I can clearly remember the day that Stuart walked into the church building shortly after Sacrament meeting had ended. He told us that he saw on Facebook that it said “Visitors are Welcome,” and it was inviting people to come to church. So, he decided to come!
Stuart had never read the Bible before and didn’t know that much about Jesus Christ, but he knew he wanted to strengthen his relationship with Him. Sister Holladay and I set up an appointment to meet him at Dairy Queen for our first lesson. When we had arrived at Dairy Queen, we talked to him about God, our Heavenly Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost. We explained how they are three separate individuals and how they work towards one purpose.
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We then talked about how prophets in the scriptures prophecy of Jesus Christ coming and how prophets speak for God. Stuart then learned that Jesus Christ came to the earth and gained a physical body and atoned for his sins and did this so that He could support Stuart. Stuart also didn’t know how to pray to God, and so we gave him a simple outline. Stuart learned that when he is going through something hard, he can always turn to God in prayer and the Lord will help him.
About three lessons in with Stuart, Sister Holladay and I decided to extend the baptismal invitation, and Stuart was so excited to follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized. About three days after his baptism, we set up time to go to the Raleigh North Carolina Temple. Stuart told us that the temple felt familiar to him and that he wanted to do everything the temple had to offer. Being able to teach Stuart was an absolute privilege. I truly cannot express in words how humbled and grateful I feel to have been the messenger of the covenant and to share these restored truths with such a beautiful, humbled, prepared son of God. Stuart has so many beautiful things in store for him, and I feel just a fraction of the love that God has for him.
– Sister Wall
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What a blessing it’s been to teach Stuart about Jesus Christ! There were so many miracles along the way like him randomly showing up to church his first day, minimal damage when he hit a deer on his way to church, and his own quickly-developed testimony of the Savior Jesus Christ and the restored gospel.
Several days after he was baptized and had been to the temple, he came to us and the Garcia family and told us of the immense family opposition he’s been having as a new member. It really broke our hearts knowing how much his family meant to him, but he testified with conviction “I cannot deny how I feel, I know it’s true.”
Our experience with Stuart has truly opened my eyes to the power that the Spirit can have on an individual. I know Stuart is going to continue strong and receive all the blessings the Lord has in store for him!
– Sister Holladay
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Barlows in TKM 