Back in May 2013, one of the elders* in my ward asked me to speak for Cottage Meeting** if one of their speakers couldn't make it, which I said sure. When I wasn't needed that evening after all, they asked if I would speak another time, and I said sure. Finally, the day came.
January 12, 2014.
I finally got to speak for Cottage Meeting. So
here is a link to the video of me giving my talk, and below is my original talk written out. Let's just say that sometimes what you plan on saying and what the Lord wants you to say can differ...
Happy reading/watching!
*Oftentimes when I refer to an elder or the elders, I am referring to a male missionary. When I refer to a sister, I am referring to a female missionary.
*Cottage Meeting is where converts to the Church, especially recent converts, are asked to share their story for missionaries and anybody interested in learning more about the Church. It's really fun. :)
My Cottage Meeting Talk
For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Alexis
Milam, and I have been a member of the Church for about 9 ½ months now
(baptized last year on March 17 and confirmed on March 31, which also happened
to be Easter Sunday). I was invited to share with you tonight my conversion
story. The easy way to explain what my conversion story is that I met the
missionaries through friends who knew I was interested in their message, I went
through both internal and social struggles to be baptized, and the restored
gospel has completely changed my life.
Let
me be clear right now: becoming converted was not easy. As Elder Bednar put it
about a year and a half ago, “A testimony is spiritual knowledge of truth
obtained by the power of the Holy Ghost. Continuing conversion is constant
devotion to the revealed truth we have received—with a heart that is willing
and for righteous reasons” (“Converted unto the Lord,” October 2012 General
Conference). In hindsight, I knew very early on that the Church was true—I
gained that testimony quickly. It was a matter of accepting that truth—that
willingness to be converted—that proved to be difficult.
Perhaps I should start at the
beginning.
Before the Missionaries…
Like
many people I know, I grew up with a negative view of the Church. We don’t even
need to discuss what I grew up hearing; essentially, I was led to believe that
Mormons seemed kind of nice, but they were really these awful and twisted
people. It’s enough to say that, when I made new friends at my new school and
found myself wanting what they had, them being Mormons was the furthest thing
from my mind, and finding out that they indeed were Mormons…I was in utter
shock. All of a sudden, I wasn’t so sure that I wanted what they had.
I
had to strip away my pride and was deeply humbled as I became more accepting of
the situation and accepted my desire to know more. Then it took courage to ask.
I wound up using an extra-curricular theology project—the perfect thing to use
as an excuse—to find out more, asking my best friend who is a member. A few
church visits, a Book of Mormon, lots of prayers, and lots of discussions with
member-friends later, I found that I had gained a strong testimony, and I found
myself fully converted, ready to devote myself to the Lord and to His restored
gospel.
“…and a brother is born for adversity.”
I
was taught by 3 companionships, so 4 different missionaries. And what a
blessing all four have been in my life. I truly believe that Heavenly Father
hand-picked each missionary that taught me, whether it was going through the
discussions before baptism or as a new member or both. Each one taught me
something that no one else could in the same way. Each bore testimony, and their
testimonies have strengthened mine. Their examples and encouragement have made
more of a difference in my life than they probably realize. They really became
some of my first brothers in the gospel.
The
first time I met the missionaries, all of us—the missionaries, the friends
introducing me to them, and myself—we were all excited. One of them shook my
hand very eagerly and exclaimed, “I’ve heard all about you!” Apparently they
had been wanting to work with members more in finding people to teach, so
they’d asked several times if anyone had friends interested in the Church.
Well, one of my friends told them that she had a friend that was super
interested, had already read through the Book of Mormon, and essentially shared
with them my story. They immediately got excited and couldn’t wait to meet me!
And
that’s where one of the trials laid: how was I going to meet the missionaries
when my family was so against me having anything to do with the Church? To put
it simply, my parents didn’t want me involved at all. Once I had informed them
that I wanted to join the Church and then asked to go to church with LDS
friends a few weeks later, they said no, even though they had allowed me to
visit before. This eventually became no
church activities at all, but thankfully, I was able to go to activities a few
times. And it was at one of these activities that I met the missionaries for
the first time.
I
met with them once, basically for a bit of church Q&A. It was when I met
with them at this time that they asked me how often I read scriptures. I
admitted that I wasn’t consistent about it, but that I longed to be. They
encouraged me to read the Book of Mormon—one chapter each day, which I wound up
reading both that and the Bible daily—and that, if I did, my testimony would
grow and my faith would increase. They were aware that I lacked support in my
beliefs, but they also knew that everything that was to transpire would in due
time, and that in the meantime I just needed to continue building my faith.
After that meeting I only saw
them at activities because I wasn’t able to meet with them otherwise, but we
kept in contact. They would ask how I was doing and if they could do anything
for me. I kept them updated on my reading. A transfer took place.
Worth the Wait
And then miracles happened!
Finally in early March of last year I surprised the missionaries by showing up
at church for Fast Sunday. The first thing they asked was if I was going to get
baptized (even though I’m sure they already knew that answer), and then we did
something that I hardly hear of: we set a baptism date before we set a date for the first lesson! That week we went through
all of the missionary discussions, another
transfer took place, and then I got baptized on March 17! Two weeks later on Easter
Sunday, I was confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints. Those two days were two of the best days of my life! The peace and joy
that I experienced on those days have never left for me. Yes, there are still
hard days, but that’s life, and the Holy Ghost gives me comfort and strength to
face those days.
After my baptism and
confirmation, I went through the discussions again with the missionaries. What
a blessing that was. We discussed deeper, and I continued to learn and grow
more.
My baptism and confirmation
definitely weren’t the end of my conversion; that was part of the beginning. As
you keep learning and growing, there’s more opportunity to gain spiritual
knowledge, and each day we must make the choice of whether or not to act upon
that knowledge that we have.
The restored gospel has
completely changed my life. Words can’t even describe the change. I love people
more, I have more peace, I have more joy; and I have never been so passionate
about anything in my life, as I am about the message of the LDS Church. I
strive to share it now, and I can’t wait to share it in a larger capacity when
I one day join the ranks with these missionaries as a missionary myself.
My Testimony
·
This gospel is true! If you read, pray, and
ponder the scriptures for yourself, and if you have a genuine desire to know
the truth, you will gain that knowledge!
·
Missionary work is important. It is hastening,
and we must all be engaged in it, whether we are members or full-time
missionaries.
·
God lives and loves us. We are His children and
are precious to Him.
·
Miracles do happen! And God’s timing is perfect.
·
Anyone can change. Anyone can be a part of the
restored gospel. We just must choose to be a part of it.
·
“I earnestly pray that your own search for truth
will impress upon your heart the desire to come and join with us” (Dieter F.
Uchtdorf. “Come, Join with Us,” October 2013 General Conference).
