As I grew up in the Methodist church I always had the Spirit with me. I didn’t know how; I always knew right from wrong. I simply learned to trust the voice in my head because it was always right. I was first introduced to the church in 1987 by my next door neighbors the Lowrances. John was my age and we were good friends. Before his family of eight moved to Utah he invited me to the Plymouth Ward. I enjoyed it mainly because the music group and family “The Jets” were in the ward. That moment came and went and so did John. Fast forward to 2012/2013 and I began to realize that the world had fallen and evil was surrounding me. I started to look for spiritual answers and find God. I began reading and building a theological library. Twice the missionaries from the Jehovah Witnesses walked down my street. The conversation was always short on their part and I didn’t feel that they had the answers that I was looking for. Then in late July of 2014 there was a knock at my door. It was Elder Berg and his green companion, Elder Smith or Olson. I could not let them in because my house was filled with cigarettes and alcohol, so we talked on the front step. The “greenie” must have knocked because Elder Berg let him struggle and fumble his talk. I felt the presence of the Spirit instantly. It felt like there was a high pressure system in my house and with the screen door open all the evil in my life was rushing out through the front door. When he was done with his lesson he simply said, “Ok thanks, bye,” and Elder Berg stopped him and asked if they could come back in two days. That was my first lesson and I never missed an appointment with them. As I read the Book of Mormon I began to understand the Bible, which I had never been able to comprehend. I enjoyed the truths that they were teaching. However, they weren’t teaching me anything that I didn’t already know. As the lessons went on I tried to figure out how it was that I already knew what they were teaching. Looking back at my childhood , no one had taught me these things. I thought that I must be some sort of natural genius. Then came the lesson of “the plan of happiness.” It all made sense now; I am not a genius–Heavenly Father had taught me in the preexistence. That was the moment that I knew I wanted to be baptized. Then came the “Word of Wisdom” and I knew there was a problem. I could stop everything except the cigarettes. In my heart I wanted to quit but in my mind I knew I couldn’t. I had tried to quit three times in my life and each time the adversary would laugh and tell me, “Not only are you not going to quit but when you have finished this foolish notion you will smoke twice as many cigarettes.” I was smoking well over two packs a day and sometimes three. I was scared to even try and quit. The missionaries (Elder Berg and Hennen) set a baptism date of September 20–my birthday. I was unable to quit smoking and the date came and went. I felt like a complete failure. Here I am a United States Marine and I have been conquered by a stupid habit. Elder Berg offered me a blessing of strength and comfort. That was the first time in my life that I felt I was able to put cigarettes behind me. Elder Berg also taught me how to pray. As a Methodist, prayer was for dinner and bedtime. The only time I had talked to God was my birthday and Christmas: “God please give me the G. I. Joe aircraft carrier.” I never got it, so prayers never worked for me. I knelt down that night and opened up my heart. I told God that I wanted to be baptized but I had this addiction holding me up. I needed help with this beast. The Spirit told me, “You can smoke tomorrow, then you are done.” By the next evening I was bewildered that I had only smoked half of two cigarettes. I took one more, just to be sure, and it was the most disgusting thing that I had ever tasted. I immediately put it out and was shocked. The Lord had wiped the knowledge of cigarettes from my mind. I had no physical withdrawals. Mentally I was fine. I wasn’t angry or mad at the world. It was simply gone. When I tell this story I should begin by saying, “Apparently I used to smoke cigarettes for 23 years.” Prayers work. Heavenly Father is close to us all; He is listening to our hearts. I was baptized on Saturday October 25, 2014. It was the greatest day of my life. I was filled with the Spirit. It was one of many conversations in our ward that fall. The missionaries had the Minnetonka Ward on fire. The members were all glowing with the Spirit.
A few weeks after I was baptized, I was at my front door with my car keys in hand. I was about to go to the store to get a pack of cigarettes. I became very angry and shouted out, “Why Lord? Haven’t I done what you want? I have been good and doing my part!” Then I felt a warm heat along my entire back side. It was the heat you feel if you place your palm near your cheek and feel the warmth from your hand only much stronger. It felt as if someone was standing right behind me and was going to give me a great big bear hug. I thought my older brother had snuck into my house and was going to grab me. So I threw an elbow behind me and of course no one was there to receive it. When I threw the elbow, two questions came to my mind. The first was, “Have you prayed today?” I had not prayed in two days. The second was, “Have you read your scriptures today?” It had also been two days since I had read my scriptures. The voice said, “That’s why you feel like smoking. If you are not going to keep your end of our covenant, I am not going to keep my end either.” Immediately, I got down on my knees and thanked Heavenly Father with a prayer. I then grabbed my scriptures and read.
I have been blessed by the restoration of the gospel. I met my beautiful wife Lisa at a mid-singles dance. We were sealed in the Orlando Temple and have a wonderful little boy named George. I know that this church is true and that we are led by a prophet of God. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. I know these truths from the bottom of my heart. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.