3-24-23 My Testimony

 For my new friends, I invite you to share your testimony of Jesus Christ and what He has done in your life as I will share mine.

I was born on July 18,1958 in the evening hours to Daniel and Edith Martinat. Our ancestors are Waldensians from the Piedmont region of Italy. They believed all everyone had the God-given right to read the Holy Scriptures, preach the Holy Gospel, and worship Him as they saw fit outside of the regulations of the Roman Catholic Church decrees. For this many of them would be martyred for their faith. Some of the families came to America and settled in Utah NY, and NC. My Family settled in Valdese, NC. My parents were simple people that wanted their children to have a better life than they did. My God was a Godly woman and was at church even ever the church door was open.  Sunday morning and night, Wednesday night, lady's meetings she was there. She insisted that I go with her and I did not because I wanted to but because she was my mother. My dad never attended church during my childhood. We attended a Southern Baptist Church and were baptized three times as a child at the same church. Life didn't change I kept doing the same things and I didn't feel any different, I was just scared and didn't want to go to hell if I died. At the age of 14, I was sexually assaulted by a male pedophile while we were on a family vacation. I became convinced that I was a dirty, worthless person that God hated. I turned to alcohol, drugs, and using other people to try and erase and ease the emotional and spiritual pain that I felt. For the next 5 years, I would live in my self-imposed hell on earth and would attempt suicide twice which failed. I decided to try a different approach so I converted to the Roman Catholic Church and I was determined to force God to love me. The Catholic Church provided structure and some stability in my life. I thought my plan had worked and the leaders within the church thought I would be a good candidate for becoming a priest. So I accepted the offer and went to seminary. The seminary was awful and I was back in the same hell as before. After seminary, I knew that I didn't want to be a priest in the Roman Catholic Church but I was interested in and recruited by the Orthodox Church. They accepted me and was ordained into the Priesthood and would be given the office of Bishop later. Shirley would become my wife and I would leave the church several years later. My spiritual life never changed. I was the same person doing the same old things. I would spend my life in service to others in many different jobs. I think that I was trying to find my own repentance and salvation through what I could do to be acceptable in God's eyes. Shirley and I would be married for 37 years which ended in April of 2022. I was lost as my main purpose in life had been removed. I remembered receiving and reading some in The Book of Mormon years ago and since the Holy Scriptures just weren't offering comfort and peace I decided to download The Book of Mormon on my phone and started reading it. I didn't understand everything that I was reading but I did understand that God had a purpose for my life. I requested from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints website to be contacted by the missionaries. They contacted me and we had our first of many meetings that would continue over the next couple of months. I went to the Hickory NC ward meetinghouse for a Sacrament Sunday service. This was the first time that I had stepped foot inside a church in many years. After that first meeting, I knew that I was home at last. I felt calm and peace and belonging that I hadn't felt since I was a child. I felt the Holy Spirit's presence and I knew this was the path that I was being called to follow. I would be baptized for the first and final time by one of the Elder Missionaries who is now my brother in Christ and friend. I was confirmed on the next day and a new life began. I went to the Temple in Columbia SC and was able to honor my ancestors by being baptized and confirmed for them. I was given the most profound gift that I have ever received by being given the opportunity to perform the proxy baptism for my deceased wife Shirley by Bishop Wilson to whom I will be eternally grateful for that gift. I was given the Aaronic and Melchizedek Priesthoods and now my walk on the Covenant Path continues as I wait to complete my own Ordinances and sealings within its holy walls. I have committed myself to serving Jesus Christ and His church for my remaining time here on earth. This is my testimony to my Savior and His Church. In His Holy and Blessed name. A-men