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My Bishop Found Me
My name is Débora, and my journey with faith has been filled with challenges and blessings. In 1980, shortly after the missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints arrived in the Dominican Republic, I visited a friend who had some missionaries from this new church at his home. The missionaries showed us a powerful movie called “Families Are Forever,” and the concept of eternal families touched me deeply. I was taught more about the gospel, and my friend and I were baptized.
As time passed by following my baptism, my family grew increasingly wary of my new religion, influenced by false information they had heard from others. Eventually, under their pressure, I stopped attending church.
When I eventually moved to a new neighborhood with my daughters, life took an unexpected turn. I had a brain accident and suffered a stroke. I was in a very dark place. During this difficult time, a bishop named Noel Sosa from my new ward reached out to me. He had dedicated himself to finding members of the Church in his neighborhood who were not coming to meetings. Upon discovering my situation, he mobilized the ward’s efforts to help me. With the support of our new Church family, led by the capable Relief Society president, Raquel, they cared for my daughters and me, not only attending to our physical needs but also nurturing our spiritual needs.
Initially, I hesitated to re-engage with the Church, but I overcame my doubts with my ward’s genuine love and support. I especially appreciated my brothers and sisters in the gospel who ministered to me with love. Their teachings awakened a testimony within me that I now share with others. I have shared the knowledge of the gospel with my friends, and they have been baptized and now serve in the Church and the temple. I believe the greatest gift one can give another person is a testimony of Jesus Christ because it brings light into our lives.
My relationship with Jesus Christ is the most precious thing to me. I realize that material things are fleeting, and the only thing that truly matters is that which is spiritual. The tranquility, security, and confidence I feel now come from my love for life, people, and my Savior.