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VIEW TESTIMONY
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POSTED BY:
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lindak
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DATE:
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15.05.2008 |
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SUBJECT:
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My Testimony of the Gospel |
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LOCATION:
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Rexburg, United States
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There have been times in my life when my testimony was very fragile. I was baptized at 8 years of age, but my father went inactive soon after. My mother followed, as did my 2 brothers, my older sister, however, remained active. Through my school years I never went to church and always avoided the Mormon kids in high school. Then I went away to college.
My sister was married and her husband was still in school at BYU. I moved to Provo as well and went to a technical school in Orem. My roommates were naturally LDS and so out of necessity for something to do and people to talk with, I went with them. I became active, but truly had no testimony. And honestly I never had a crisis or a big event where I prayed and had the truthfulnes of the gospel confirmed, and maybe this didn't serve me well. My testimony grew little by little. After reading the Book of Mormon, I came to know it was true and after learning of Joseph Smith, I came to know that he was truly the Prophet of the Restoration. After a couple of years I was asked to teach Relief Society and was scared to death. But you know I discovered a gift, I could actually teach and I enjoyed it.
A couple of years later I decided to serve a mission. My parents were not in a position financially to support me, so my home ward supported me as I served in the France Paris mission. I loved it and through the opportunities to teach and bearing my testimony, came to know, beyond anything else, that the church was true. Countless times on my mission, the truthfulness of the gospel was reconfirmed to me through teaching and through prayer.
When I returned home I stayed in my home town in Wyoming and worked. A couple of years later I was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease. My faith in Christ and reliance on priesthood blessings pulled me through. My experience with cancer was short lived and today I am healthy.
I remained active and just kind of went along with the flow. There were ups and downs, but I managed them.
Sixteen years ago my mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's and my father quit his job to take care of her. They moved to Rexburg to be closer to my sister and I felt that I too needed to be close to the family to assist, so ten years ago I too moved to Rexburg. I lived with my parents for five years and helped my father with my mother. During this time my father had his leg amputated due to complications from diabetes. And after that I was there to help care for both.
I have never married and for the longest time I was confused, hurt and angry at my Heavenly Father for not granting me that blessing. But as I was able to spend time with my parents, I came to realize that that was one of the reasons that I never married - so I would be available to them to assist at the time they needed me most.
My mother passed away almost 3 years ago (August 2005) and to our surprise, our father followed her 4.5 months later (January 2006). I miss them terribly, but through their passing I have still been blessed more than I could hope for.
Last year I was called to be an ordinance worker first in the Idaho Falls Temple and now in the Rexburg Temple. Each Saturday I have the opportunity to spend hours serving my Father and my Savior as their children come to participate in the ordiances and blessings of the temple - it is the best part of my week.
I am so very grateful for the gospel, it makes me such a better person than I would be if I didn't have it in my life. I'm grateful for the Book of Mormon, how I treasure the writings of Nephi, Jacob, Mormon, Moroni and others. I'm grateful for prayer for the opportunity to speak with my Father in Heaven each day and express gratitude for those things with which he has blessed me and ask for those things I'm still in need of. I love President Monson, he has the most gentle heart. I'm grateful for wonderful family that loves me and includes me in their lives. And lastly, I'm grateful for my Savior, for the unfathomable sacrifice that he made for me and the blessing that it has brought to my life. How would we ever make it through if we didn't have the opportunity to seek forgivness for the mistakes we've made? He is example I look to when I need to interact with people, and when I fail to be charitable or kind, I'm disappointed in myself, and hope that the next time I can be a better example of one who follows the one and only Savior of mankind.
In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
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