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VIEW PERSONAL BELIEFS
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POSTED BY:
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Gardenia88
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DATE:
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27.08.2008 |
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SUBJECT:
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Worth it in the end |
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LOCATION:
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Hamilton, Waikato, New Zealand
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Talofa Lava!!!! For those who dont know me(which is probably everyone!!!lol) My name is Sau Gardenia Lefeau,and i'm a 19 year old, Samoan convert, living all the way at the bottom of the world, in the good old country of New Zealand!! My conversion story is nothing spectacular or extraordinary but it is a story that i am truly grateful for because 1:its true!!! 2:its the beginning of my journey to the gospel and the most important reason,our Savior is finally in my life!!!
I was born and raised in a traditional Samoan Christian church, so religion has been part my life since i joined mankind! But the problem is that it was more culture than gospel, so i knew more about my Samoan culture than about our Heavenly Father and our Savior, Jesus Christ!
I had a tough childhood and had experiences where i had to grow up very fast, so life has never been easy going. So at a young age i started questioning things that i would learn in church and the response would usually be a smack for questioning the minister! So began my rebel days!! lol, at the age of 14 i began reading the bible, could not understand what it was on about so dropped it and turned the way that... well lets just say it wasnt all about CTR in those days!! so family life and personal life wasnt goin so great and certain things happened that led to a 16 year old Gardenia being kicked out of home!!! lol! I was then graciously taken in by my older brother and his small family, who are all members!
My journey to the gospel began when my brother's, mother in law would come over to his home and just chat with me, i was shy at 1st but i opened up, and then felt comfortable enough for her to talk about the gospel with me!! The "Mormon" world was so unfamiliar to me and peculiar, but everytime i talked to her i had a really warm feeling of comfort and safety, now i know that i was feeling the Spirit! I watched the Joseph Smith Restoration dvd and thought it was weird but opened up to having discussions with missionaries, and then a month later i was baptised, i was 16 and i was baptised on the 21 of May 2005!!!The most amazing and humbling day of my life,I am truly grateful!!
The gospel brothers and sisters has been such a bliss in my life!! I have been going through really tough times lately and i admit struggling with the gospel and who doesnt!! The beauty of bein a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is that i know that the Savior goes through those tough times with me, i know this because of the words of the Book of Mormon tell me so but most of all the Holy Ghost confirms it to me. Through our leaders of the church, words of encouragement and awareness come to help us to get through this life,Eternal Happiness with my family and most of all Our Dear Father in Heaven and our Savior, Jesus Christ is the goal, so is it not worth it to carry and endure on? I know this Church is true,that Joseph Smith was truly called by God to restore the gospel back on earth, that President Thomas.S Monson has truly been called by God to guide and lead this Church as a Prophet, Seer, and Revelator in these Latter-Days. The Book of Mormon is true, through the Book of Mormon we can become nearer to the Lord,and that if we carry on in faithfulness we will be blessed, its worth it in the end brothers and sisters and this is my testimony i leave in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen!
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