grateful for a testimony

I recently found out that yet another person I know has decided to leave the Church. This person was someone who had gone through alot in their life, more than I can ever imagine going through, and was still really strong. This person moved away from our area a while ago and I haven't seen them since but I had kept up with them a bit on facebook and their blog. A few months ago this person decided to get off of facebook and stop blogging, I kept thinking about them and wondering how they were doing. I am sad to say that I never acted upon those feelings of wanting to contact them. I wonder if I had I could have helped in some part to stop them from leaving the Church.

I found out the week before General Conference that this person had left the Church and it really shook me up. To think that someone I thought had such a strong testimony could leave... Could that happen to me? It was weighing on my mind alot, I didn't want this to happen to me. I would rather believe something blindly than to turn my back on something that means so much to me, even if it wasn't true.

So I went into watching General Conference with lots of prayer, not only for me but for this person and their children. As soon as I saw the Prophet, President Thomas S. Monson walk into the conference center, I had this overwhelming burning in my heart telling me that he truly is the prophet of the Lord. Not that I really had any doubt, but I am so grateful that the spirit could testify to me so strongly something that I needed at the moment. It seemed like all the talks during conference were just what I needed to hear, and they brought such peace to my heart.

I know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the Lord's church restored in its fullness here upon the Earth today. I know that we have a living Prophet upon this earth that he receives direction from Heavenly Father as to the things we need to know for our day and time. I am so thankful that I can pray to my Father in Heaven and he will answer my prayers, in just the way I need those answers. I am thankful to have a testimony, and I pray that I never let it go. I am thankful that I can pray and find out for myself if the Church is true or not, and I can do the same thing with things that our leaders say or do.

I can't imagine my life without the Church, nor do I want to.