About a year ago I was given a new VT assignment, and a new companion, Andrea Beard. I knew Andrea very well and was excited to be partners. We were assigned a sister in the ward boundaries that I had never met before, She was a member, but she was not an active member of our ward or of the LDS church. Andrea had been her visiting teacher for quite sometime, However I had not yet met her.
One day we decided to drop in on her so I could make her acquaintance. As we walked up the sidewalk to her home I noticed a young man sitting on the porch, he had multiple face piercings, both ears and his lip pierced, he was wearing a "wife beater" and smoking a cigarette. This young man was the son of the sister we were going to meet. He stood up and opened the door to his home and announced us. We entered the home and took a seat on the sofa. This was going to be a short visit, but what was supposed to be a short visit turned into an hour and a half visit...
It was such a pleasant visit, and I really liked this whole family. So excited about my new VT assignment I came home and told Jay all about it. Unfortunately that was the first and last VT visit I would have with this sister because my assignment changed..
I didn't think there would be much opportunity to see her after that, and was a little saddened.
In December Jay and I were at the ward Christmas party and Lo and Behold there sitting in between the Bishop and the Beards was this sister, her husband and the rest of her family. I was so excited to see them, I pointed them out to Jay and I took him over to introduce him to them, they immediately hit it off, the conversation turned to football and that was all she wrote! We sat and visited with them for a while and then went on our way.
A couple of months ago during testimony meeting a young man got up to bear his testimony, He bore the most beautiful testimony and the spirit was so very strong, I was so moved by this sweet testimony that I could not hold back the tears. I thought to myself what a handsome young man and wondered who he was. After he finished bearing his testimony I watched him walk back to his seat to see who he sat with.... I was shocked to see him sit down next to this woman I had met many months ago.
Could it be so,
Was this sister really at church?
And was this young man the same young man I saw all those months ago?
NO WAY I thought, how could it be?
his whole countenance had been completely transformed.
This was a DIFFERENT man, a NEW man, a CHANGED man.
You see this young man had become completely transformed. Clean shaven, clean cut and all of the piercings were removed, he was in a beautiful black suit with a white shirt and coordinating tie.. I looked closer and noticed that her husband had also removed his piercings, and was dressed very much the same way as his step-son,
and my heart took a picture..
Since that Sunday I have seen this whole family attend faithfully each week.
Last testimony meeting this sister took the opportunity to bear her testimony. She mentioned as she was speaking that she never thought she would ever enter a Mormon church again, but yet here she was, converted once again by the Holy Spirit, and loved and fellowshipped by fellow ward members and a loving Bishop, so happy to welcome her back to the fold.
I LOVE this Gospel and I am so grateful for the blessings it brings into my life every single day that I live.
I love being a Mormon and I love the fact that we must LIVE our religion
EVERY day not just on Sunday....
I'm so grateful for a living Prophet who leads us here on earth.
*
President Thomas S. Monson (Prophet)
First Counselor: Henry B. Erying, Second Counselor: Dieter F. Uchtdorf
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is TRUE
and when people come to ACCEPT it and LIVE it, they become transformed.
The Book of Mormon is true and is the "road map" for happiness here on earth.
*
The Prophet Joseph Smith did not die in vain.. The Gospel will spread to every corner of the world and someday reach all who desire it...
No comments:
Post a Comment