Melissa lives in an island nation called Vanuatu. The first time she saw a Church building, she thought it was a hospital because it was so clean and quiet. She soon discovered that it was a place of healing—spiritual healing! With the help of her neighbor and the sister missionaries, she found joy in the gospel and decided to be baptized.
But that didn’t mean life was perfect. “After I was baptized, I had a lot of hard times with my family,” Melissa said. “Sometimes they wanted me to stay home on Sunday, but I would choose to go to Church instead. Most of the time it was hard trying to keep on the covenant path.”
These challenges didn’t stop Melissa from trying to have a good relationship with her family anyway. She prayed for them, and asked others to pray for them in the temple. Over time, things have gotten better.
“I have seen the Lord’s hand in my family’s life,” she said. “My family members have become more supportive, and they now encourage me to go to church and to be true to who I am.”
No matter what your family or friend situation is like, you can find strength as you trust God! Joy is possible.
Prayers are Powerful
Adapted from the July 2023 For the Strength of Youth magazine.