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Former Methodist Church Members
"It Was Worth The Sacrifice"
By Natalie Peterson
There are people who come in our lives and forever
change us, that is what happened to me. It was January 2005. I was a
student at the University of Nebraska pursuing and double major in
Communication Studies and Art History.
I was a member of the Methodist church, but my
sorority habits kept me from waking up on Sunday mornings to go. I
had tried several churches that might spark me back into activity
but none really filled satisfaction that I needed.
I was to study abroad in London, and before I went
I knew my life was going to change. I had met a wonderful boy a few
weeks before my semester away, he was LDS. I knew nothing about the
Church, he told me about his life in Salt Lake and the way he hoped
his life would be, he was working towards the temple.
I expected to go to London and never see him again
but he had other ideas. With my permission, he sent the missionaries
to see me. I was in London for 30 days before they did! They were
two beautiful sisters, who trekked through the bitter rain to find
me. I instantly loved them.
I learned about Adam and Eve and agency. Being an
Art History student I knew most biblical stories but I had never
heard the story of Garden of Eden told in such a magnificent real
way, instead of it being a folklore I could see it as history a real
fact.
The sisters taught me how to pray, something I had
not felt comfortable doing for a very long time. The first time I
got on my knees and spoke to our Heavenly Father I was afraid, but I
felt something I had never felt before, that he could hear me and he
knew me!
I knew reading the Book of Mormon was what
Heavenly Father wanted for me, I knew it by the great way I felt and
the way I recalled the stories after. My main struggle with wanting
to be baptized was wondering what my friends back in the US would
say about me, and the risk that I might lose my friends.
A member had given me a whole bunch of Ensigns
from the 80's to read, and one of them was on the pioneers. I read
about what the people gave up for what they believed, businesses,
comfortable living, family, friends, and so much more.
The stories touched my heart and humbled me, I
could not even be baptized because of what people might think, but
so many people had given up everything.
Many things happened and I realized just knowing
about the Church was not going to change me, I needed to have the
Holy Ghost with me. I was baptized May 8 in the Kingston Ward in
Surrey UK.
It was so wonderful, first unfamiliar; to no
longer a need to carry guilt and baggage with me; to clean and pure.
My best friend I was introduced to in London was also baptized, two
weeks after me. The boy became a great friend, and he continues to
progress.
I have now just turned in my papers to serve a
mission. What a great blessing the knowledge of the gospel is. Our
Heavenly Father loves us so much, and Christ lives!
I am learning how to live by the Spirit now and I
can't believe how I ever got on without it. It was worth the
sacrifice, though not all my friends understand the church, nothing
will ever stop me from loving and being a part of Jesus Christ's
restored Church!
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