LLLIIIFFFEEE CCCHHHAAANNNGGGIIINNNGGG TTTEEESSSTTTIIIMMMOOONNNIIIEEESSS −−−−−−−−−−−− ooofff ttthhheee −−−−−−−−−−−− LLLOOORRRDDD JJJEEESSSUUUSSS CCCHHHRRRIIISSSTTT CCCooommmpppiiillleeeddd bbbyyy MMMAAARRRLLLEEENNNAAA TTTAAANNNYYYAAA MMMUUUCCCHHHNNNIIICCCKKK © 1999 Marlena Tanya Muchnick All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or introduced into any infor- mation storage and retrieval system without the written permission of the copyright owner and the publisher of this book. Brief quota- tions may be used in reviews prepared for inclusion in a magazine, newspaper, or broadcast. For further information contact: Marlena Tanya Yambra [email protected] jewishconvert-lds.com Photo Credits Cover picture: Rembrandt Harmensz van Rijn: The Ascension of Christ. In the Alte Pinakothek, Munich, Germany. Used with permis- sion from Scala/Art Resource, New York. Black and white reproduction of etching by Rembrandt Harmensz van Rijn: Detail of Christ with the sick around him, receiving little children. (The Hundred Guilder print) Used with permission of Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY 10028 Copyright TXu865-066 ISBN 1-55517-394-2 v.7 Cover design: David Marty Designs Page layout: Corinne A. Bischoff Publisher: Bonneville Books P.O. Box 531 Springville, UT 84663 801-489-4084 Manufactured in the United States of America Also by the same author: Notes of a Jewish Convert to the LDS Church: Conversion of a Soul For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16 CONTENTS Acknowledgments and Credits . .ix Dedicatory Prayer . x Introduction . xi Palestine at the New Era . 1 The Jewish Mashiach . 15 Toward Enlightenment . 29 Lessons from the Master . 37 Testimonies of Jesus Christ Susan’s Story . 49 Chris’ Story . 61 Gloria’s Story . 75 Chuck’s Story . 91 Sylvia’s Story . 105 John’s Story . 117 Dana’s Story . 131 Fred’s Story . 145 David’s Story . 157 Bill’s Story . 171 Greg’s Story . 185 John T’s Story . 201 Marlena’s Story . 219 Bibliography . 234 vii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS To those willing witnesses of Jesus Christ who are the contributors to this volume of testimony, I am deeply thankful. I applaud their courage and honesty in coming forth one by one to advocate that Jesus Christ is our elder brother, our best friend and beloved Savior, Redeemer, Advocate with the Father in humanity’s behalf, and who will, with Him, act as our eternal Judge. The contributors’ stories are personal records of lives changed and enlarged through living the teachings of Jesus Christ. These solemn records bear magnificent testimony of the importance of the mission and ministry of Jesus Christ, our Lord. They testify, too, that reliance upon God for all things brings joy and bounteous blessings. I am grateful especially to those LDS members of the Seattle Second ward who took on daunting last minute editorial tasks. My prose is far less convoluted because of their efforts. They include but are not limited to Naomi Vann, a gifted Gospel teacher and scriptorian; also Timothy Bone, who has scholarly knowledge of the restored Gospel. I am appreciative of his willing assistance and incisive editing. To my great friend, partner and sister in the Gospel, Glenda Perryman, Brenham, Texas branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I again express my deepest appreciation and grati- tude. Her encouragement and her intractable missionary spirit kept me writing and insured that this book could take on its own life. ix PRAYER OF DEDICATION ur Heavenly Father, we, the contributors to this volume thank Thee in O all things for the wondrous wondrous worlds Thou hast made. We offer our gratitude for the opportunity to give testimony of Thy Son, Jesus Christ, our Father, our brother, friend, judge, advocate, our living Savior and Redeemer, our Perfect Hope. It is to Thy glory and to Thy Son Jesus Christ that this book is dedi- cated. We are eternally grateful for all that has been done for us as Thy children. W e love Thee, O Father, Master of the universes, where we abide in Thy name. As all things were created by Thee and by Thy hand immemorial, so we live at Thy behest. We are the clay and all that is in Thee for good. Thou hast put this goodness into us that we may someday inherit Thy precious bounty and return to Thy presence again. F ather, we love Thy Son, who has bled and died for us that we may have eternal life with Thee, with him, with our families who have gone before us and with all who follow. Through his infinite sacrifice he has given all mankind many precious gifts. The greatest gift is the Atonement. Father, with our imperfections we cannot see Thy courts on high. Thou hast hidden from our natural eyes Thy greatest bounty, Thy promise of everlasting life with Thee and with Thy Son, but we are the inheritors of that vast kingdom which is not of the earth but which is of the eternities and all that they hold. P lease help us to love our beautiful Savior, Jesus Christ, who ministers in heaven to all of his angels and to all creatures below. Please help us to love him with all our souls and with each breath we take so that we may find him in our lives celestial where we can again dwell in Thy presence, in his glory, giving all glory to Thee and to him. Heavenly Father, this is our treasured hope. Thou art our true Father. All that we possess, all that we may testify of, all that we herein profess and believe we offer now to Thee and to Thy Son, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen. From the contributors to Life Changing Testimonies of the Lord Jesus Christ For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel According to the power of God; 2Timothy 1:7-8 INTRODUCTION The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory. Isa 60:19 I think there are times in an author’s life when a book seems to need writing, when an idea will not go away but tags along behind daily problems and family concerns, waiting patiently just outside of consciousness, but still it is there, wanting that audience. I know then it is only a matter of time until it challenges me for attention. A really good idea will always come forward… Such was the occasion for the onset of this collection. I simply could not avoid its inception. Since becoming a Christian a decade ago I have felt it increasingly necessary that a few of those faithful who love the Lord Jesus Christ somehow leave a legacy of him as he is experienced in our hearts. It seemed that a chorus of voices raised in written praise could do much to uplift, edify and hopefully be of significant value to many lives. A book of testimonies of Jesus Christ becomes an act of faith for each contributor willing to share his or her very private story of conversion and growth in and because of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In writing the several chapters that follow I endeavored to appeal to anyone who is searching for knowledge of the Savior and his teach- ings. I believe greater missionary work is possible if done in this way. It is important, therefore, to honor the various spiritual levels and the separate, intensely personal beliefs of each person who contributed xi LIFE CHANGING TESTIMONIES testimonies to this book. To that end I have taken the quotations from the King James Version of the Holy Bible, with some latter- day scripture references, as The Book of Mormon and other latter day scriptures are companions to the Bible. Rather than produce a work which centers exclusively upon any one lifestyle (other than mentioned in individual testimony) I have chosen to focus upon major Christian themes and history found in the Old and New Testaments. Those several participants represented herein whose testimonies are not LDS-inspired have been assured that church affiliation was not of primary significance, though in the introductory chapters the principles embedded in the Plan of Salvation which Christ taught are presented in the light of latter day revelation. The foremost thrust of this book is to tell of the marvelous ways of God and Jesus Christ in our lives, to share with as many readers as possible some of the deepest convictions of our Christianity and especially to tell how we have been enlightened by our faith. Each testimony, with the exception of my own, has been gathered on that basis. As a Jewish convert, my story must be taken in its entirety as the deepest expression of my particular persuasion as well as the propelling impetus behind the making of this book. Each person I approached warmed to the concept. Each earnestly prayed to know of the rightness of this book and his or her place in it. They then came forward and gave freely of their most deeply held spiritual beliefs, relishing this new opportunity to share testimonies with others, to hopefully touch many people through a solemn declaration of love for their Heavenly Father and for Jesus Christ.