Testimony

I’d like to bear my testimony because I know that the Church is true. There are many reasons why I became a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and it seems that I don’t get to tell the story enough.

My testimony is built around the discussions I took and the love I have felt during the journey I had in the destination of the truth.

My first encounter with the Book of Mormon came to me at work in the spring of 2006. When I worked for the Hotel, the girls thought it was funny to pass things through the office that they “did not want”. (I.e. dirty dishes, fast food cups, etc.” One day the Book of Mormon showed up on my desk.

I have always been very open to religion. My dad always allowed me to go to church with anyone I chose. I joined many congregations of worship starting from the early age of 4. My parents also went to the Buddhist Temple in Wichita, Ks. I have studied many churches and have asked several questions but failed to find the wholeness I was looking for.

At this time I had seen Carl 3 times in my life. It just so happened that he called me to see what was new since I spoke to him in January. (This was June at this point.) I told him about my day and about the Book of Mormon. He asked me what I was going to do with it and I said I was going to read it. (He hadn’t told me that he had been raised in the Church yet.)

Carl had been working for Dave with DR Systems and he was a real nice guy. He is also a member of the Church and invited us to join him and his family for Family Home Evening where the Missionaries would come over and go over the discussions. As I took these discussions, my heart felt like it was lit on fire; however I was still uncertain about getting on m hands and knees to pray if the Church was true. (I have been stubborn most of my life.)

Shortly after taking half of the discussions, Carl and I had decided to get married. Since I was still investigating the Church, and we were getting married in a friend’s backyard, we decided to ask the Bishop in Dave’s ward to marry us in the ring ceremony which he graciously accepted.

My father and stepmother had plans to come to the wedding. It was a very happy time! Little did I know, when they showed up, they also brought my stepbrother and stepsister that didn’t speak English! I was SO worried and upset but that was only the beginning. On the eve of my wedding, the Bishop we asked to marry us called and said that there was an emergency and he would not be able to make it. TEARS! SOBS! You couldn’t even imagine! So my mother in law called the Bishop in her ward that agreed to marry us. 2 hours later he called and said he would not be able to make it after all. My mind was a blur, I thought, this wasn’t meant to be. My family is here, thought 2/3’s of them didn’t speak English, I had a wedding planned and no one to marry us in less than 24 hours. I had the wedding shambles and didn’t know how I would ever pull out of it!

At this time, we had recently moved into the Bear Canyon Ward district and had attended meetings once at that meeting house. Not enough times to call the Bishop there. Dave’s mom was also in our ward so she gave us the number to Bishop Cutler. He said he would meet us at 10:00 p.m. that evening. “Hallelujah!” I thought. Things were going to be okay after all. But nothing could prepare me for what was in store for me.

As we drove to see Bishop Cutler, Carl and I spoke about my dad and my family that we had at home. Amazing, my dad had adopted Apple and Anna (Which my stepmother had adopted before she met my dad) and brought them to America. How they had been in the country for 3 months and didn’t speak any English, just Laos ( a lot like Thai).

When we went to meet Bishop Cutler he said,”It’s great to meet you both; I am excited about your up and coming marriage. I wanted to ask you here so that we may meet and get to know one another before the ring ceremony tomorrow. I am Robert Cutler and I spend my Mission in Thailand. My family and I just returned from there for a vacation. I speak fluent Thai……”

The Bishop held a BEAUTIFUL ceremony in both English and Thai so that everyone there could participate. It was the first blessing that Heavenly Father gave me to show His love for me. That He wanted me to be happy and that I deserved all that He could give to me.

SHEESH/ I am seriously tearing up as I write this.

I will share more as the time progresses but this moment in my life opened my eyes. I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is true, as is Joseph Smith is a prophet of God, as all the Presidents of the Church are true prophets. I am so blessed that His Church has been restored on the Earth and I pray that you get a chance to have it touch your hearts.