unidentified!

This was a hard lesson for me to learn! I had to humble myself a lot and find out what was really going on! I don't often share this experience however I feel like as though there are those out there who would need to hear it at this time! in fact I barely have the ability to describe accurately the feelings I had at this time! Bare with me as I endeavor to share this lesson I've learned! this is my story and it is why I am a missionary today!

I don't know exactly when I started to learn this lesson, I suppose it was a life long process! I was raised in the faith of Jesus Christ, as  member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints! I knew what I wanted out of Life and I knew what I would have to do to attain those goals! I had read in the Book of Mormon many times that "This life is the time for men tprepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labours" (Alma 34:32) I always knew

and often thought I understood that I was here to prepare to live with God again! as I grew up I tried my hardest to live the standards I knew to be right and correct! as I grew older, entering my early and mid teens it became harder and harder! I noticed that little things started creeping into my life! however I continued to put on the mask of a good boy! I tried my hardest to make the outward appearance seem as though all was well! I continued to slip up and got deeper and deeper into sin, but didn't want anyone to know, especially not my family! I was embarrassed and thought they would be ashamed of me! and yet as I continued trying to hide it I got further and further! I noticed in the morning when I woke up and brushed my teeth that I literally didn't recognize my reflection in the mirror! that lead to me eventually realizing I had been hooked and that I was addicted, I realized that if I stayed on this path I would not be prepared or worthy to serve as a missionary (which had been my highest goal from my very early childhood (and I was getting closer and closer)) or to receive many other blessings I knew I was missing out on! unfortunately, with my thick skull, I justified it away from myself, "not me, I am not doing anything that bad", "well I can stop and get out of this mess by my self" so I would try to quit and I would do good for a week or so..... then I crashed again! then I would say "no more, I am finished with this" and I was for a week! again I would say "THIS IS STUPID! I WILL HAVE NO MORE OF IT!" and once again for a period of time I was clean, but again I would fall back into it! this continued on until I finally realized that I was going to be 18 soon and would only have one more year to prepare for my mission! I had to come to accept that of myself I could do nothing more than what I have done, if I wanted different results I would have to do something different! I knew I had to confess to the Lord (which I had done) and I also knew I had to go to one of his representatives here on earth, my bishop! (in the Mormon church we call the leader of our local congregation a bishop! He is a lay minister (meaning he gets no pay for his service) and holds the priesthood keys to lead those withing his congregation) and so one evening (it was a Saturday evening as I remember) I said the most sincere and honest prayer of my life! I prayed to my Father in Heaven that I would have the courage and strength to go confess to my Bishop and ask him for help! I
remember going to church the next morning, listening during the first hour with my gut wrenching and my soul in agony! I was so scared! when Sunday school rolled around my mother invited me to go with her and sit with her as my dad was going to teach the other Sunday school class..... so I sat with my mom during Sunday school while my mind kept on reminding me of the prayer I said the night before! well when Sunday school finished and the third hour started (yes, Mormons have three hours of church every Sunday. and then other activities during the rest of the week.... it is such a great blessing!) I Remember going to my meeting still thinking of that prayer the night before! Then as the wise and inspired man he is My Bishop sent the secretary to find me and call me in for a standard interview, I knew inside that this was the beginning of the answer to my Prayer! so I went in for a regular meeting with bishop! I grew to love that man! I remember at the end of the normal conversation he stood to shake my hand and I just burst into tears, I asked him for his help and told him about my addiction! THE BEST FEELING OF PEACE EVER fell upon me, his love was evident as he told me what we were going to do and how we were going to move forward from here! the spirit was so strong in that room! When I walked out of that room I felt the difference, literally a weight was taken off my shoulders, and I knew that I was

My mission call in my mail box

finally freed! It wasn't always easy after that but I knew I had someone I could rely on 24/7 and that he had my back! well it was only one week after meeting with my Bishop that I turned 18 years old! I continued to talk with him as often as I felt I needed to! one week to the day we went to General Conference (A broadcast of the teaching of Prophets and Apostles to the general population of the Mormon Church) and watch the Prophet, President Thomas S. Monson make a remarkable announcement! that all young men willing and worthy to serve a full time mission could now serve at age 18 instead of age 19! I sat in that conference center and the words I heard in my heart were "Brother Forsyth, Thank you for listening to me, you are now not only willing but worthy to serve as a full time missionary, thank you again" I was so excited! as soon as I returned home from Utah I saw my Bishop and got my mission paper started! He looked me square in the eye and said "I know you are ready for your mission and I can honestly tell you that I believe you are fully repentant and ready to go" I was so excited!

looking back just over a year later I am so grateful that through the Atonement of Christ I was able to be forgiven and released from my past, that by following the promptings of the spirit I went through the process of repentance and am now serving as a full time missionary to preach the Gospel of repentance "that I might bring [others] to taste of the exceeding joy of which I did taste" (Alma 36:24)  to let others know that there is forgiveness in Christ, "yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in Him" (Moroni 10:32) The love and grace of Christ is sufficient for all those who come unto Him and repent! There is hope for the addicted, the afflicted, the weak, the sinner, the infirm! or In other words there is HOPE for YOU!

WMI? THERE IS HOPE FOR YOU!