Hi Lydia,

Thank you and everyone who read my story on planting the SEED of the Living Word into the Mormon missionaries.

 

You asked for another ‘story’... well here it is:

 

First the background:

I was raised Catholic.  Went to Catholic school for 12 yrs. (grade school & high school)  In grade school, I found religion class most interesting.  In high school, not so much.

 

In the summer of 1974, I left my hometown, much like Abram left Haran (Genesis 12).  Little did I know God was calling me and taking me to a different city that I might get saved and delivered.   Long story short, 30 years later, I returned to my roots, my hometown.  I reconnected with my childhood friends and this is where my ‘story’ begins.

 

My friends were very happy to have me back home after all these years.  However, I returned as a consecrated believer, full of Grace and Favor but very, very ill (which is why I returned home).  Yet it was with my illness the Lord would use me to bring my friends to Him, one in particular whose story I am about to share.

 

My friends saw that in spite of the excruciating pain I was in, I had an intimate relationship with the Lord, the Living Word of God and that is what moved them.  I shared my journey with them...the good, the bad and the ugly.

 

My one friend whose story I am about to share was extremely spiritually hungry.  Of all my friends, she would be the one who would grow strong the quickest.

 

She was very moved by my faith and love for the Lord in spite of my affliction.  As she listened to my testimony and was impressed with my walk, she would remind me she was raised Catholic.  We both were.  We went to school together.

 

I said to her “Were we not raised to believe in God the Father, God the Son-Jesus Christ and God the Holy Spirit?” 

 

“Yes.”  She replied.

 

Were we not taught to believe Jesus was born of a Virgin, shed His Blood on the Cross for our sins, died, was buried and resurrected on the Third Day, the ascended unto heaven and is coming again?

 

“Yes.” She again replied.

 

“Am I telling you anything different?  Am I telling you to leave the RCC? I’m not trying to convert you to become a Buddhist, Mormon, JW am I? 

 

“No.”  She answered.

 

WELL THEN?  What’s the problem?  I’m not even telling you to go to ‘church’!  I’m just expounding on what we were taught about Jesus. I told her.

 

“OH”... she pondered.

 

All I am sharing with you, I said, is how this Savior we were taught about in school CHANGED my life.

 

At this point, I began opening my bible to her and had her read the following scriptures explaining why The Father sent Jesus to us:

John 10:10

John 14:6

Acts 4:12

Romans 10:13

 

(Something supernatural happens to a person when we who have a relationship w/Christ open the scriptures to them for them to read them for themselves especially out loud. It’s a witness.  We are confessing the Word whether that person knows it or not.  They are opening the Door to let the Spirit of Jesus come into them. The Holy Spirit begins to open their hearts and begins to open their eyes. )

 

I would write the scriptures down on index cards to my friend so she could read them every day..and pray the scriptures.  I showed her how to pray them.  For example, I would have her start with John 10:10b  & say “Lord Jesus.  Thank You for coming that I would have Life and have it more abundantly.”  I then would have her speak John 14:6 and Acts 4:12 “YOU are the Way, the Truth and the Life Lord Jesus.  No one can come to the Father but through You for there is No other Name under heaven given among men by which we are saved.”

 

I would explain to her the Power and Protection that comes from calling on the Name of the Lord JESUS with a pure heart, from deep within.  I would caution her never to take His Name lightly.  His Name is Sacred and Holy.

 

Initially I also told her that if she ever got the “eebie-jeebies”, felt scared or felt an evil presence, simply to say “Lord Jesus, Sprinkle Your Blood on me.  Cover me and protect me with Your Precious Blood.”   I would tell her not to worry about understanding what she was praying.  I shared with her my experiences of praying these Words when I would get scared or felt an evil presence around me.

 

One day, we went to a restaurant.  As we were about to eat, she makes “the sign of the cross”.   Those of us who were raised Catholic know what this is and most Catholics simply make the gestures with their hands crossing themselves beginning w/the forehead, moving the right hand touching the heart, moving the hand touching the left shoulder and over to the right shoulder.

 

There is a prayer that goes along with the gestures but rarely does anyone say it anymore.  She makes the gestures w/o praying.  (Remember.  At this time she was still holding on to her Catholic religion.)  I then pounced my hand on the table and said to her “HEY !  If you are going to make the sign of the Cross, pay attention to what you are doing and say the prayer which goes with the gestures!  I then proceed to say the prayer:  In the Name of the Father.  In the Name of the Son (Jesus) and in the Name of the Holy Spirit...bless me/us.  Bless the food we are about to receive.”

 

She looked at me astounded.  Then said “WOW.  I never thought to pray like that.”

 

Every time we got together, I fed her the Word of God under the Holy Spirit’s anointing.  I remember her telling me she started going to “mass” again but was bored out of her mind until she could no longer stand going !!!  (Haa-Haa!!)  Isn’t the Holy Spirit Wonderful and AMAZING how He works in people’s lives? 

 

All Glory and Honor, Praise and Power and Blessing to Almighty God!

 

All this began in 2005.  Today, she is a very strong follower of our Precious Lord and King Jesus.  She has read the entire Bible now.  My friend no longer goes to the RCC.  I never told her to stop going to the RCC.  But wow has the Holy Spirit ever opened the eyes of her understanding and wants nothing more to do with it!

 

Now if only my other Christian friends would stop dragging their feet and get with the PROGRAM!  Jesus is coming soo very soon and we all need to have an intimate relationship, sanctified by His Blood!!

 

Thanks for reading another of my stories !

 

Carol Garza