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Atheist or Agnostic
"I Found The Truth And Light"
By: Erica Pauline Grano
My name is Erica Grano and I was never part of any
church. My Grandma was Methodist, I didn't have a Dad, my Mom was
anti religion, and I was agnostic.
I thought, "How do we possibly know that there is
a God out there?" I didn't pray or read the Bible my friend gave me.
I would swear and wear bikinis because when I went to a Christian
church with my best friend I didn't understand anything and it just
drove me away from religion period.
I made two friends, Crystal and Skye, my freshman
year. We would sit together at lunch and I knew they were Mormon,
but I didn't know much about what it was all about.
When I asked questions they would answer. They
finally invited me to EFY (Especially For Youth is a week long
religious camp) and I only went because there was a dance
afterwards. But listening to those speakers I felt something. I felt
something warm and it just felt right sitting there. It was the
spirit.
I thought it was great even though I didn't know
what it was. They finally invited me to seminary the following
Monday; therefore, I woke up at five in the morning and went to the
stake center at six.
I went everyday because I loved it so much, I also
started memorizing the scripture masteries and praying. I was given
a Book of Mormon and in no time I had a set of scriptures with my
name printed on the blue cover in silver.
I struggled to convince my Mom and Grandparents to
take me. I cried one night because I thought I wasn't going back
there. I was so devastated because I loved seminary so much! I was
taken to church and started missionary talks at Skye’s house and I
had Ben and Derrick come as well because of my friendship with the
both of them.
My Grandparents were trying to talk me out of
doing all this, but I wouldn't listen because I knew what was right.
My best friend at the time began to post hate blogs about the church
and we just stopped talking because she was talking bad about the
church and Joseph Smith and it upset me deeply.
The only support system I had was Crystal, Skye,
Ben and Derrick, but they weren't my family. I didn't even go to
church in my own ward when I started because I didn't know any young
women in that ward, just half the young men.
When I was planning for my baptism with the
missionaries, Crystal and Skye, I would have other friends say, "you
shouldn't do this, are you sure you want to do this? Why are you
doing this?"
I would answer, "Because I know that it is right,"
and they would say, "How do you know?" All I could do is bare my
testimony which wasn't enough for the non-believers.
My favorite hymn was #209, Hark! The Herald Angels
Sing. Crystal and her sister Ashley sang it at my baptism March 26,
2006. I remember being all dressed in white and feeling so happy. I
was dancing around when everything was being set up and seeing
floods of people come into the room.
That day I was sent on a scavenger hunt and my
friends had bought me a pretty little CTR ring remembering that I
had an obsession with rings and knowing my finger size. I was
ecstatic.
I had a rough time in my ward because I wasn't
socializing well at first. I didn't really talk to anyone and no one
really talked to me. Because of that now that I am a laurel and the
first counselor for right now I make sure that all the new comers
are welcome.
I have received the 100% attendance and master
scriptorian freshman and sophomore year. I also bare my testimony
almost every testimony meeting and I go to two church services and
every church event. I found the truth and light. I know that this
church is true and that Joseph Smith lived.
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