Coming Closer to God: My Testimony

When I was 11 years old, I wanted to come closer to God.  I wanted to know if he was there.  I wanted to know if he loved me.  I wanted to know what he wanted me to know.  I had a challenge from my 11 year old church instructor while living in Hawaii to pray and ask if what I was being taught was true.  She promised that if I would, God would answer my prayer.  I began reading The Book of Mormon with the intent to know if it was true.  I had grown up reading it in my family and felt like it was a good book that taught about Jesus Christ and his Atonement.  However, I wanted an answer from prayer that it was truly from God.  I knew that if I received an answer, that would mean God was there, that he loved me, and I would know that this was his doctrine.  I read and prayed for 3 months trying to get an answer the way my 11 year old church instructor had promised.  No answer came.  One night, my parents had asked me to babysit my younger brothers while they were out.  I had done this before and there had been no problems, so I accepted.  An hour into babysitting, my 6 year old brother ran out of the house, wanting daddy.  My Dad taught music at BYU-Hawaii at the time, and the campus was within 10 walking minutes from my house.  After a few minutes of him not returning, I quickly realized that his intent was to go find my Dad at work.  I starting running to campus hoping to catch up to him.  I got all the way to campus.  I searched in all of his favorite climbing trees.  I looked around my Dad’s office.  I was asking everyone I saw if they had seen my brother.  Exhausted, scared and hopeless, I knelt down under a palm tree and offered up my heart to God.  I told him through my sobs of my brother, and how much I loved him, but that I couldn’t find him after doing all my 11 year old mind could think to do.  I then asked for help, to find my lost brother.  A warm feeling of peace, comfort and love swept over me.  I was comforted by this incredible feeling of closeness and love.  I then heard the words in my mind, not audibly with my ears, but words in my mind say, “Paul is fine.  He is at home.”  That message came as a shock to me, and such a relief.  I then heard the words, “The Book of Mormon is true.  Joseph Smith is a true prophet.”  I testify that God spoke to me that day, and through the Spirit comforted me.  I felt closer to God that day then I had ever felt in my whole life.  I ran home, and found my brother.  I wrapped my arms around him as he looked at me like I was some crazy person.  I knew that God needed my heart prepared.  He needed me to desperately desire an answer to prayer, and be willing and ready to listen.