Why I Am Mormon
When I was little, I wished that I had been a convert to the church so that I could have one of those amazing moments when you just know it's all true and then I would have an awesome story to tell everyone when I stood up to bear my testimony. But as I've gotten older, I've realized that I do have my own conversion story. Yeah, it may not be as cool as Paul on the road to Damascus, but I definitely love my story. My story contains bits and pieces of testimony that have grown from different experiences throughout my life. I have a testimony that Joseph Smith really saw Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ because a missionary inspired me memorize a passage when I was young. I have a testimony of the importance of paying tithing because of an experience that my parents had and later an experience that I witnessed while living on my own in at college. I have a testimony that my Heavenly Father knows me personally. I know that He loves me and has a plan specifically for me. I know these things from seeing His hands work wonders in my life, especially after exercising faith and praying from the very fibers of my heart. I have a testimony that Jesus Christ is my Redeemer and that He lives. And that His Atonement was for me because I have felt His forgiveness and love by the power of the Holy Ghost. I know that the Holy Ghost comforts me, guides me, and protects me. I know that the scriptures provide me with so much guidance that I need to have in my life, and that they provide me with endless opportunities of personal revelation. I know that the Book of Mormon is truly a book given from God, written by real prophets of old who truly saw and did as they testify. I know that this book could only be possible through God using these prophets and Joseph Smith as instruments in His hands, and that He still uses prophets, seers, and revelators today. I know these things because of the experiences I've had. They all make up who I am today.
How I Live My Faith
I think that the best way anyone could live their faith is by simply loving and serving wherever they can, both among members and non-members. I like to be active in community service projects and in my high school I was part of the student body leadership. I've loved my service inside the church a lot! I love voluntarily teaching classes, giving talks, and bearing my testimony. I live my faith by striving to always do the right thing. I live what I believe by not using foul language, setting Sundays aside for church and furthering my personal spiritual growth, and attending the temple as often as I can. I think that it all comes down to striving to be the best person that I can be as I know that I am a Child of God and treating others as they are too. One thing I love to do the most is give a friendly smile to anyone around me. Even if it doesn't make a difference, I hope I can brighten someone's day. I can't wait to live my faith further as I go on an 18 month mission in Brazil!
In What Ways Have Your Prayers Been Answered?
I was the first person in my family to go to school out of state. I am also the second oldest in my family of six kids. So going all the way to Utah without having any relatives or friends that I knew around, I felt so alone. So absolutely alone. That's when I really turned to my Heavenly Father because He was the only one I could count on always being there for me. As I began to pray harder and more often, I have seen Heavenly Father work so many miracles in my life. And as a lonely college student, little miracles left a HUGE impact. One night I was so stressed about midterms and I felt so alone. I poured out my heart to Heavenly Father telling Him about how much I wish I had someone to study with in a Microbiology class, how overwhelmed I was with not having enough time to even do laundry, and even about how much I missed my cat. The miracle started almost instantaneously because when I fell asleep that night, I dreamed about my cat and me being able to pick him up and hold him tight. The next day, a girl in my microbiology class confided in me that she really needed someone to study with and so I got to study with her. But by studying with her, I forgot about my laundry that I had left in the laundry room in my dorm at Helamen halls and I was so worried that someone would have pulled it out and left my clothes in a waded up pile on the dirty floor. When I got back and realized where my laundry was, I flew downstairs to find that some sweet girl had taken my clothes out of the dryer and folded each piece nicely in a stack in a basket. I was relieved to tears. I remember taking my laundry upstairs, setting it on my bed, and immediately pouring out my tears of gratitude to my Heavenly Father for answering every concern that I had in my prayer. I will never forget that experience, and I will never stop believing that Heavenly Father does listen and answer my prayers. It is evident that He truly loves and cares about each one of His children!
How Has Knowledge of The Plan of Happiness Benefited Your Life?
The Plan of Happiness is so amazing! Without it I would be so confused and it would be so hard for me to make any huge decisions like whether I should go to college or not, whether I should get married, who I should marry, whether I want to have a family in the future, or even what I should do today. The Plan of Happiness seems to cover every aspect of my life because I feel like without it, there would be no point or reason for the things I do. Because I know that I am here on earth to have a body and to gain knowledge and experiences necessary for my spiritual growth, then I have a reason to be a life-long learner and go to college. Because I know that marriage and families are an essential part to the plan, I want to do what I can today to strengthen my current family, and I look forward to marrying in the temple and having a family of my own. With the goal of returning to my Heavenly Father with a family that is sealed to me, I can make the right decisions that will keep me on the path today. I don't want to do anything that can potentially keep me from going to the temple, or keep me from standing before the Lord without fear. I am able to face these temptations with a firm "No!" and confidently move forward with my eyes on that goal. And when I do mess up, I know that I can still turn to my Savior in repentance so that eventually I can be forgiven and I can get right back on the path. By knowing about the Plan of Happiness, I have the faith and the hope to keep moving forward and endure to the end.
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