I had never really had an answer to a prayer. I didn't know what that felt like. I didn't know how it worked. I was told to pray, and I just followed what was--what I had seen before. But this was different.

Poker for me started with I would go to home games and host home games. I played a lot. And occasionally, I would, with some friends, go out and drive out to a casino and play. And on one of these trips on this occasion, a friend of mine had offered me something to help me stay awake and alert. I later found out that it was meth. And I was immediately hooked. It quickly consumed who I was. It's what I needed it in the morning, it's what I needed in the afternoon, it's what I needed in the night. My solution for everything was my next hit. This went on for years. Along with that lifestyle, there was a lot of lies. My wife at the time--I had told her that I had quit. She hadn't known about what I was doing. But she thought that I was done, and, of course, I wasn't. And so she left with my two kids. I went back into our home, and I told myself, I have two decisions here. One, I could keep doing what I was doing, which would eventually lead to death either by my hand or the drug. Or two, I could get clean. And I knew I couldn't do it alone. I reached out to my local Church leader, and he brought me into his office. I didn't know that the meeting that we would have initially would last as long as it did, nor did I know that it would continue. I met with my bishop three to four times a week. And throughout this time, my bishop challenged me to focus on two things: it was reading the scriptures and praying. I hadn't been using, which was the first time in years that I hadn't used. I thought I was winning. I thought I deserved something. Then the reward should be that everything should go back to where it was. And it didn't. I was reading in the scriptures in Matthew. And it says to go and pray in your closet, and he who prays in secret, the Father that seeth in secret openly rewards you. Something to that effect. And I said, "OK. That's what I'm going to do." And I went into my bedroom closet, 2-foot by 4-foot little space. And I got on my knees, and I closed the door. I hadn't prayed like this in a long time. I had pleaded for help. I had asked for forgiveness. I had asked for change and help before, but this time was different. This time, I felt I deserved it. And then I stopped, and I waited, and I had a change of heart.

And I said, "You know what? OK.

I put myself into your hands. You tell me what to do, and I'll do it."

And the moment I said those words, I felt love. I felt light.

I felt like I was in an open space with a light. And there was love, and there was hugging, there was warmth. I knew that I wanted more of that. And I didn't want it to leave. But I was scared. I was scared for the next steps because I knew this moment wouldn't last. And I didn't know what to do next. And that's when I felt to keep trying. I felt the answer that I received was to keep trying. The power of Christ and His Atonement was real. And that--me!

Who am I? I'm a drug addict, but it applies to me. I found that my Father in Heaven loved me for who I am despite all of it. I didn't want to be involved in the drug world anymore. I didn't want to be a part of that. And I could see I was better. There was light in my eyes. A son of my Heavenly Father. There's some scripture that's "Come to me as a child with a broken heart and a contrite spirit." That's who I was. And that's who I am today. And it reminds me of I have a four-year-old. And he zips around on his scooter. And I know that if he fell and he scraped his knee, I would immediately go and pick him up. And I would immediately hug him. And he would cry. And he would put his head on my shoulder. And he would want and need comfort and love. And I believe that that's what I do today. And I know my Father's there. And I'm out riding my scooter in my everyday life, and when I fall, I know He's there for me. [MUSIC PLAYING]