| It is interesting, Steve, that when people join the Church, they change, both
in behavior and in appearance. When one has the companionship of the Holy
Ghost and probably greater influence from the Light of Christ, he or she does
look different. Conversely, after people are excommunicated from the Church
due to wickedness, they also look different.
Allen
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| Steve,
I want to share with you a true story which proved to me that the
Lord can and does change our countenances.
In March of 1983, while my husband and I were in the process of
converting to Mormonism, my family and I witnessed before our very
eyes a dramatic change in his countenance. My husband had not
been feeling well for several weeks prior to our investigating
the Church. He was experiencing chest pains quite frequently.
One day, he decided to take a ride to Mass General Hospital in
Boston as he did not have faith in our local doctors. After
having several tests performed in the out-patient section of
the hospital, it was determined that his pains were due to his
over indulgence in drinking up to 12 cups of perked coffee per
day. Having to 'give up' drinking coffee really bothered him
previous to this exam and he felt that the Mormon's Word of
Wisdom was 'crazy'. However, he started to see things in a
different perspective after this exam. We talked at great length
on the way home from Boston about caffeine and its affects on our
bodies.
That night, while my husband and I were sleeping, he received a
profound testimony from the Lord in the form of a spiritual experience
in our bedroom which bore strong testimony to him that the Lord
did indeed desire for us to convert to Mormonism. He woke me up
at 2:30 am to tell me of his experience.
Five days after this experience, we were asked to join the Missionaries
who were teaching us the gospel, and by my Mormon brother and his family
to attend the April General Conference at the Nashua, N.H. Stake
Center. It was also Easter Sunday that day. After Conference, we
gathered for Easter Sunday dinner at my parents home. During that
visit, I can't begin to tell you how many family members kept going
up to my husband and saying to him "John, I thought you were not
feeling well, you look like a new person today, what has happened to
you? In fact, your face looks so 'different', you look ten years
younger, what in the world did you do to yourself?"
I had indeed remembered reading that verse you quoted from Alma
5:14 during my conversion with the missionaries. It rung out like
a loud bell in my head and heart when I heard those comments from my
family members to my husband. I truly knew at that moment, that
a miracle had been performed and his countenance had been changed
by the Lord. After that experience, it seemed as though I paid
very careful attention to the countenance of each and every person
in my daily life. You can definately see the light of Chirst
shining on a persons countenance, it is quite obvious to me.
I bear you this true testimony in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Penny
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