When thou Art Converted, Strengthen Thy Brethren

“… when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.” (Luke 22:32)

Often, seemingly unrelated events line up in such a way that, only by looking back do we realize a purposeful chain of events that led too important, life-changing paths. Those links that bind us in faith are no exception. The strength of one faithful member of the Church put Jeremy in a position to receive and share such strength of faith. In turn, Jeremy and Daniel forged a friendship and a new faith as the course of their lives joined in the process of conversion. From there the line of conversion extends forward.

Jeremy: “I had a high school friend in Jing su Provence China. We had a great relationship. He told me he had joined a church, but I didn’t know what church. Not until I took him to the airport to drop him off for a flight to his mission in Australia did I find that he had been a Mormon for five years. I had never heard the word missionary before that. We kept in contact through email. When I came to Vancouver Island to attend Victoria University last Christmas I got his email. He said I would probably meet some Mormon missionaries in Victoria. I thought this would be a good chance to know more about the Church.”

There at Victoria University Jeremy met Daniel, his new roommate. “One day at lunch with Daniel he told me he had been seeing the missionaries. I told him I thought I’d seen missionaries on campus. I told him I had a friend in Australia serving as a missionary. Daniel introduced me to the sister missionaries he’d met. I listened to them and kept making progress until finally on February 28, 2015, I got baptized. A month after my baptism I served a four-day mini-mission with the Elders. When I got home from that service Daniel told me that he also had a desire to be baptized.

Daniel: “I arrived in Victoria from Shan Dong Provence China on August 23. Two days later, on the August 25, I met the sister missionaries. They gave me a Book of Mormon and asked in Mandarin, “Are you interested in this book?’ In China, we weren’t taught anything about religion. I thought it would be a good way to practice my English, so I took the book and sort of disappeared from the missionaries until I met Jeremy. When he said he wondered about the religion I introduced Jeremy to the missionaries.” Jeremy had the privilege of baptizing Daniel on April 24, 2015.

Jeremy went back to his home in China during the summer. There he met with seven members of the Church in his hometown. “We are not exposed to religion in China. When my mother first heard my decision to join the Church she said it was okay with her. When I go home I kept going to church every Sunday. I helped my Mother with the housework and helped her make dinner. After a while my mother realized I had changed a lot since I joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, so she started to be interested in the Church. She asked me to take her to the little branch the next Sunday, so I did. Before I came back to Canada my mom and dad had a conversation. My mom said, ‘These guys are so good.’ My dad said, ‘Some people from churches keep doing bad things.’ My mom said, ‘No, these people do not.’”

Both Jeremy and Daniel serve as ward missionaries in the Victoria Second Ward and attend lessons with the full-time missionaries when they teach Mandarin speaking investigators.

The missionaries find their service invaluable. Jeremy adds this testimony:

In the last general conference, Dieter F. Uchtdorf said: “This beautiful gospel is so simple, a child can grasp it…” (It Works Wonderfully! October 2015 General Conference). So, I'm just going to explain about the simple things that help me keep coming to church and help me keep having faith in Jesus Christ. I was taught the gospel of Jesus Christ by sister missionaries when I was an investigator. I know the first principle of the gospel is faith in Jesus Christ. Having faith in Jesus Christ means that we believe that He is the Son of God, that He is the Saviour of the world, that He did come to the earth, that He performed miracles, that He organized His church, that He sacrificed for our sins, that He did rise again and that we believe He lives still.

Although I was never exposed to religion when I lived in China, I know these things are true because I choose to believe. In the scriptures we read '…Now, if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart,…if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, …”(Alma 32:28) When I chose to believe, when the seed was planted in my heart, the Lord helped me overcome my unbelief. I’ve only been a member for a short while and I believe any member could lose their faith when they face trials and challenges. Even our Saviour's apostle, Peter lost his faith when he walked toward Jesus on the water. He lost his faith even though he lived daily with our Saviour. But brothers and sisters please keep choosing to believe. Keep doing three simple things, praying, reading scriptures and coming to church. I believe when you keep doing these things, the Saviour will bring you back. Many people have asked me, ‘Why do you believe in God? Have you ever seen him?’ No, I’ve never seen our Heavenly Father or His son, Jesus Christ like our prophet Joseph Smith did, but I have seen many miracles performed by His hand.”

When he finishes his degree from the University Jeremy plans to go back to China to work. That work would include spreading the gospel. Daniel would like to stay in Canada and pursue a career here where he was converted. With the strength of their testimonies and the power of the truth, Jeremy and Daniel continue to influence those around them and encourage others they meet to come to the knowledge of Jesus Christ and His true Church, forging new links in the chain of faith. The possibilities are endless.

Links: http://canada.lds.org/let-their-story-be-told

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