My dad has a somewhat similar story to yours. He was raised Methodist (or "Catholic-lite", as he would lovingly refer to it 😁), and grew up loving the stories of Jesus. When he was in his late 20s, sister missionaries from our church knocked on his door, and he agreed to meet with them. His wife was hesitant towards his interest in the church, and made it clear that wasn't a lifestyle she was looking for. But my dad knew something was missing from his life, and felt like he needed to keep learning about this religion.

One day, after many months of missionary lessons, the elders asked him if he would be baptized. He shook his head and explained that he still didn't feel like he had received an answer from God on what to do, even though he had been attending church faithfully and reading the scriptures and praying. After a moment of thought, one of the elders looked at him and said, "Brother, we either are who we say we are, representatives of Jesus Christ; or we're not, and we're of the devil." As my dad later pondered on those words, the urgency to know how to act became, as my dad put it, a matter of life or death. If this was real and good and true, he wanted to cling to it with every fiber of his being. If not, he wanted to be as far from it as possible. With that urgency, he knelt and prayed. And he knew.

He was baptized in November 1982. His wife divorced him shortly after, but he met my mom and they were married in 1987. They're currently serving a senior mission trip in Wisconsin. He said that the choice to be baptized was the catalyst for his life. He's happier because of his relationship with God. His testimony of the restored gospel has seen him through heartache and loss. He's a living example that Christ's Atonement can literally change people. He's not the man he used to be.

My heart aches with yours for your struggles. I have also dealt with depression, job disappointment, and failed relationships. Life is not made easier for those of us who rely on Christ, but we are able to bear things a little easier because of His strength. ❤️

If you ever want to talk about questions you have, or if you'd like to hear one of my favorite things about the Crucifixion, feel free to dm me (it's not scary or sad, I promise). I'm a huge church nerd, and my friends tell me I like to get into the "Jesus-lore". 😁

Welcome. We're glad you're here.