CRYSTAL’S EX-MORMON TESTIMONY
Hi, my name is Crystal and I am an Ex-Mormon, now born-again Christian. I would like to tell my story about how this came to be.
First, a little back story. I came from a very dysfunctional family. I moved around a lot and went back and forth from my father (after he divorced my mother) to my aunt. My aunt was the one who took me to church, and I was baptized when I was 11. When I was 15, my Seminary teacher fasted and prayed with me so I could feel more confident, and with that experience I dedicated my life to the Lord. It didn’t matter what others thought of me. As long as I was doing what the Lord wanted me to do, that was all that mattered. I didn’t have close friends, since I never stayed in one place long enough to do so. The church was my only stable part of my life.
I was very naïve, so the first boy who gave me any thought, I married, in the temple. He was not very good, though. He gambled and cheated on me. So, right after I had my fifth child by him, I and my five young children moved to another state to start anew. Right after divorcing him, I married my second husband who was willing to take me with my five children. We were married for 23 years. We had three children together. After three years, he became sick and was sick throughout the duration of our marriage. I was loyal to him despite him being emotionally and physically abusive. He was also controlling and manipulative. I just tried to keep things together and act like the “perfect Mormon family.” We went to the temple and were sealed as a family and the kids were adopted. My kids never felt like they belonged. The other Mormon families were not “broken” like ours. They treated my kids like they were tainted. There were a few exceptions. The Lord still helped me as I reached out to Him in prayer many times. One of the best gifts He gave me during this time was the gift of forgiveness.
Four months after my husband died, the Lord spoke to me. There was a man I barely knew who I met at the gym. He would come into the Herb shop I owned to get herbs and Kombucha mushroom tea. That week, he had already come in three days in a row. The Lord told me that I needed to get to know him better.
It totally took me by surprise, so I said, “Ok Lord, if he shows up again tomorrow, then I know it is really you that is telling me to do this.” So, of course, he shows up the next day!
I was just getting ready to leave the shop to go visit a customer who lived over an hour away (the only time that ever happened). Without thinking, I asked him if he was busy. He said no. I then asked if he wanted to go with me.
He said “Sure!”
We hit it off and quickly became very close. Of course, I thought I was going to convert him to Mormonism. But he was a minister and knew his Bible very well! He also knew the true dealings of the Mormons, of which he was careful not to give me too much information, but he very polite and boldly told me he would never become one. It took me 15 months and four breakups later to finally realize that.
I called him on the phone crying telling him, “I will do whatever you want me to do!”
He gently told me, “No, Honey, it is whatever Jesus wants you to do.”
I then quickly replied, “Ok, whatever Jesus wants me to do.”
Before we got married a couple of months later, we met with his pastor who was going to marry us. He knew I was Mormon and he asked me where I was going to fellowship after we were married. I told him that I would go alongside my husband. I had promised my soon-to-be husband that if he will allow me to finish out my calling, then I will leave the Mormon Church and go to where he was going. He said, “Absolutely, you need to follow through on your commitment.” So that is what I did.
Shortly after I started attending the Foursquare church, I signed up for a Life and Leadership class to learn more of what I was now a part of. My husband graciously went with me. About the fourth class, they were talking about the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. On the way home, I asked my husband more about it. He asked if I would like to receive it. I said yes. He led me through the sinner’s prayer and through the Baptism of the Holy Spirit! I even received a few words of my prayer language! I continued to do all I could to develop a closer relationship to my Savior, including going through Lifeline where I was able to break generational curses and stumbling blocks in my life.
Through the last eight years I have grown in the Lord, and I feel so free now and so full of the joy of the Lord! My husband and I love helping others through our business of herbs and in our church body. He is so good to me. My biggest take away? I don’t have to DO anything! I don’t have to work for my salvation or the “highest” spot in Heaven. Jesus has already prepared a place for me!