Jennie's Testimony

I was raised in a city north of Salt Lake City, Utah. The population in my hometown is about 94% L.D.S. From kindergarten on, all of my friends were Mormon. I wanted to be a part of what I saw as the greatest organization on earth. In ninth grade, I became actively involved. I began attending seminary classes at my high school the next year, and began regularly attending the Mormon church. I loved the social aspect of my life, all parts of which stemmed from my life as a Mormon. I recited all the Mormon doctrine I was asked to memorize with my peers, never really paying attention to what I was saying. It wasn't until I was 18 and living in a college dorm (with 5 other girls, 3 of whom were Mormon) that I started questioning what I was testifying to. One of my roommates, Laura, was not a Mormon and was curious what I believed. Laura asked many penetrating questions concerning L.D.S. doctrine, and although I could answer what I knew the church would have me answer, I found myself questioning the very words coming from my mouth. Night after night we would talk about these things, and I began to realize just how little of the doctrine I really believed as solid truth. I went to my bishop at the ward I was attending, and he told me to pray and the spirit would tell me it was true. Boy, did I pray. I wanted more than anything to believe what I'd been taught, because I was at risk of losing all my friends. My roommates began questioning why I seemed so down, and I made things up…I was tired, that I had had a hard day at school, etc. But what was bothering me was the realization that I had been living a lie. I didn't believe what I'd been taught and I wasn't sure why. When I approached the bishop a second time, I was dismissed as not praying in the right spirit. It seemed like such a circle to me, and I was extremely frustrated.

     The next semester I left the University of Utah. I went to Arizona State and moved in with some random roommates at a university-affiliated apartment. I slept in until 2 p.m. on Sundays, and avoided church and religion altogether. Yet somehow I didn't feel at peace. Something was still missing from my life, and I asked God to show me what it was. (Through all of this, I had a belief in God, however muddled it may have been.) A couple weeks later I met a girl in my choir class. We became fast friends, and she invited me to a Campus Crusade for Christ meeting. I was hesitant, because I was still trying to put off "organized religion." But, she talked me into it and I went. The speaker that night gave a basic gospel presentation. Essentially, he said that as humans we are all sinners (Romans 3:23) and that God is perfect and holy. God loves us, and wants us to have a personal relationship with Him, and that Jesus Christ provided the way for that to happen. God gave Jesus, His only Son, to die on the cross for me. He paid for all my sins, past and present, and all I needed to do was trust Him with my life, to take him at his word. It was like someone had thrown me a life preserver. I began to see clearly the true message of Christ. There was no working my way to heaven. I would not be able to earn my salvation. It was a gift (Ephesians 2:8,9) It was the most pure, selfless gift ever given and I, as a mere human would never be able to repay for what was done for me. In return I am asked to trust Jesus (John 14:1). I am asked to love God with all my heart, might, mind and strength. If I love God, I will obey Him. I desire to be obedient to the One who gave me life.

     If you are a Mormon and you are questioning your beliefs, I admonish you to dig into the Scriptures. So much of the gospel message has been tainted by Mormon leaders over the years. God knows the desires of your heart, and if you truly desire to know Him, He has given you a way. He gave you the Bible, the Holy, perfect, complete Word of God. To this nothing shall be added or taken away. This God is your God. He listens to and answers prayer. I fully believe that He answered my prayer to know if the Mormon church was true with a resounding "NO!" Instead, He showed me a way to come to know Himself--as my personal Savior and Lord-- with the truth of His Scriptures. This website is an excellent resource for seeing the differences between Mormon church doctrine and the Biblical truth. Understanding the truth in the Word of God is the most beautiful learning experience I've ever had, and it is an ongoing one. As I learn more about Him in the Bible, I fall deeper and deeper in love with Him. I pray this same end for you.

Thanks for listening.
Jennie

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
Romans 1:16,17