My Florida Family's Miracle of Conversion

"Conversion includes a change in behavior, but it goes beyond behavior; it is a change in our very nature. It is such a significant change that the Lord and His prophets refer to it as a rebirth, a change of heart, and a baptism of fire." - LDS.org "Conversion" http://www.lds.org/topics/conversion?lang=eng&query=conversion

      D.J. Donato was baptized into the church in his youth but went less active along with his childhood family. He married his wife, Shannon, and had two children, ages 9 and 11, when we as missionaries first knocked on their door. The Donato family was attending Shannon's Presbyterian church when we met them and each time we went to their home, we always seemed to catch Shannon at home with the kids. She politely referred us to her husband since he was the member of our church and we always stopped at a time when Brother Donato wasn't at home or when their family was too busy. My companion and I had a special feeling about their family from the first time that we knocked on their door, but we couldn't do anything more than continue to stop by and try not to be too pesky. Imagine our surprise when they showed up unannounced to church, sitting in the pew behind us and dressed in their Sunday best. That initial visit to church sparked the reconversion of Brother Donato. He faithfully and fearlessly changed his life to align with church standards and experienced a mighty change of heart. In the process, he baptized his two children into the Church. He is currently serving in the Young Men's presidency of his ward and has been a beacon of strength and leadership in his ward.

      I know that the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ is real. I know that the Atonement of Christ is what gives people power to change their lives and their very natures. I absolutely know that the Lord puts missionaries in specific places for specific people and that I was called to the Jacksonville, Florida mission for THIS family. This gospel is true. I know that without a doubt and I have seen the power of the gospel forever change this family. Miracles DO happen and they happen in the Lord's timing. He knows what each of His children need and He places experiences and people in our lives to help us become who He wants us to be. I will forever love each member of the Donato family for helping me witness the redeeming and enabling power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. This is the testimony of D.J. Donato.

     "I believe my conversion experience started well before I actually came back to church. I, having been given a very prestigious role/promotion in my job, put myself on a pedestal and filled myself with a lot of pride. None of which I granted to the Lord, my achievements, I treated as if they were all my own. This new role allowed me to overlook my concerns at home and with that, focused all my efforts on work. Oddly enough, at the same time, the missionaries started visiting my house. My stress was through the roof and I was tired both emotionally and physically. I woke with coffee for breakfast, drank coffee after breakfast, followed up by a caffeine drink before lunch and more coffee after lunch. When I got home, I drank coffee with my wife. The current momentum that I was on would have surely landed me in the hospital before long. Still, the missionaries were dropping by. As my schedule would have it, I was not there to receive them and when my wife would mention their visit, I simply shrugged off the message. What I didn’t know, was that very shortly, the Lord would spiritually scream in my ear that I needed to slow down.

      One day as I was coming home late in the evening, I caught the missionaries on the way to their car from my house. As I stopped to greet them, I felt a sense of sadness that they were here yet again and I had missed them. To this day I remember my statement to them very clearly…. I replied to them, that I was sorry that I had missed them, that I just didn’t have a whole lot of time for it right now. That statement must have rang and shook the heavens the minute it left my mouth. For the following week, I was relieved of my duties at that current job. I immediately felt the spirit whisper to me, “Well, what are you waiting for, you have nothing but time now….”

      That Sunday I was in church, the following week, the missionaries were at my house giving us a lesson! What I take away from this experience is this: If we have a relationship with the Lord as I once did when I was a youth, you are part of his fold. Now, we ALL are his children, but it is something different when you come to Christ and take upon you the commitment to follow him and accept him. I feel personally when you do this; you are susceptible to the greater part of his love and also his tough love which he must extend to us to get us back on track-as I would relate to my kids when they act up. The track of course, is the one that we freely took, to follow him… but it is also one that has a boomerang affect if we so fall away. If we ignore promptings or in my case, the missionaries who were trying to deliver a message, I failed to heed the message in light of my own pride and objectives. The Lord needed my attention so he got it. My take? Don’t make the Lord yell in your ear to hear him, don’t wait until he brings you to your knees in anguishing prayer to recognize him as the head of all things and the center of your life. 

     I bear you my testimony, the Lord works in mysterious but loving ways. He reaches us in ways that he knows we will see his love and his hand. If we place him on the back burner after we have established a relationship, he will not forget us, he is always there and sometimes has to shake us to remind. I know the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints contains the perfect keys to prepare us to return to our Heavenly Father-the missionaries are like Angels sent from heaven to watch over us and remind us of such a commitment. Through our focus on the Lord’s will for us, will we truly be happy. Amen."

Perfection, Pianos, and the Atonement of Jesus Christ

     Perfection. It is something I have always struggled with. My grades have always been perfect, I've always been completely prepared for performances or speeches, I like to think of myself as a person pretty well put together and on top of my game. Serving a mission has certainly opened my eyes to how real and imperfect we all are and how Heavenly Father has infinite compassion and mercy on us even in our imperfect and human state. Perfection really stems from pride and not utilizing the Atonement of Jesus Christ in our lives, and I learned that lesson for myself during zone conference in the Jacksonville Florida Mission.
     I had been asked the day before zone conference to accompany one of the elders on the piano for the special musical number. My companion and I barely had time to print out the sheet music, let alone practice it due to our hectic plans. I prepared the best I could - we dragged ourselves out of bed at 5:45 am, asked another set of sisters to get up early and come with us so we wouldn't be alone with the elders at the church, and came an hour before the conference started to practice together. The piece was more difficult than I had anticipated and I could barely manage to make it through the second half of the song. Even though I prayed mightily and hoped fervently, I realized as the minutes slipped past that we just weren't going to be prepared for the musical number. If I could make it through the piece itself it would be nothing short of a sheer miracle.
     The morning half of zone conference flew by and before I knew it, the time was approaching for the special (more like disastrous) musical number. I was shaking in my shoes and a nervous pit was forming in my stomach. The moment arrived and we got up, hoping for the best. The poor elder sang beautifully, but the combination of nerves and lack of practice caught up with me and I could barely manage to plink out one correct note in the string of chords. The entire piece absolutely fell apart and it sounded more like alley cats yowling to a chorus of tin cans banging. I couldn't even redeem myself with the closing chord and the poor elder was struggling to know how to finish the song. As I descended the stand, my face hot with humiliation, the frazzled vocalist met me on the way to my seat with a warm handshake of forgiveness. I sagged into my pew and leaned against my stalwart companion, our shoulders shaking with a mixture of laughter and tears. I cried and cried, thinking of all the mistakes and and how acutely embarrassed I felt. Worst of all, I felt like I had ruined the spirit of zone conference. 
     And then I learned a priceless lesson about the healing power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I am not perfect. And that's okay. A feeling of incredible relief washed over me. The world hadn't stopped spinning and the missionaries in that conference still loved me. I didn't have a perfect reputation to uphold and it was incredibly refreshing.     
     I know that the Savior doesn't expect perfection of us. He performed the Atonement BECAUSE of our imperfect and human state. God's plan allows for mistakes. Heavenly Father doesn't expect us to move a mountain with our first seed of faith, He just expects us pick up our shovel and start digging. Imperfection forces us to rely on God and that is when we truly succeed. There is hope and there is still a light at the end of the tunnel for every member of the imperfect human race. Christ was perfect, which means that we do not have to be.
     I know that the liberating power of the Atonement is real. I know that my Savior loves me, regardless of my imperfect daily actions. And I learned from that Christlike elder the importance of forgiveness and compassion. We have to resist the temptation to become discouraged with ourselves or others when we don't perform perfectly. Perfection denies us access to the true power of the Atonement. The Lord doesn't expect us to be perfect, He only expects us to try.  That is all the Lord expects of us and we are not authorized to raise the standards the Lord has set for us. I know that my Heavenly Father loves me, even as imperfect and human as I may be.   
     "If men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them. - Ether 12:27     
     There is no such thing as perfection while we are here on earth. We are all striving and trying to become better and to change. Repentance is one of the main purposes for us being here on earth and due to the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we can become more like Heavenly Father as we continually change. God does not expect perfection; He expects progress. I love being an imperfect daughter of God who loves me perfectly!

Testimony of a Convert

I wanted to share the testimony of Theresa Henry today. She is such an incredible example of living what she knows to be true and not being afraid to vocalize what she believes. She was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints forty-four years ago and has touched many people throughout her lifetime. This is her testimony.
"We are working to grow the Kingdom of God here on the earth. Jesus said to his disciples, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." Mark 16:15-16. Forty years ago I got down on my knees and prayed, and asked God if this Church of Jesus Christ was true. I studied the Bible and the Book of Mormon, and Mormon history books that I requested from the missionaries. I prayed in all sincerity. The feeling I had was so positive. Today I am still positive that I did the right thing by getting baptized in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. My three children were also baptized at the same occasion. They are still happy and active also in this wonderful church. I heard one time that 'God don't make no junk.'  This is a first class church."

Why Did I Choose to Serve a Mission?

     My greatest love and passion is missionary work. It all began when my older brother left on his mission to Peru and my mom was called as a ward missionary. My love of missionary work began to solidify when my dad invited his secretary at work to listen to the missionary discussions in our home when I was 14 years old. Before that time, I had been told that missionary work was important but I didn't realize how it applied to me personally. My dad's secretary Socorro and her young daughter Charm met in our home for several months and were eventually baptized the day after Christmas. The deep love that I felt for them was unlike any love I had felt for anyone before because our friendship was rooted in the gospel of Jesus Christ. I soon realized as I watched them learn about the scriptures, bear their testimonies, and eventually attend the temple that there was no greater joy than watching them progress and come closer to Jesus Christ. It was that first missionary experience that sparked my eternal love of sharing the gospel and instilled in me a burning desire to serve a mission.
     By age 15 I was frequently attending discussions with the missionaries and playing an active role in fellow-shipping and teaching the investigators and recent converts in my home ward. Some of my dearest and closest friends accepted the invitation to be baptized and missionary discussions became an integral part of my life. Even though I didn't realize it at the time, my own testimony was beginning to grow as I helped nurture the budding testimonies of the investigators and recent converts around me. I distinctly remember sitting in a lesson and being asked, "How has the Atonement blessed your life?" It was a simple question that impacted me deeply. I knew why the Atonement was necessary and knew how it could bless people, but I realized that I hadn't applied the Atonement personally to my own life. I set out on a quest to be able to answer that question with conviction and the result was a personal and lasting conversion to the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.
     Since then I have immersed myself in the glorious endeavor of missionary work. My motto in high school was, "There is nothing better than being in a missionary discussion." I left parties early, rescheduled with friends, and juggled my schedule to be a part of the lessons because I loved the opportunity to testify and feel the Spirit. Because of my close association with missionaries, it was easier to keep an eternal perspective and that perspective influenced many of my choices throughout my teenage years. I learned diligence, obedience, Christlike attributes, humility, perseverance, service, and unity from observing my missionaries over the years. They have forever changed my life and I will be forever grateful for the influence of the missionaries on me.
     I am a full-time missionary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints because my life - even though I was raised in the church - has been forever changed due to missionary work. I have come to know my Savior Jesus Christ and glimpsed a sliver of the infinite love that He has for us. I know that no greater love and no greater joy can come than from loving God's precious children and sharing the restored gospel with them. Missionary work is NOT just for full-time missionaries. I am here because I love Heavenly Father and I love His children. I want each and every person to experience the complete and lasting joy that I have felt from doing missionary work!
       "[As missionaries] you have a front row seat to the greatest miracle of all: the effect of Christ's Atonement on individuals and families." - Adjusting to Missionary Life Resource Booklet pg. 17

What is a Missionary Christmas?

Christmas to a missionary is unlike any other Christmas. Christmas is learning to love December even when it isn't cold outside. Christmas is focusing on the reason for the season and trying to remind others to remember Jesus Christ. Christmas is going caroling and representing the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints while doing so. Christmas is calling my family for the first time in 7 months. Christmas is reading the 12 days of Christmas in my scriptures each morning. Christmas is having a tiny little tree that sits in our study. Christmas is attending the mission-wide Christmas devotional and feeling the Spirit through scripture and song. Christmas is getting up early to exercise and study. Christmas is getting new socks and actually being excited about it. Christmas is spending the holiday in a "strange land" and among people who I have only known a few short months but love with all my heart. Christmas is treasuring the Biblical and Book of Mormon account of the Savior's birth. Christmas is realizing how grateful I am for the birth of my Savior Jesus Christ. Christmas is taking an extra opportunity to think of CHRIST.

Many Mighty Miracles

In honor of Thanksgiving I have been thinking about the things that I am grateful for the the many miracles that I see each day as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I have been on my mission for almost six months and I have learned in these past few months that miracles happen every single day, we just have to have our eyes and hearts open to recognize God's hand in our lives. I wanted to share some miracles that would be considered small by some, but my companion and I know that they are truly miracles! We were let into someone's home after hours of being out in the cold and were able to share a message about prophets with him. We were given Powerade by someone after a long evening of knocking doors. We were able to serve at the Mandarin food bank. We did NOT get eaten by a dog who could have attacked us. We see the greatest miracle each morning as the Lord gives us strength beyond our own to love His children, share our testimonies, and wear His name. Our Savior Jesus Christ is THE miracle and He is who we dedicate our lives to!

What Made Me Realize that I am a Daughter of God?

I have grown up singing the song "I Am a Child of God" and I assumed for years that everyone knew that we were sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father. I came to realize that that precious fundamental truth is not known by everyone and it is something that needs to be shared. What makes the difference in knowing that we do have a divine identity? I know that when we truly understand who we are we see the people around us differently. We see them not just as disconnected people walking past us in grocery stores, schools, and on the streets, but as brothers and sisters as part of the family of God. We are more motivated to serve, uplift, help, and make a difference in the lives of the people around us. Understanding and sharing our true identity has the potential to better the world, communities, families, and individuals.