January 13, 2021

I am the "one". You are the "one". In the eyes of God we are each the "one".

I remember when I realized one of the times I was the "one". You see, it can happen more than once in your life. It happens when you need it.

This particular time I was a sophomore in high school. I was lucky enough to be on the drill team. We had early morning practice every morning at 7 am before school started. I remember there were two sisters on our team that always showed up at 7:30 and NEVER got in trouble. Everyone else would get a warning if we were late.

One day while riding on a bus to a parade or a football game (I can't remember), I was sitting next to one of the sisters. I got up enough nerve to ask her why she could be late every day and not get in any trouble. This was my first introduction to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. My friend proceeded to tell me all about Seminary. Can you believe teenagers will get up early so they can go to a class all about religion at 6:00 am every school day? I was a little blown away.

She then told me about the First Vision that Joseph Smith had in a grove of trees when he was about 14 years old. I thought how fantastic that sounded. Could it really be true that God spoke to man again on the earth? I always believed that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. So if He had prophets anciently, then it only makes sense that He would have prophets today also. After all He will do nothing except he reveal it to His prophets first.

We had many more talks like that over the next three years of high school. For some reason I was not quite ready to accept the Gospel at that time.

But Heavenly Father was not done with me yet. I was still the "one" He was helping. Over the next year and a half He put person after person into my life so many times. He wouldn't give up on me. He wanted me to return to Him.

After many encounters with people sharing the Gospel with me I finally decided I would actually sit down and listen. When I did, I received answers to questions I had had all my life. Questions no one good answer me. Questions about who God the Father is as compared to His Son, Jesus Christ. And what about the Holy Ghost? I had always felt they were three separate beings, but had been taught they were one trinity. I couldn't understand that. I always believed we should have a prophet just like the people who lived during the times Noah or Moses or any of the other ancient prophets. Aren't we just as important as those people who lived anciently? We live in such a different world then what they lived in we need more direct information for our time then for the time of the ark. I also believed that the true Church would follow the same pattern that Jesus set up when He was upon the earth. They way He was baptized is the way we should be baptized. The Church should have Apostles and Seventies and other officers in the Priesthood.

There were so many things I learned that I had always believed. When I finally listened I realized that I had come home. That is exactly how I felt. I joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on June 19, 1971 and it was the very best decision I had ever made. It changed my life. It has given me meaning to my life. It has given me an Eternal future with my family and with my Heavenly Parents and my Elder Brother Jesus Christ.

I am so grateful to a young teenage girl who was willing to share her testimony with me so many years ago. In that moment I was the "one". #givethanks

1Ellen Bradford