What I Believed Before I Converted
For years as a child our family went to many churches for long and short periods of time. They all had different ways of interpreting the teachings of the Bible. All ministries were paid and I never had a feeling of peace and confirmation of truth.
I always believed that God loved all of the people who ever were born on earth, that he would have a plan that was fair. How could people who never heard of Christ be left out as so many preachers would teach? What about the people or children that died before they could be baptized? I wondered why we had so many churches these days. Too much confusion.
How I Knew the Church Was True
In Jan 1970 while the missionaries taught us I began to feel a comforting feeling that my prayers were being answered. I had been tired of going to so many different Churches and asked my Heavenly Father to help me find the right one. If I did find the right Church I promised God I would go to Church every week and try to be a better person.
I found my answers by personal prayer and studying the scriptures. It may sound like the same old answer, but it is true, we need to ask and we can receive our answers. I began to have direction and a feeling of peace that I was being guided. I was only 12, but I knew I finally found the truth.
I had my struggles as any teenager, but thankfully I could always turn to my Heavenly Father for strength to deal with them. I grew in my testimony through Mutual, now Young Womens and girls camp. I had wonderful leaders that cared about me and helped me and our family. My Bishop took interest in my family. We were not perfect, but we grew closer as a family.
During my teens I did study the scriptures and loved to read the New Era and learn about how to live a happy life. Following all the guidelines from the Prophets and leaders of the Church helped me to know the principles were true. I learned to give service which always helped me become less selfish. I learned to become a leader as I was given roles in Mutual to organize and plan activities. I was such a shy person, but grew to become a more confident and outspoken person.
Over and over as I grew in the Church I had a renewed testimony of the truths that I had learned. I can still say that I know that this is the restored Church. I know that Heavenly Father loves all his children and that he has not left us without guidance. We have a living Prophet who gives us the counsel and guidance we need to live in these latter days so we can become the best we can and be ready to met our Heavenly Father some day and Jesus Christ. I am thankful for answers to my prayers and thankful for guidance from the Holy Ghost. I am grateful for all the blessings I have received from my membership in the church. I am not perfect and never will be, but I am way better now than I would have been without the Church. I am thankful for an eternal plan, through the atonement of Jesus Christ I can live eternally with my family. We can all receive answers to our prayers to know what is right and true. The spirit will bare witness of truth.
Advice
- I love the statement, 'I never said it would be easy, I only said it would be worth it".
- Remember this, "Search, ponder and pray" as it is a key element to finding truth and answers to prayers.
- Ask and it shall be given you, knock and ye shall find.
- I would tell anyone who is interested in religion to attend a few meetings, listen to peoples testimonies and start doing some reading and studying. It can help you understand others beliefs and help you become more tolerant of others all over the world.
