Today's post was written by a great man, I have been privileged to see him come into this, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Here is his story:
"Mormon by the Grace of God
I was baptized Lutheran when I was very young, too young to know what baptism was or even to comprehend god,
Didn’t go to church much mostly weddings, funerals and baptisms, sometime on Easter as my first wife was Catholic,
As I grew older I realized there must be something else, a larger power, the Earth may have been created with a big bang but how did life begin,
So as I grew I went to Sunday school a friend was going too, can’t even tell you which religion it was but I started to understand God,
This man they called Jesus, born of Mary, a virgin woman whom gave birth to a son, son of God
People were drawn to a manger by a power they didn’t understand, a Holy Spirit that entered their soul,
Now I believe in God, his son and the Holy Ghost,
So since I was baptized Lutheran I went to the church and they preached from the bible, and talked of balloon mortgages for the church and what I could do to serve the church,
No, not what I understood God wanted of me,
I was invited to go to a Southern Baptist church, was preach to that I was going to Hell if I watched day time soaps, if I danced or played cards,
No, not what I understood God wanted of me,
I went to a Methodist church, a non-denomination Church, Presbyterian, a Synagogue and even listen to the Jehovah Witnesses, really 140,000 will be saved,
No, not what I understood God wanted of me or his plan,
So I didn’t really go to church as it was always what I needed to do for the Church and then I would see the same people whom preached at me, whom judged me, doing things that went against the Commandments,
A priest can forgive me for my sins; money can buy my way to my salvation?
No, not what I understood God wanted of me or his plan,
So years passed, my life was a roller coaster of ups and downs, never really happy, never really whole, something was missing, I couldn’t find a way or church to help me spiritually,
I divorced a couple times, my daughter living apart, drinking, smoking, parties, not being a very nice person, falling into his grasp, I now know is what the adversary wanted, my soul darkened and weak, to cease my quest and to stop the word of God to stop the spread of the Gospel,
I began asking of God on my own, when I was alone and quiet, is this it, can there be no lasting happiness,
Can I not create a better life for my daughter or for myself, is this my life, is this it, can’t I make life better for my soon to be grandchild? Is there a God?
The power of prayer! Never underestimate it,
I prayed in my way, maybe not perfect, maybe not the way it’s told in the Bible but I prayed,
Soon I began to see changes, small at first, things turned around at work and life was a little easier,
Then my soul mate, a woman I was originally engaged to came back into my life after being for separated 32 years when I was in the Marines and she going to college,
My grandchild was born healthy and beautiful; I got married to Christine, a new house;
But still something was missing, there are still hurtles, bumps in the road, the adversary trying to detour the inevitable,
I continued to search for a way to be better, to find complete peace and happiness,
Then God and I know in my heart that God sent me Angles, Angles in the form of Mormon Sisters,
I was drinking and smoking in my garage when they happened by, I was watching football,
I said hello as they walked past, they asked if we could talk and for a reason beyond my comprehension I said sure,
The Holy Ghost works quietly doesn’t he, there was an air of comfort talking to the Sisters,
The Sisters didn’t judge me, I was drinking and smoking and my language was probably less than appropriate,
The Sisters didn’t preach at me, we talked, they asked me questions about life, they didn’t offer corrections, they didn’t judge,
The Sisters asked if they could return, I said yes without a thought, no reason and no idea why just yes,
My journey has begun as the Sisters taught me, then my wife joined in, eventually my daughter,
They asked if I would attend church and I wasn’t ready for a while but eventually I decided why not, let’s try another church,
I found I didn’t try another church, I found the true church,
No one judges us, everyone was so friendly, kind and sincerely concerned for us,
I wasn’t preached at but prayed with; the only mention of money came from the teachings of tithing and their not passing a plate,
We were invited to events, into people’s homes that had never met us, is this real?
I’m confused, the Bishop doesn’t get paid and the church doesn’t pay its servants?
Servants, service, a calling, someone actually, a church actually follows the word of our Savior?
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints,
It’s the true church, the restoration of the gospel as Jesus Christ taught, as God wants it to be,
Service towards our fellow man living and past, praising Jesus Christ, praying to God,
Loving one another, loving our Savior and all he has done for us,
Feeling his power, his glory, his grace, his love, his love for us his children,
I want to be part of this, teach me, I will follow,
The Baptism, as I call it “my bath”,
The bath that cleansed me, washed away the old me and I rose from the water new, clean, restored,
The stress, the weight of the world in which I was carrying was light, the stress gone,
A feeling of freshness, I feel great!
I Eric Maurice Matzke am a Christian;
I attend the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints,
I am Mormon!!!
Are you Mormon? You should be!
This is my testimony and I say this in the name of my Savior Jesus Christ.
Amen"
I know, as Eric does, that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord's church restored to the Earth in our day. Will you come join with us in following the Lord Jesus Christ? May the peace of God be upon you.
We hope to hear from you soon!
