I am Sister Jessica Lang.
I have a different story than most missionaries. I
am a convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. My story
makes me unique. It has given me strengths, trials, and many blessings.
I did not grow up in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints. I was raised in a Christian home, but my family never belonged to or
attended any church. I decided in the beginning of high school that I would
find a church some day and belong to it—it is just something I wanted
in my life.
I met a boy my freshman year of high school named Quinn. He liked me,
and I didn’t like him (or so I thought). A year later, I finally realized he
was something special and we began dating.
This boy was a Mormon. I didn’t know much about Mormons at that point, except that they were nice people with good morals. The first year of our relationship, I asked him a little about his church, and he would tell me what I wanted to know. Eventually, he gave me a Book of Mormon. I didn’t read very much of it. It sat untouched on my desk for several months.
This boy was a Mormon. I didn’t know much about Mormons at that point, except that they were nice people with good morals. The first year of our relationship, I asked him a little about his church, and he would tell me what I wanted to know. Eventually, he gave me a Book of Mormon. I didn’t read very much of it. It sat untouched on my desk for several months.
After a while, Quinn asked me if I would like to come to church
with him. Remembering my prior commitment to myself to find a church someday, I
thought I’d investigate (and it sure didn’t hurt that I got to spend a little
more time with my boyfriend!). So I went to church with him one Sunday. I
remember that it was different than other churches I had gone to before, but I loved it. I continued to go to church
with him once in a while. Each time I went, I enjoyed it more. Eventually, I
was begging my parents to go to church with him every week.
Quinn left for BYU in September of 2011, and I continued to go to church and sit with his parents during sacrament meeting. After about six months of regularly attending church, in January of 2012, I was getting more serious about it. Quinn told me I should ask my parents if they would let me take the missionary discussions. I asked, and they suggested that I wait until I was older. So, I continued to go to church and every other activity that I could. I became much better about reading scriptures and praying, and enjoyed learning as much as I could about the church.
After several more months, in June 2012, Quinn was back from college for the summer and urged me to ask my parents again. I knew that I needed to think of a different way to ask. For several weeks I prayed for assistance with this. My answer eventually came to me as I was sitting in sacrament meeting in one of the last weekends in June. It is the first time I recognized the voice of the Holy Ghost before I was baptized. All of a sudden, this incredible feeling came over me and a very strong but peaceful voice in my head almost whispered, “Jessica, tell them you believe.” I started crying from shock and happiness. I had never thought of telling them this because I had not realized that I already believed in it—I knew this answer I had received was true. At that moment, I gained a large part of my testimony. I knew that this was the church that Heavenly Father wanted me to join.
There was something I needed to add to the proposition I would give to my parents, though: I knew that I wanted to be baptized. I told my parents that I believe in the Book of Mormon and the Church, and I asked them if I could take the missionary discussions and be baptized. The moment told me yes was one of the happiest moments in my life. I am so grateful for the support they have always shown for me.
I called the missionaries to set up our first discussion. I asked Quinn to come to each of the lessons with me, and my parents also wanted to join in to learn more about the Church. After several discussions, they asked me the question I had been waiting for; they asked me if I would be baptized and confirmed a member of the Church.
Then, I got to decide my baptism date. I didn’t want to wait long, so I chose Friday, September 28th, 2012. It was such a blessing for Quinn to be able and worthy to baptize and confirm me and have so many people there for me, especially my parents. My baptism and confirmation strengthened my testimony. I felt so much love and happiness from Heavenly Father. With that feeling, there was no way to deny the fact that my baptism was a monumental step towards reaching Him again someday; I felt it.
So that is my story. I am grateful that Quinn was able to be such a good member missionary and share his testimony with me and give me a Book of Mormon. It all started there, and that’s all it has to be. Just sharing your testimony with someone can lead to great and wonderful things.
Quinn left for BYU in September of 2011, and I continued to go to church and sit with his parents during sacrament meeting. After about six months of regularly attending church, in January of 2012, I was getting more serious about it. Quinn told me I should ask my parents if they would let me take the missionary discussions. I asked, and they suggested that I wait until I was older. So, I continued to go to church and every other activity that I could. I became much better about reading scriptures and praying, and enjoyed learning as much as I could about the church.
After several more months, in June 2012, Quinn was back from college for the summer and urged me to ask my parents again. I knew that I needed to think of a different way to ask. For several weeks I prayed for assistance with this. My answer eventually came to me as I was sitting in sacrament meeting in one of the last weekends in June. It is the first time I recognized the voice of the Holy Ghost before I was baptized. All of a sudden, this incredible feeling came over me and a very strong but peaceful voice in my head almost whispered, “Jessica, tell them you believe.” I started crying from shock and happiness. I had never thought of telling them this because I had not realized that I already believed in it—I knew this answer I had received was true. At that moment, I gained a large part of my testimony. I knew that this was the church that Heavenly Father wanted me to join.
There was something I needed to add to the proposition I would give to my parents, though: I knew that I wanted to be baptized. I told my parents that I believe in the Book of Mormon and the Church, and I asked them if I could take the missionary discussions and be baptized. The moment told me yes was one of the happiest moments in my life. I am so grateful for the support they have always shown for me.
I called the missionaries to set up our first discussion. I asked Quinn to come to each of the lessons with me, and my parents also wanted to join in to learn more about the Church. After several discussions, they asked me the question I had been waiting for; they asked me if I would be baptized and confirmed a member of the Church.
Then, I got to decide my baptism date. I didn’t want to wait long, so I chose Friday, September 28th, 2012. It was such a blessing for Quinn to be able and worthy to baptize and confirm me and have so many people there for me, especially my parents. My baptism and confirmation strengthened my testimony. I felt so much love and happiness from Heavenly Father. With that feeling, there was no way to deny the fact that my baptism was a monumental step towards reaching Him again someday; I felt it.
So that is my story. I am grateful that Quinn was able to be such a good member missionary and share his testimony with me and give me a Book of Mormon. It all started there, and that’s all it has to be. Just sharing your testimony with someone can lead to great and wonderful things.
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