My Testimony

!Saludos todos! My name is Ian Englebright, and I will be serving as a full-time missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Argentina Santa Fe Mission! I start my mission on October 30th, 2018 as I report to the Missionary Training Center in Mexico City for 6 weeks of training. After that, I will be released into mission field in Argentina to do the Lord’s work. This is very exciting time in my life, as I cannot wait to serve las personas maravillosas de Argentina!!

As some people may know, I am a recent convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I was baptized on August 26th, 2017, and since then, my life has changed so much. I was baptized by my own dad, David, and taught by 2 of the most amazing missionaries in the world: Elder Keaton LaMont and Elder Jaymz Bischoff… my brothers! I love you guys!!! Since then, I have been preparing to serve a 2-year mission, diligently working with the missionaries and studying the scriptures, so that I can have the opportunity to spread the gospel that has changed my life, to others who may need it. But how did I get to this point?

Growing up, I went to a southern baptist church with my grandma. I have a lot of sweet memories of these times we spent together, but I never really enjoyed going to church most of the time. I ended up getting baptized in her church when I was a kid, but I never truly felt compelled to have a testimony of God or Jesus Christ. I knew they more or less existed, but I figured that I could get by in life without going to church, reading scriptures, or praying. And after my grandma got sick and could not attend church anymore, that’s exactly what I did. From middle and high school, all the way up to college, I did not attend church. And for the most part, my life was ok without religion…

But then, in 2016, my mother, Sharla, passed away. It was so sudden and unexpected that I was not sure how to react. Ultimately, I kept my composure on the outside in public, but privately, and mentally, it deeply affected me. From Summer 2016 to Summer 2017, I would describe my life as a roller coaster, filled with ups and downs. In that year, I accomplished a lot, including an internship, stellar grades in college, and making tons of friends. However, I struggled with depression, wanting to end my life at times. I also had succumbed to crippling addictions as a result of my mental state, hitting rock bottom after rock bottom. I was in need of something, anything that could lift me from my current state and provide steady happiness and joy that I desperately needed. 

Towards the end of July 2017, I thought about giving religion a try, finding and possibly joining a church. I had been to other services of several different religions earlier in the year, but nothing really stuck out to me. Then, one morning as my dad was leaving for church, I felt prompted to give his church a try, so I asked him to contact the missionaries and have them come over. My dad has been a lifelong member of The Church, and even served a mission in Germany during his youth, but religious differences among him and my mom prevented him from going to church or teaching me of the gospel growing up, so I knew nothing of his beliefs. However, I felt like maybe the last person I would have thought about going to church with would be the answer to my quest.

When the elders came by later that week, I was nervous. I had no idea who they were, what they would look like, or what they would teach me. But when they stepped inside and sat down to begin our first lesson, I had a feeling that it was going to be all right. That night, they taught about the restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, through a modern-day prophet named Joseph Smith. They also talked about a set of scriptures called the Book of Mormon, which they believed to be the Word of God, similar to the Bible. I was not sure what to make of everything that they taught me, but I knew that what they taught felt right and made sense. Before leaving, they left a copy of the Book of Mormon with me and asked me to read and pray to God, our Heavenly Father, to see if what they taught was indeed true. Even though I was not big into scriptures or prayer, I said, “Sure! I’ll give it a shot.”

The next day, my dad and I were making our way to Kansas City to watch a baseball game. On our drive, I started asking him questions about the Book of Mormon and what the elders had taught. He then pulls our car over to the side of the road and flips to back of the Book of Mormon, and has me read a few verses, out loud. “And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things. (Mormon 10:4-5)”

Almost immediately after I read those verses, I felt a strong tidal wave forming in my chest, filled with goodly desires and the need to change. Unsure of what this feeling was, I asked my dad and he told me that it was The Holy Ghost, or, The Spirit of God trying to tell me something. And like that, everything made sense. I realized that The Spirit was telling me that the Book of Mormon was true! And that it was the Word of God!!! The desire to do evil was no more, and I wanted to come unto Christ and begin a new chapter in my life.

Since that life-changing car ride, I continued to take lessons from the elders and a few weeks later, I was baptized. It will be a day I will never forget! After my baptism, I continued to learn more and improve my life, overcoming my addictions and the worse of my depression. Not too long after my testimony of the Book of Mormon, I knew that I needed to serve a mission. And for this past year, I have been working hard so that I can pay my experience of the gospel forward to another person in Argentina who needs it, who desires to come closer unto Christ, to learn more about how God is our Heavenly Father and has a plan for all of His children, or to overcome addictions. I can’t wait to start my mission next week!!

If you have made it to the end of my post, I want to thank you for taking the time to read my testimony of the gospel and my conversion story. This is something I hold close to my heart and I love sharing it with people, especially anyone who is not sure about religion or why I have made the choices to join this church and serve a 2-year mission. Family, friends, and anyone else who is reading this post, I testify to you all that God loves you, and that His only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ, paid the ultimate price, so that we can have everlasting life. I also testify that the Book of Mormon is the Word of God, translated by a prophet named Joseph Smith, and that this church is true!!! I promise that as we read and pray to know what is true and from God, we will receive answers and promptings from The Spirit, which will guide us on our path towards salvation. And I leave this with you in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen!

James 1:5 - “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.”