Suzi Snyder's Personal Testimony
Suzi Snyder
08/05/1999
Ward/Branch: Clearfield 6th Ward
Stake/Mission:
State/Country: UT, USA
I have been a member my whole life, my mother has a strong testimony and I always just believed in the church because she did. When I was about fifteen I stopped going to church and stopped praying because I felt like a fool while I did so. I didn't fall completely away, I followed the word of wisdom and the laws of chastity but I didn't read the scriptures or make an effort to get back on the straight and narrow because I didn't really have any experiences to fall back on to tell me the gospel was true.
About two weeks ago a good friend of mine was trying to get me to go to church, I thought about it but still didn't want to make the effort. I then had a trial in my life that I needed help with and someone suggested that I fast about it. I didn't really want to but I did anyway. I fasted all that day and prayed and surprisingly enough I didn't feel foolish. The funny part is that I didn't get what I was fasting for, but that night my bishop's secretary called and made an appointment with me for the next day.
I was unhappy about the result of my fast but decided that I needed to fast again the next day before I went to see the bishop and then ask him to help me. I had never gotten my patriarchal blessing so I intended to ask him for a recommend and use that to find out what I was supposed to do. I went in and talked with him for a while and all of a sudden out of nowhere he asked me if I had given any thought to going on a mission.
I was stumped, I told him I had thought about it but that I didn't want to go. He smiled and said he understood, but that he wanted me to at least pray about it. I told him that I would and left feeling somewhat better then I had when I went to see him.
For the past two weeks I have thought of nothing other then going on a mission ... I can't get it out of my head. I fought it as hard as I could, but I got this urge to read the scriptures and all of a sudden I felt the spirit. I had NEVER felt the spirit before in my life. It was amazing.
I made the decision a couple of days ago to go on my mission and now I can hardly contain my excitement. I have never wanted anything so badly in my life.
I love the Lord so much ... and I am just sick that I have wasted so many years being afraid that if I looked inside of me I wouldn't find as strong a testimony as my mothers.
I believe that this church is true and I can swear by the fact that we have a heavenly Father who loves us. I know the scriptures are true and that we can learn so much from them. I am thankful for all that I have and pray that I can give of myself to those I meet on my mission. I love Christ, and I am so grateful for his sacrifice that made my repentance possible. These things I say in the name of the Father and his son Jesus Christ, Amen.