All About Mormons

None of us is perfect. It’s a hard truth, a tough thing to realize, and often discouraging to realize you’ve made a mistake or wrong choice.

I became a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when I was in the 6th grade. I was young, and I KNEW I would never drink, smoke, or break the law of chastity, so the covenants were easy to make.

After moving in the 10th grade, I found myself in a whole new environment, one where people didn’t follow the Word of Wisdom; not the people I was friends with, at least. I didn’t keep the covenants I’d made, and I made a lot of life-changing choices. I wasn’t a good example for my brothers and sisters, and I wasn’t being a virtuous, divine young woman.

After high school I started going to DAL in September of 2006. In line for my student ID, a member happened to be standing behind me reading his scriptures. We began talking, and he convinced me to begin coming to institute classes and eventually to church on Sundays. It wasn’t easy making new, life-altering choices. Friends became less interested in hanging out with me, and relationships were broken off. In the end I made some new, eternal friendships and was able to begin the process of repentance.

Through the power of the atonement, I was able to put my mistakes behind me and no longer dwell on the wrong choices I’d made. I can feel the Spirit again and that alone is a blessing. I can never erase the mistakes I’ve made, but hopefully the lessons learned from my experiences will help others.

I’m so grateful that my Savior laid down His life for me, that I might be saved. I’m so grateful that He was willing to sacrifice Himself because of how much He loves me. If not for him, I wouldn’t be where I am today.

Through Jesus Christ’s love for me, I can love myself again. It feels so amazing to feel clean again.