- This beautiful miracle is from a fellow sister missionary serving in another mission in Florida. I am in love with her miracle story. She has an incredible blog-Take a look! Enjoy.
With my grandma's permission I wanted to share her miracle of a conversion story. It didn't come when she was baptized, but it's been a blessing in my life to see it develop. I am so thankful for the blessing of the gospel and how it can take us out of the shadows and into the light. Here are her words...
After going through the lessons with the missionaries I was baptized and confirmed a member of the church on 2/24/1979. Now that should have been the beginning of a beautiful life, but that's not what happened. I continued doing what I wanted with the idea that I was having "fun", enjoying life. Over the years I attended church with my daughter (who remained active) and her family and was able to see the difference in her lifestyle and the happiness it brought her, but it wasn't enough to get me to turn away from my own lifestyle. Then almost 6.5 years ago there were some major changes I made in my life. I quit drinking, and a couple years into my sobriety I also quit smoking. But I still knew there was more, I just knew something was missing.
I made amends as needed, and started making changes in my life. Then miracles started happening. First, my grand daughter decided to serve a mission. A few months later her brother followed suit and also decided to serve. I knew how important this was to them and made my own commitment to be as supportive as possible of their commitments. As they started relating their experiences I started sharing them with those around me and was surprised at some of the reactions I received. I was asked questions that I couldn't answer. Then my granddaughter invited me to learn about the church via Facebook messaging and Skype. She and her companions patiently answered my questions. She encouraged me to read the Book of Mormon and my son-in-law, her father, asked if I wanted to start at the beginning and read it together. To this day I read, and then we discuss it together. My grandson also participates via email, answering questions, providing encouragement and prayers. Probably the most significant contribution comes from the years of example set by my daughter, Andrea. She never faltered, continued to love me although my lifestyle caused her much pain over the years, she always kept in the back of her mind that maybe, just maybe some day......
I am now actively attending church. Based on a particularly enlightening email from my grandson I have given up coffee, which I had started drinking at the age of 12. I know that all of these things, changes brought about by repenting, studying scriptures, and faithfully praying and looking for direction, have brought many blessings to my life. When my granddaughter asked me to watch a video with her about stepping into the light I once again saw the peace and happiness in those people that I had seen so many years ago and I knew I could one day have that level of peace in my life too. I realize I have a long way to go, but I don't give up. I continue to do as I was directed by my granddaughter at the very beginning, "simply pray about it and you'll receive your own answer as to whether it is true". Guess what? it works!! The life I have now is just the beginning of what is to come and each day I want to experience the life I was always meant to live. Daily it becomes easier to choose the right path that keeps me in the light and I feel myself smiling a lot more.
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