What is it with making the double digits that causes nastalgia?
I dunno, but I do know I'm just as excited about this as I was to actually turn 10! Remember the big ONE-OH? Oh man, it was epic.
Sometimes I'm very talkative about becoming a member of the Church. Sometimes I'm all about talking about the difficulties of conversion, loss of friends, side-ways glances from family members...you know, the usual stuff when you do anything different.
Other times, I'm really quiet about it, and would rather no one know. Sometimes I'm a little embarassed I don't know more than I do. It's at times like these I have to remind myself that my husband has been a member for 21 years - twice as long and then some - and that the one thing I love most about the Church is the opportunity for eternal progression.
So, happy anniversary to me. It's been the greatest ten years of my short life. I'm so grateful for Elder Nemmeth and Elder Loarca, and for the Staten Family, who were wonderful examples of member missionaries.
I lost a few friends, and it was sad. My family didn't understand, and that was hard. I felt alone a lot, but that's what trials are all about. In the end (well, I guess the beginning), I found an amazing husband, was married in the Salt Lake Temple, and currently serve happily, if not well, as a Relief Society teacher.
I could write all night about the reasons I became a member, about how the Gospel answered many of my questions, but in the end it was the strong feelings I felt when I saw a picture of a boy kneeling in a grove. I didn't know who the boy was, but I started crying. Elder Nemmeth asked me kindly, "Do you know why you're crying?" I could only shake my head. "That's the Spirit testifying to you that Joseph was a prophet of God." I didn't even know the boys' name was Joseph, but I knew what Elder Nemmeth said was true. There was no doubt in my heart, and hasn't been since, about that truth.
Kelly Out
7 comments:
Thank you for this. Just what I needed to hear today.
tingles. so glad you are who you are:)
I loved that Kelly! Happy Anniversary!
Happy Anniversary! We're so glad you found the Gospel and married Brett or we would have been missing out not knowing you...:)
Happy Anniversary, you're amazing!
This was wonderful. To be honest I actually had no idea that you hadn't been a member of the Church all your life. I love you. I really do.
Wow! What an amazing and touching story. I think sometimes I take for granted that I was born and raised in the church. I look up to people like you and my husband that choose to become members and have those wonderful experiences. Thank you so much for sharing your feelings with us. And happy anniversary!
Post a Comment