We all have a story worth sharing because God is part of each of our lives. He is our Father whether we are Christian or not.
Photo by Ben White
I believe that everyone has a story. By that, I mean that all people—even those self-proclaimed as “insignificant”—have something in their past that is worth sharing. The value I place on the stories of others deepened during the April 2014 general conference as I listened to President Boyd K. Packer give his address “The Witness.”
I still remember watching President Packer with admiration as he related his witness of the truths he had learned. Seeing an Apostle of Christ share his own experience of building a testimony prompted me to realize that not only does every life have an intricate story, but every testimony does as well. Inspired by this wise man’s experience in coming to know God, I reflected on my experiences with God. I noticed specific moments in my life that were pivotal in discovering truth. I then recognized that, just as President Packer had influenced me in searching for my own conversion story, I could also help others in searching for theirs.
Not long after that experience, I felt inspired to create a book—a compilation of family members’ conversion stories. My initial desire was to make something that would help members of my future family who may struggle with their faith. But as I began thinking of whom in my family I would ask to contribute, I realized that spiritual experiences with God can happen to anyone, not just Latter-day Saints.
Not only did I have a spiritual story, but so did my husband, my mother, my grandparents, and even my dad—who is a nonmember. God doesn’t play favorites. No matter our belief, each of our spiritual journeys has power.
As I have begun to read my family’s spiritual stories, I’ve found that they are more incredible than I ever could have imagined. What I thought would be a book meant for struggling members has now become a book that can help everyone come closer to God, myself included.
The prompting I received as I read President Packer’s words has now become a beacon of light and hope, a symbol of the love that God has for all people and all truth. Everyone has a story. Just as President Packer left a standing witness of the gospel of Jesus Christ, so too can each of God’s children leave their own witnesses of the truths that they know. No matter what level of truth has been accepted, each testimony has value.
Read or watch “The Witness” by President Boyd K. Packer to learn how his testimony developed and to hear his apostolic witness of Jesus Christ.
Source: April 2014 General Conference
—Christina Segovia Crosland, Mountain Home, Idaho
feature image by janko ferlic
Find more insights
Read the Mormon Insights article “You’ve Always Had a Testimony” by Amy Davis for more about the truth we knew before we came to earth.
Read or watch President Dieter F. Uchtdorf‘s address “Receiving a Testimony of Light and Truth” to learn how to build your testimony throughout your lifetime.
Watch President Uchtdorf’s CES devotional address “What Is Truth?” to discover how you can know that something is true.
I love President Packer’s talks, and I enjoyed reading about the impact his talks had on your life. Thanks for sharing!
Christina! This is awesome! I may be a little bit bias because I’ve seen how much effort went in to gathering, editing, and compiling these stories, but I think that your storytelling journey is inspiring. Your perspective about how God has spiritual experiences with all of His children really touched me–of course He wouldn’t love any child less or refrain from being a part of their lives. Thanks for a great reminder.
What an amazing experience. I love that you were able to find so much strength through your family’s experience and your own. I definitely believe that through the Light of Christ people of all faiths can have spiritual experiences that bring them closer to the truth. President Packer’s talk is wonderful. Thank you for sharing.