and had a wonderful time and was introduced to the missionaries. She was so excited about taking the lessons to learn more about this wonderful church. As the weeks went by, the missionaries would always be punctual with their appointments to visit and teach Lorraine. They would suffer through name calling by Lorraine's parents, threats, and shouting. Lorraine at one point thought it best to discontinue the teachings for fear the missionaries would suffer physical harm by her parents but the missionaries were committed to teaching her about the true church and the prophet Joseph Smith. Lorraine was baptized and received the gift of the Holy Ghost. She would have her brother sleep with her in her bed for protection from her father and eventually Heavenly Father rewarded her with the opportunity to live with her Grandparents in CA and there she enjoyed the blessings of the church for about three years. All Lorraine ever wanted was to live a life of safety away from her mother and father. It was something she had prayed for since she was a little girl. Heavenly Father had answered her prayer. Through Lorraine's life, she bounced in and out of church. Still fearing her parents all though they were no loner a part of her life, she ended up married out of the church twice, in therapy for a few years and on medication periotically to calm her fears that never seemed to leave her. As Lorraine grew older, she had four wonderful children of her own. She is presently raising them in the church in New England and is married to a wonderful man who attends church with her and the children. Often she wonders what ever happened to those wonderful, brave young men who stood up against danger and fear to teach her the truth. A truth that would forever change her life and the life of her children. When all is said and done, life has been hard for Lorraine and still to this day she is sometimes afraid that one of her parents will show up at her door step but what is still stronger than her fear is the truth. The truth that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God and the testimony she has of the love, commitment and safety of the church but more than that, she has something that no one can ever take away from her, she has answered prayers.
A true testimony of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
