Choosing GOD In Hard Times
Al's Background and Initial Skepticism
Al introduces herself and states she will share how she came to be speaking to the audience.
At 20, she lived in New York after graduating college with a degree in graphic design and marketing.
She worked full-time doing parking enforcement at a hospital, which she jokes was an unpopular job.
She lived in a small studio apartment, which she equates to the size of a bathroom, but was proud to have her own place.
Al describes her initial perspective on happiness, saying that lasting happiness is unachievable.
At 20, Al believed she had peaked in life with her apartment and job.
She describes herself as stubborn and independent, not wanting help from anyone, including religion.
Encounter with Missionaries
While helping someone move, Al encountered two young missionaries riding bikes.
Her initial thought was critical: "Who wears helmets still?"
The missionaries approached her and asked if she wanted to know more about Christ.
Al declined but complimented their helmets.
The person she was helping move was unkind to the missionaries, which made Al feel somewhat bad.
Al jokingly told the missionaries she would listen if they brought her a steak, assuming they wouldn't.
To her surprise, the missionaries returned with a steak, pamphlets, and the Book of Mormon.
Al repeatedly refused to engage, but something about them made her want them to return.
She called them back and agreed to meet if she read.
Al began reading daily just to see them, but tried to avoid discussing religious topics.
Initial Resistance and Motivation
Al believed religion was a crutch for people with problems.
She felt her life was already good and did not want to change.
She wanted to prove the missionaries wrong and dismiss their beliefs about blessings by living the gospel principles and waiting for them to fail.
Spiritual Efforts and Unexpected Results
Al started praying, despite never having prayed before, describing it as awkward and uncomfortable.
She read from the Book of Mormon daily, even though it initially made no sense.
After a few weeks, people started noticing positive changes in her.
A friend told her, "You look good… You are doing, do not stop."
She realized the only thing she was doing differently was praying and reading the scriptures.
She decided to genuinely try to embrace the gospel, leading to overcoming and conquering personal struggles she thought she would never overcome.
Al testifies that she changed because of the Spirit and the reality of Christ, leading to a desire and ability to change.
Conversion and Baptism
Al woke up at 4 AM one night and felt compelled to call the missionaries.
She spontaneously yelled that she wanted to be baptized.
After yelling this, she felt a strong confirmation and knew it was the right thing to do.
She hung up in embarrassment, but the missionaries called back, confused but intrigued.
Al felt embarrassed and ashamed to join the Church, inviting only one person, Scott, whom she barely knew (her sister's boyfriend).
To her surprise, the room was packed with people at her baptism.
She felt this was a testimony that she was doing the right thing.
She loved being confirmed and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost.
She physically felt the gift and lost all embarrassment, wanting to share her newfound happiness with everyone.
Sharing the Gospel and Facing Opposition
Al wanted to share the gospel with her friends and family.
However, all of her friends left and wanted nothing to do with her newfound faith.
Her parents were separated, and she was very close to her dad.
Her dad, who lived nearby, told her he didn't want her as a daughter anymore and forced her to choose between him and the Church.
He said, "This church or me, your dad."
Al chose the gospel, stating she already recognized that happiness comes only from it.
Her dad ceased contact, locking her out and ignoring her calls.
At work (parking enforcement), she hid the Book of Mormon in her oversized uniform pants.
Her coworkers and bosses would lock her in an office and scream at her, showing her anti-Mormon videos.
She felt punished for doing what she thought was right.
She coped by reading the Book of Mormon during every free moment, gaining strength to handle the situation.
New Path in Life
After turning 21 and losing her friends, Al felt lonely on weekends.
She started creating church talks for fun.
She went out with the missionaries daily, teaching investigators.
She wanted to go on a mission, but the answer she received was to move to Utah.
She was resistant to the idea of moving to Utah.
She kept receiving the prompting to move to Utah and eventually decided to follow it.
Her dad was hurt and confused by her decision to move.
At church, she didn't receive support, and her branch president told her not to move, saying she wouldn't fit in.
She felt alone in her decision.
She searched for a job and place to live in Utah using the public library's internet.
With only two days left before her move, she had nothing lined up and felt desperate.
She collapsed and yelled at God in frustration, asking why it was so hard and whether He cared.
Revelation through Gratitude
After losing her voice from yelling, she was finally able to listen to the Spirit.
She reflected on Christ's miracles and realized He offered prayers of gratitude beforehand.
She understood that Christ had perfect faith and gave thanks knowing help would come.
She decided to express gratitude instead of asking for help.
The next day, a woman called offering her a place to live, an eleventh-hour blessing.
Al realized her worries and doubts showed a lack of faith.
She apologized to God and acknowledged that things would work out in His timing.
Moving to Utah and Leaving Everything Behind
Al was moving to Utah permanently, leaving behind her old life in New York.
She had to cope with potentially never seeing her dad again.
She packed her entire life into a two-door Oldsmobile, including her 90-pound dog, Lucas.
She left most of her possessions on the side of the road for the garbage.
She was terrified as she started her journey.
Trials on the Road and Spiritual Reassurance
Al cried all the way to Pennsylvania.
She stopped in Chicago and was overwhelmed by fear, doubt, and temptation in her hotel room.
She collapsed and yelled that she couldn't do it.
She closed her eyes and pictured Christ smiling at her.
This vision reassured her that she was doing the right thing and that He was happy with her efforts.
She vowed to never stop, understanding that stopping would allow fear and doubt to creep in.
She drove straight from Chicago to Utah Valley, Utah (over 23 hours), without stopping for food.
The drive was uncomfortable because her car was packed, the AC was broken, and her dog smelled bad.
Arrival in Utah and Disappointment
She arrived at her new home and was disappointed: the grass was overgrown, there were broken toys, and naked children were running around.
The place smelled terrible.
Initially, she slept on the floor wrapped in a towel.
She eventually found a job and was able to buy blankets.
She still felt lost and that Heavenly Father wasn't answering her.
Initial Experiences in Utah
On her first day, she drove down State Street and saw a Cafe Rio.
While waiting in line, she felt people staring at her and became tense.
She was holding a church book when a man commented, stating, "Pretty ironic looking the way you do holding that book."
Her heart broke, and she thought of the people who told her she wouldn't fit in.
She wanted to defend herself but didn't.
Despite her efforts, people didn't speak to her, and people shielded their children from her.
She felt unwanted, not good enough, and lonely.
Relating to Laman and Lemuel
She related to Laman and Lemuel in 1 Nephi.
She realized that she was like Laman and Lemuel, who were angry about leaving everything behind for blessings that hadn't yet happened.
She realized that she had to make a decision to choose to not be mad, bothered, or offended.
She had to decide to keep going, trust, and have faith.
Ultimately, she decided to choose God.
Change in Mindset and Resulting Blessings
As soon as Al changed her mindset and looked for the good, she experienced blessings.
The next thing that happened was she served in the Relief Society presidency for almost three years.
After that, she started speaking, despite having failed public speaking in college.
She spoke with Elder Anderson.
Her life started getting out of control (in a positive way).
She wrote a best-selling book, did radio and TV shows, and threw a first pitch at a baseball game.
Focus on Others, Not Self
Al states that she shares her story not to boast but to inspire others.
She says the point isn't about what she overcame but about what the audience needs to overcome.
Al emphasizes that if you just try your real try, you will find yourself in places you never thought possible.
You will become the person Heavenly Father wants you to become.
Al recognized that things had not gone the way that she had expected, but that they had been better.
She felt that if we just try, we will receive the best ever created, both in the eternities and in mortality.
Hard times will consistently be there and so will Christ.
With Christ, we can conquer everything.
She mentions that all the promises in scripture are written in past tense.
Heavenly Father has already prepared the best, and we can have it if we just keep going and choose Him.
Additional Blessings and Testimony
Al shares that after not hearing from her dad for four years, he called her the day she came out of the temple.
Her dad has been in her life ever since.
Scott, whom she invited to her baptism became worthy to baptize one of her sisters.
Scott and her sister got married in the temple and have three children.
Al got married and has two children.
She acknowledges that she wouldn't have anything without God and His ways.
She's grateful for the moments she was screaming at God, wondering where He was.
She references Alma 56:46, which states, "Our God is with us, and he will not suffer that we should fall."
The elders who taught her were going to drop her as an investigator, but they tried despite feeling inadequate.
Their efforts made a difference; where would she be if they had stopped?
Al emphasizes the impact that everyone can have if they just be themselves.
She asserts that what we do matters and that it does not go unnoticed.
Al explains that we have the most powerful Being on our side and the answers to the universe.
She refuses to let the adversary diminish her experiences with the Spirit and the reality of God.
She encourages and thanks the audience for their efforts.
God is real and mindful of us now and in all the seconds to come.
We should embrace the unexpected, knowing who is guiding us.
Our prayers have been heard, and greater is what He has in store for us.