From Confused to Latter Day Saint

My journey into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints began in August of 2010. When I started my journey I knew a few things for sure.

1. I knew that Jesus Christ was real and that he did die for me
2. I knew that the truth was out there
3. I knew that in order to find the truth I had to ask questions
4. I knew that I could not keep living my life the way that I was.

In knowing that I began going to church with my husbands parents. When I first starting going to church with them I was not sure what to think. I have been in other churches where people were seemingly nice but, when tough times hit they were not there to help when I needed them. The first thing that I noticed about the LDS church was how nice the people were and how excepting of me they were.

From August 2010 to March 2011 I was a silent observer asking questions when I had them not really knowing what to think about the whole situation. After my son was born in March I decided to take the next step and talk to the missionaries. I was glad to know that we had sister missionaries in our ward. My first talk with them went great! It was on that day that I was given a Book of Mormon and told to read about it and pray on what I read.

The following are passages from the Book of Mormon that I first read all taken from the introduction.

“The Book of Mormon is a volume of holy scripture comparable to the Bible. It is a record of God’s dealings with the ancient inhabitants of the Americas and contains the fulness of the everlasting gospel.”

“The crowning event recorded in the Book of Mormon is the personal ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ among the Nephites soon after his resurrection. It puts forth the doctrines of the gospel, outlines the plan of salvation, and tells men what they must do to gain peace in this life and eternal salvation in the life to come.”

“We invite all men everywhere to read the Book of Mormon, to ponder in their hearts the message it contains, and then to ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ if the book is true. Those who pursue this course and ask in faith will gain a testimony of its truth and divinity by the power of the Holy Ghost.”

“Those who gain this divine witness from the Holy Spirit will also come to know by the same power that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world, that Joseph Smith is his revelator and prophet in these last days, and that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord’s kingdom once again established on the earth, preparatory to the second coming of the Messiah.”

After reading all of those things I was more than compelled to read more. The more that I read the more that I knew in my heart that the Book of Mormon was true. Over the next few weeks I read and prayed and invited Heavenly Father into my heart and home.

I learned more and more from the missionaries and decided that I wanted to be baptized into the church. There were a few things that I had to do first my husband and I weren’t married at the time so I told the missionaries as soon as we set a date I would like to set a date for my baptism.

My husband and I were married on July 25^th 2011 and I was baptized on August 13^th 2011.

My baptism was beautiful and spiritual and I had the best feeling of overwhelming love in the world. I knew that in that moment I was making the best choice for me, my eternity, and my family. I no longer question the many things that I had before because I knew that I had a purpose in life.

I am learning more and more each day about the church and where my Heavenly Father wants my life to go. I can honestly say that joining the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the best and most important decision I have made in my life and I would not trade it for anything in the world!!

~Brie~