Now, for those of you who don’t know, I’m going to be baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints on June 23rd. I’ve been investigating the church for quite some time now. It’s been an extremely rough journey. I’m sharing my story (testimony) in hopes for some to understand, others to feel inspiration, or maybe you just like to read good stories. 

In 2006 I met Stephanie and Monika. The twinz. They’re members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. They’re my best friends. Throughout the years, I remember spending the night at their house and staying up late listening to their beliefs. I never once thought they were crazy. It made sense to me, but I wasn’t thinking about joining. There were several times where I wanted to go to church with them, but it just always fell through in the end.  

I was born in Los Angeles, California. I was baptized, as a wee lass, into the Catholic church. I was very involved in the Catholic church, when I lived in California. I was an alter server. I was a singer in the chorus. I went to Sunday school every week. It seemed, to others, that I had a strong faith… I cannot tell you how much I envied the other kids in church who talked about their faith in God. I believed in God, but I felt like I didn’t belong there. I sat in Mass and Sunday school wondering why I wasn’t like the other kids. I was constantly praying to belong and to have just as much faith as them. In 2004, my Mom, brothers, and I moved to North Carolina. So, that meant finding a new Catholic Church. St. Michael’s. Oh, St. Michael’s. (Side note: Catholic’s believe in the seven sacraments, which are: Baptism, Eucharist, Reconciliation, Confirmation, Marriage, Holy Orders, and Anointing of the Sick. When you are about 15 years old, you’re about ready to get confirmed in the Catholic Church. This is supposed to be a personal choice. Well, my mother made me do it) Back to St. Michael’s, which became our church when we moved to Cary, North Carolina. Preparing yourself for confirmation takes about a year or if you’re me, it takes two years. I had to go to these extra classes on Sunday night to prepare myself for confirmation. The confirmation class was pretty large, so it was in the Catholic Schools gym. I literally sat, by myself, in a corner for two years. I had no friends. I felt as if, no one had the desire to be my friend. Some of the people participating went to my school, too. They acted one way in confirmation class and the complete opposite at school. Why? I didn’t understand this. There were so many things that I thought were extremely hypocritically. I never once went to Mass and thought, “Wow, I really got something out of that.” I never left happy. At the time, I sincerely hated everything to do with the Catholic Church. This actually caused me to not want to associate myself with any religion. 

For a long time, I didn’t go to church, because I thought I didn’t belong there. I dated someone, in college, on and off for three years. He considered himself a disciplined good Christian. Well, he did things that he said are against his religion, which reminded me of what I saw previous. My point is, I had numerous examples to turn me away from religion.

In 2011, I decided to make major changes in my life. I started going to therapy in January, I started mending old friendships, and I wanted to go to church. I was an extremely unhappy person (I’m not saying that not going to church was the cause). I was angry with a lot of people. I was exceedingly pessimistic. I held grudges. I wanted everyone to be just as unhappy as I was. I tried four different churches from March till September. Again, I didn’t get anything of it. I wanted to keep trying, but I was almost giving up.

In September and October I was pretty low. I felt lost, and I was desperate for something to help me. In October, my best friend Stephanie came to visit me in Asheville. Seeing her, really put me in a better mood. On her last night there, we randomly spoke of religion. We essentially agreed with everything. The thought “what about going to an LDS service” crossed my mind quite frequently. I mean, I had tried four other churches, so what did I have to lose? November is when everything changed. I’d finally talked with the twinz friend, Ben. I really trusted him right off the bat. He shared his stories with me and I did the same. He was going to visit Cary for Thanksgiving. He asked if I would like to go to sacrament meeting with him over thanksgiving break. Naturally, I agreed. I had no expectations whatsoever. I go to sacrament meeting. I sang in church, for the first time since California. I immediately felt this really warm feeling in my heart. Peace. I felt peace. It felt right. I’d never felt that before, so quite frankly I was freaked out. I told Ben and he was like “that’s great!” On the drive home I told him how I felt. Before we got out of the car, he gave me his Book of Mormon. Little does he know how much that gesture meant to me. I said my goodbyes, then left for Asheville. That night, I read the Book of Mormon. I read the following night and the next and so on. I told the twinz and Ben that I was reading, so they suggested that I should pray, too. I felt peace, while reading the Book of Mormon. I felt that same feeling in my heart. I didn’t think the Book of Mormon was false. It made sense to me. Me. A doubtful science major. Stephanie asked if I wanted to meet with missionaries when I came back from winter break. I was like “uuhh. I dunno, Steph. I’ll think about that.” I didn’t feel comfortable with that idea. I finally decided you know, why not? So, I met with the missionaries in December. I told them most everything that I’ve already written. They kept exchanging looks and breaking out in smiles. They told me “Aurelia, you’re so humble. You’re so christ like, already and you don’t realize it.” Me? No.. don’t be ridiculous. They informed me that the warm peaceful feeling I’ve been experiencing is the holy spirit. 

Over the break, I’d found of that my step father was abusing the animals and my mother. The night before Christmas, he decided to create a huge fight with my mom. My brother and I were upstairs, helpless. I was so scared. I didn’t know how to calm down. It took everything in me to not go downstairs and throw a punch at Mike. I decided to read a couple of chapters from the Book of Mormon. I felt the holy spirit. My brother and I calmed down and were able to sleep.     

I met with the missionaries later that week. I told them what happened before Christmas. I recently found out that the missionaries felt inspired by me. Because of my thought to read the Book of Mormon in a time of help. 

I returned to Asheville for the spring semester. I contacted missionaries there and started attending the branch. I was so excited about everything, that I was learning about the LDS church, that I shared it with my friends. Most listened with open hearts and others did not. At this time, I was fairly certain that I wanted to be an LDS member. One of my friends said she didn’t want to be supportive, because she didn’t agree with some of the churches ideas. We were best friends mind you. I was so incrediblely hurt. I thought it unfair, because I certainly don’t agree with some of her ideas, but I have never told her how to live her life. Everyone has the right to make their own life style choices. What I believe certainly doesn’t affect you just as your beliefs don’t affect me. Soon after this, another one of my friends expressed that they wouldn’t support me. Ouch. I cried a lot. I prayed a lot. I read the Book of Mormon every night until the negativity finally overwhelmed me. I hadn’t attended church in two weeks. I was feeling extremely down on myself. I was having a hard time seeing the positives in a dark time. My friends were concerned and urged me to pray. So I did and I cried and cried. I prayed about what I was too afraid to say out loud. It’s times like these that strengthen my faith in God. Even though I thought it was the end of the world, I’ve come to appreciate what has happened. Trials are what make me me. Even though, some have expressed that they have no desire to support me, more have stood up and been there for me. I’v had numerous people tell me they want to attend my baptism. I was so shocked. I didn’t realize people cared for me that much. Even though, some are not supportive now, doesn’t mean I’ll shut them down. I’ll always be there for them, because they certainly don’t deserve my cold shoulder. 

I didn’t ask for this. Heavenly Father presented this to me when he knew it was right. If Ben had given me the Book of Mormon in 2010, I wouldn’t have read it. My heart was ready and open to the gospel. It’s been the biggest blessing in my life. I’ve had so many blessings, that some wouldn’t consider to be so, since I’ve opened my heart. I can think of so many situations that I would’ve never gotten over if it wasn’t for the strength that God gives me. I feel happy. More happy than I can remember. If it wasn’t for the Book of Mormon, I wouldn’t have this strength. I believe the Book of Mormon is true. I believe in spreading happiness to others, because everyone deserves just as much as a happy life. My last Sunday in Asheville Monika and my mom attended church with me. I got the opportunity to share my testimony. I wouldn’t have done it if I didn’t feel the holy spirit so strongly. I shared this story. My mom cried. Monika cried. My friend Jessica cried. Other members cried. I cried. This is what I’m supposed to do. I’m doing this for me. It’s been hard, but it’s so worth it.