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Former Methodist Church Members
"God Has A Time And Place For Everything"
By Thabile Mkhize
I remember growing up, my parents skipped from one
church to the other. I always wondered what was wrong with the last
one we had been to. We went from the twelve Apostolic Faith mission
to Adventist to ......and ended up in Methodist. My folks were set
here, they had the belief they had found the fullness of the gospel.
I grew up going there too, only I'd get to church
and "pass out". This carried on for many years because I couldn't
stay at home.
When I was 19 years I started my own search, I was
tired of going to church and not making sense of what was being said
and filling like there was something missing.
I went to the nearest church for a few Sunday's
and all I found was that they seemed to praise Mary more than Jesus
Christ and God so I moved. It took several years for me to find what
I had been looking for even though I had not known what it was.
I got a visit from two boys dressed in "school
uniform" on school holidays and these boys were talking about their
true church and I told them "if there really is a true church on
earth count me in because I am sick of people claiming theirs is
true when I fill hollow when I'm there".
They started teaching me there and then. I was not
so sure, I mean I am not perfect and God cannot want me of all
people to share with His children. I doubted myself and the Lords
Mercy.
I became reserved I didn't want to see the
missionaries for a while, I was convinced I am doing fine drenched
in sin. The missionaries moved and I didn't have time for the
replacement.
A year later Elder Weaver from Salt Lake city and
Elder Mathibedi visited me. I told them about my previous encounter
with the missionaries and they responded" God has a time and place
for everything, He was preparing us to come and teach you".
I was ready to be taught, I listened and asked
questions. But that nagging feeling that I was not worthy kept
creeping up on me and somehow I could not face the missionaries and
tell them how I felt so I wrote them a letter declaring my undying
love for the Lord and the will to know Him better and the restraints
I felt for being so vile in His eyes.
The missionaries did not judge me, they asked me
to read a scripture and think about what I was reading and what I
need from the Lord whatever it may be. I tried.
One day I went to bed early, read my scripture as
had been advised and really thought about all I had done and my will
to find the true church. I knelt and prayed unto the Father in
Heaven, and cried myself to sleep.
That night I had a dream, but I was not sleeping
anymore. I saw the most glorious person in front of me, his face
shone like glass against the sun, his clothes so white. He was
standing on fire but his feet not touching the raging flame.
I was petrified and sweating all over. He raised
up his head and looked at me and I heard the most soothing of voices
say" Do not be afraid, isn't this what you have asked me for? Do not
doubt me nor my love for you". with that he lifted up and vanished.
When I came to I could fill the lingering heat
from the flame but was shivering to the bone. I relayed the story to
my mother and she gave me a puzzled look. I could not sleep after
that.
The next day the missionaries came very early.
They brought me a present, King James bible and the book of Mormon
with other books. I couldn't utter a word for a while. The next
thing that came out of my mouth shocked me more than them. " When am
I getting baptized?".
Two weeks later I went into the waters and I was
scared and anxious at the same time. Everyone was so happy that the
day had finally come. I was baptized and while in the water I felt
that heat again from the flame I had felt on the day of the image. I
could see nothing but pure whiteness around me.
When I came out of the water I felt light and at
peace and was assured that God and Jesus Christ live and love me
very much.
I know for a surety that the Church is true, I
have experienced first hand the love of God for me through all the
trials that I have been through since being baptized and Him pulling
me out until now.
I know that if I live the commandments and listen
to the prophets teaching I shall never go astray. God wants us to be
happy and there is no other place we can be happy except with Him.
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