I was blessed to grow up in a Christian home 😊. We went to church twice every Sunday, prayer meeting Wednesday nights, had prayer circle every morning, and nightly devotions. As such, I never questioned the reality of God. I just didn’t realize I needed to be saved. My salvation story is pretty simple really…
We always had “Sunday afternoon rest time” in our rooms when we were young. I remember just sitting on my bed, looking out the window at the robins going by and thinking about what they talked about in Sunday school that day. I remember realizing for the first time that I was on my way to Hell, but also that the price had already been paid for my sins, and all I had to do was accept it. So I did 😊.
I prayed, thanking Jesus for dying on the cross for me, and asking him to forgive me for my sins (the church I grew up in, although it is supposed to be “non-denominational,” is pretty much Baptist, so the sinner’s prayer is commonly taught). I remember feeling such a sense of relief and excitement, and went upstairs to tell my parents 😊. I have no clue how old I was, or what day I was saved, I’ve asked my parents, but they didn’t keep track of it either.
When I first met Marcus, and everyone in the assembly seemed to have such clear, detailed salvation stories, that used to bother me and make me have doubts! Then one night, Scott McLeod talked about salvation being like an elevator. All you have to do is get in, and trust God to take care of the rest! And that gave me assurance that the details don’t matter to God.
It’s nothing that “I” do, or have done, but has everything to do with what He has done. He paid my dept at Calvary, I know I’m “in the elevator,” and trusting God to take care of the rest 😊.
When I was 8 my mom was saved and after that we always went to Sunday school and gospel meetings. My dad died when I was 4 but thankfully he was saved We had no car but we only lived two houses from the hall. I tried to get saved for many years. I was scared of the Lords coming which was preached often in those days. Many nights I would go to mom’s room and see if she was there and go back to my bed relieved that He hadn’t come yet. Another thing I feared was that the Lord would stop striving with me. As I got older, about 13, many of my second cousins also went to gospel meeting so because of pride we didn’t want to appear concerned.
I spent many hours reading, trying to believe but in my heart there was no repentance, I felt I was better than my friends who drank or smoked…
On November 11, 1973 mom and I (I was 15 ) went to Avonport conference with Lionel and Mackie Cress. That night Mr. Bingham and Arnold Gratton spoke. I don’t remember what was said but I knew I was going to hell. I told Mr. Bingham on the way out that I wanted to be saved. Mr. Gratton spoke to me, It was so dark. He read many verses, then he read John 3:36.
John 3:36 KJV [36] He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
I thought “I’m in the second part of that verse and I don’t know how to believe” It seemed that the wrath of God was hanging over my head. Then it dawned on me that’s why Christ died so I wouldn’t have to be in hell, I told Mr. Gratton and we got on our knees and He prayed. I felt such relief and rest. I remember getting up the next morning being so thrilled that I was finally saved.
A few months later two older preachers were having meetings in Clementsvale and they came up to visit one day when mom wasn’t home. They asked if I was saved and I told them trembling ( as I was very scared of most preachers) how I got saved. They said that’s not how you get saved.
So for many months I was very confused, and searching the bible. One night I told the Lord I need this settled tonight. I read for a long time then in Isaiah 53:6 the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all. The Lord gave me assurance that I was saved and He has been my Heavenly Father for many years now. It’s thrilling just to tell it again, How good is the God we adore!
The Following is a Transcript of the Audio above, there may be minor mistakes
I’m going to be very brief, and I’m going to try and remember some of the things that’s profitable, and tell you how I got saved.
I’m gonna read in the Gospel of John chapter 14, and verse 5 and 6.
John chapter 14:5-6 [5] Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? [6] Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
That is the scripture that led me to the Lord Jesus in 1959.
I was born in 1931, just out the road here to the Cain family. And I must tell you, that if it had been my choice, I would have never been born into the life we had to live back then. Because we absolutely had nothing. Nothing.
We were poor, we were laughed at, it was just a horrible life. And you know, the thing that I can remember most of all is when I was a child, the first thing I can remember, my mother was carrying me in the room one day and she was singing to me,
Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so. Little ones to him belong; they are weak, but he is strong.
And my mother used to tell me stories out of the Bible, and of course, I was a slow learner, I wasn’t catching on to some of the things she was telling me. And I’m telling you that my grandmother, Robison, I’m going to give her credit too. She tried to tell me some things about the Lord.
But anyways, as I got older, my mother had family altar. And it was very, very difficult for her because she had a lot of opposition. And my father wasn’t saved, but he was a, my father was a quiet man.
And I was thinking as I was sitting here, you know, my father was 20 years older than my mother, which is a way too much.
And when I could never understand why we didn’t have a father when he’d come home from work. He was too old to, he was tired out. And I never realized how he felt til just now. I realize how he felt because I’m there. He was tired out, he wasn’t able to give to us the things. So that was one thing I missed in life was a father, to be always there for him. He was too old. But I loved him just the same.
But anyway, my mother had family altar. And I’m going to tell you something right now that my mother had the gift of prayer. And I never heard anybody that could pray like her in my life. We would get down in the morning, she’d read the scripture, get us down to these old benches, you know, the wooden benches, that’s who we had. And she’d start to pray.
Well, these men would come in going to the woods. They’d be going with my father to the woods. And what they did now, back then, they took an old can and they’d heat tea and stuff back in the woods in light of fire. And so when they come in the door, you’d just hear their knees hitting the floor when my mother was praying. They’d just go down onto the floor. You’d just hear bang, bang, and you’d look and two or three more of them there. Les Waite, the Curries, and all of them. They’d be down on the floor.
Well, I’m telling you, my sister Doris said something and I agree with her. There was nobody that could bring heaven down but my mother. She could pray. You know, we never know when we’re born into the world what disappointments lie ahead of us. It’s a good thing we don’t.
Isn’t that right? It’s a good thing we don’t know the disappointments that lie ahead of us. Because if we did, we’d get down under with sorrow. We don’t know.
But anyway, that was good. I started to school. I went to school in my bare feet in the summer with no shoes. And, you know, it was very difficult. Then you had from five to ten in one school room and there you were, you know. And back then they strapped you if you did anything that was wrong. I mean, you’d get strapped. It wasn’t like today. They would take those pieces of straps off of the old belts in the machines and they would give you that over the hands. You’d be red raw. So you had to behave yourself.
So anyway, that was all right. When I got older then, I often thought, well, why was I born? You know, why is all this happening? And anyway, I kind of got away from my mother’s prayers. I kind of got away from the things that I got thinking different in my mind. And kind of rejected everything I had heard.
And when I got older, I started to drink. And I started to smoke. And I started to go to dances. And I started to play music. And I started to do everything to take up my attention. And, of course, people would come to my place and they, we would party and this was a big thing, you know.
But, you know, as I get older, as I went into this, I got awful weary of everything. And I thought, well, you know, why is all this happening? Why is all this like this?
Oh, yes, I got a job over at the local store. And I’ll tell you how much I was getting a week and I was paying my board $7. My mother used to go and grade potatoes all day for 50 cents a day. That’s the way it was. No money.
My father, he was a painter. And when my father went and painted, somebody would trade work with him so he’d no money coming in. So, he’d go over and paint the store and all our bill would be wiped off. And then my mother would give me a list to go over. And I’d go over to the store and all these people would be around and I had to go through the embarrassment of being turned down in front of all these people.
Life wasn’t easy back then. That made me bitter. Anyway, I continued on with my drinking. Continued on with my partying.
There was two things happened in my life that God spoke to me now and tell me about. I’ve never told this before. I used to make beer. I used to make it with this malt. And you had to put this malt into the oven in water and get it so it would run. And I put the malt in the oven and I forgot about it, and the can exploded. And I was going to reach into the oven and if I’d have been 10 seconds there, I would have lost my eyesight. My eyes would have been burned out of my head.
And I knew that was God speaking to me.
Another time, I come out of the store and we had lightning rods on the store. And they put a sign up and they put these here pieces of steel thing to hold the sign from banging. And you know that I went out of the store and the minute I stepped out of the store and underneath that sign, the store got hit with lightning over my head. And the lightning just wound around my head. I lost one of my shoes and my mother was looking out the window. She thought I was dead. We were going to a party that night. Well, I must tell you, we didn’t go to any party.
That was God speaking.
Now God speaks once, yeah, twice in a dream and a vision of the night. And he may, you know, I thought the other day, you know, God shook me over hell that night. I tell you, I got some scared. And we never went anywhere that night. I was in shock and I knew it was God speaking to me.
And you know, I’ll tell you that this Mr. Hardy, I got to give him credit too. He was preaching in the United Church and Mr. Hardy and his wife both came to visit me and tried to tell me the way of salvation. He came in one day. He asked me if I had a Bible and I said, well, I’ve got a Bible somewhere. Now then I near tore the bureau doors to pieces trying to find the Bible they gave me one at Sunday school. So when I got the Bible out, I thought, look, this man is coming down and I’m going to read the Bible. But I got my genealogies and Matthew and it discouraged me, and so I stopped reading that.
But however, this life went on like this for a long time. But in 1959, I went out one night and I said, Lord, I can’t stand this anymore. I can’t handle it. I said, I can’t handle this. I said, if there’s a God up there, do something. I can’t handle it. I can’t. And you know that about two days after, Donny MacKenzie came. And he said, Elwyn, I just got saved. I said, you what? And he said, I just got saved. Well, I said, that’s wonderful. He said, we’re having meetings down in the hall.
Now listen, I’ll have to tell you, when you go to talk to somebody, don’t get into the third chapter of Corinthians tell ’em about the wood, hay, and the stubble, because I didn’t know anything about that. That’s what he got into. He was talking about the wood, hay, and the stubble. Well, I didn’t know about anything like that. I was a sinner on my way to hell. I wasn’t saved. What good was that to me? So when you’re talking to somebody, try and give them something a little lighter. You know, because that’s kind of heavy.
But anyway, he said to me, Elwyn, I want you to come to the meeting. I said, I will come. I will come. Because I knew that that was an answer, a direct answer to the prayer that I had prayed. I knew that that was God.
So anyway, I started going to the meetings, and I got troubled about my soul. I would go down in the basement in the store, and there were these great big pillars down there, and I wouldn’t know what I went down after. I was so troubled about my soul that I didn’t know what to do.
So anyway, I kept going to the meetings. I kept going to the meetings, and one night I read the scripture that I read to you in the corner. And Evan McDougall came to the meetings that night. I took a lot of people with me. They didn’t get saved, and we were sitting at the end of the table, at my table up in the little house. I got a house, and we moved out to ourselves so we’d be able to carry on. You know the thing. You know what the young people do. They move away from their parents so they can carry on and think nobody knows about them.
Well that’s what I did. But everybody knows what’s going on, so it’s no secret. So anyway, we were up there, and Evan and I were sitting by the table. And do you know that just in a moment of time God opened my eyes, and I said, Evan, I just got saved. I clapped my hands. He said, you did? And I said, yes. And you know what I saw that night? I didn’t only see that God was the way and the truth and the life, but I saw when that man died in the middle cross, he died for my sins. That’s what I saw. He was taking my place. That was it. Hallelujah. You know, he was taking my place.
Now listen. This is the thing that I want to tell the younger people. God doesn’t see you anymore in Adam. He sees you in Christ. He doesn’t see you in any Adam anymore. He’s taken all your sins, and he’s put them behind your back, and your sins and your iniquities will he remember no more.
The world won’t do that, and do you know why they won’t do it? They don’t want to see you rise above what you were. My niece told me that the other day, and I thought, how true. She was attacked by two Christians. Now listen. I want to tell you this. I didn’t know this until a year ago. When we’re feeding on somebody else’s sins, we’re feeding on the sin offering, and God is not happy with that. If you’re feeding on the sin offering through the week, and then you come to remember the Lord, it’s not a good thing. So when you’re feeding on someone’s fault, that’s your feeding on. If you want to feed on something that lifts your spirit, feed on the burnt offering. Everything’s for God, you see.
And so, another thing I see, we’re not seen in Adam, we’re seen in Christ. And you know the children of Israel, I noticed something, I want to tell you this. The children of Israel, they fed on the manna that fell down in the wilderness. They fed on Christ’s humiliation. But when they get into the land, they fed on the foot of his exaltation. So what does that mean? That means that God does not want you and I to spend our lifetime in the wilderness. Because we’re not on resurrection ground. When you’re on resurrection ground, when you move into the book of Ephesians, because that’s the place where we’re…
See, here’s the essence of the gospel. I’m going to give it to you. Maybe there’s someone here who isn’t saved. When man sinned, God put cherubims and a flaming sword to keep the way of the tree of life. There was a barrier that was put there. Man couldn’t go beyond that barrier. But here is the gospel, the center and core of the gospel. When the Lord Jesus died on the cross, when he shed his blood, when he gave his life as substitutionary death for you and I, he removed the barrier, he erases the sin question, he blesses you with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places, he raises you up and seats you together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages of the ages to come he’s going to show unto you the exceeding riches of his grace.
Now listen, why linger in the wilderness when you can have these things? God has something for you and I to enjoy. And one man said something last week. I’ll tell you what he said. He said, was it your death that when you die you’re going to heaven? Yeah, yeah, I’m going to heaven to die. Was it your death that purchased heaven? No, it wasn’t. Then he said it was the death of another, you can enjoy heaven now. You don’t have to wait till you get there. You can enjoy it now. And that’s what God wants us to do.
And you want to get in the book of Ephesians because that answers to the book of Joshua. It’s not the land of Canaan, it’s not heaven, but it’s our… You know, I like Sidlow Baxter. The first two chapters he says is our wealth, The next two chapters are walking, the next two chapters is our warfare. And we wrestle not against spiritual blood, but against spiritual wickedness in high places. And God wants you to go in and put your foot in the land and he wants you to stand there and protect it. That’s what he wants.
Because Amalek came, he smote the children of Israel and the hinder parts, that’s the flesh. And that’s not going to be done away in our time. And that is the problem. Amalek. And you know when he had put the… Put the… In his stomach that he made, it says the dirt come out. And I thought, boy, isn’t that like the old flesh, the dirt comes out. You… But, you know, this… What the flesh tries to do is keep you from… Take, going into your inheritance, That’s what the flesh tries to do. That’s what he does with me. He tries to get… keep me from going into the book of Ephesians and taking what’s mine. See?
And so you… You have to reckon your self that I might know him, and the power of his… What? The power of his resurrection, the mighty power of his resurrection. And the fellowship of suffering that I might be made conformable unto his death. That’s Philippians. Oh, I was enjoying that.
Do you know what I took from that? Paul was dying daily. He was enjoying the things that belonged to him. Listen, Christian. You and I are wealthy. We’re sons and daughters of the man that’s on the right hand of God. And, you know, the Lord Jesus is exalted. And, you know, sometimes I think at night when I get in there, I think I can hear the seraphim’s wings rustling when I get in his presence. Such a wonderful place to be. And that’s what we need to do. We need to get into the presence of God, pray for one another, love one another. And that’s…
So I’m not going to say any more. I just want to leave you with those few thoughts because I’ve been enjoying it. And so I won’t say any more.
For a More in depth telling of this Testimony, please check it out on on heaven4sure.com
My Journey to Christ began during one of the worst periods in my life. On November 15th, 2022, my fiancé and spouse (Emily Smallman) of nearly 16 years unexpectedly passed away.
I was in a state of emotional turmoil, faced with anger, sadness, frustration, and depression. I received numerous condolence cards during that time, but one from O’Leary Gospel Hall stood out. It was signed by several members and included some Bible verses, along with financial assistance.
As time passed and I began to express my gratitude by sending thank you cards, I recalled that card from the hall. I asked my sister-in-law (Leanna MacArthur), a member of O’Leary Gospel Hall, how to convey my thanks. She suggested attending a Sunday night Gospel meeting as a way to express my gratitude.
I wasn’t particularly religious. I had only attended church when younger, my grandparents would take me with them on Sunday mornings. I had always believed in some higher Power, but nothing specific. At the time I was filled with anger towards that higher power. Perhaps due to my frustration or the persistence of these thoughts, I downloaded a Bible app and started searching for verses related to death and grief.
Matthew 5:4 KJV [4] Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
Psalm 34:18 KJV [18] The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; And saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
It took a few weeks before I felt that I needed to attend a Gospel meeting. During that time I had moved in with my parents, unable to stay living where I had been. I discovered then that my mother was also attending the Gospel meetings.
My first impression of the hall was that it was unlike any traditional church I had been to. The atmosphere was inviting, lacking the symbols and flourish of conventional places of worship. The meetings were simple, with two well-dressed individuals speaking about Jesus, God, and salvation, rather than a priest in ornate robes.
I attended these meetings with a sense of obligation at first, but gradually, I found myself reading the Bible more and observing the fulfillment that my brother (Alan MacArthur) and his wife (Leanna MacArthur) found in their faith.
My continued depression and confusion led me to keep attending these meetings, hoping to understand what drew my family to them. I exchanged contact information with a member (Timmy MacKenzie), who patiently answered my numerous questions about faith, the Bible, and the Gospel.
As I attended Sunday night meetings and engaged in conversations, I grasped the concepts presented, but I couldn’t quite realize them.
Matthew 7:13 KJV [13] Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat.
John 10:9 KJV [9] I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
Matthew 7:14 KJV [14] because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
According to these verses, I felt like I was standing at the doorway but couldn’t figure out how to enter.
Romans 10:9-10 KJV [9] that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. [10] For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. [13] For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
I heard the teachings but struggled to realize them. Then, on the morning of March 10, 2023, I sat in a car outside a hospital where my fiancé’s journey had started to its tragic end. To help distract myself I picked out a podcast from a Gospel feed recommended to me.
The podcast featured a preacher named Jack Hay, who shared his life story, the Word of God, salvation, and its importance. Listening to him quote a passage from the Bible. I sat with eyes closed listening, when at one point I felt tears in my eyes.
Joel 2:32 KJV [32] And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered…
Hitting pause, I started speaking aloud to myself and to God, admitting I was a sinner, that I need help, and expressed belief in Christ’s sacrifice for my forgiveness. Calling out that I believed that Christ suffered and died for me, through which I was forgiven my sins.
I felt a weight lifted from my chest, and I knew something significant had happened. I later realized that I had been saved in that moment—a gift I could never repay.
Romans 3:23-24 KJV [23] for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; [24] being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
The morning of March 10th, 2023, at 10 AM, will forever hold a special place in my heart, as I know I was saved by the grace of God and sacrifice of Jesus Christ. This journey, which began in the depths of sorrow, has brought me to a place of unimaginable joy.
But this was not the end; it’s just the beginning of my journey
This Audio is taken from a Gospel Meeting It is the Same Testimony just told slightly different
I don’t remember a whole lot from the day I got saved. I was 4 years old. I don’t remember thinking much about salvation before that day.
That afternoon there was a really bad thunderstorm with a lot of hail and we were just watching it from the window. My aunt was at my house and it started to hail. I remember her saying something like “wow this storm is really bad it almost seems like the Lord’s going to come.” I remember that thought terrifying me because I knew that if the Lord came I would be left behind.
I yelled out “The Lord can’t come I’m not saved!” Then a few minutes later my mom went back to her room to fold laundry. I followed her and i was crying. I told her that I wanted to be saved. So she sat me down and read me a few verses. She read me John 3:16 and Acts 16:31
John 3:16 KJV [16] 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.
Acts 16:31 KJV [31] And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
I knew I was a sinner and that I was going to hell and through those verses I realized that Jesus died for me so that I don’t have to go to Hell. All I needed to do was just accept the fact that God loves me so much that he sent his son to die for me. It was really that simple.
I am very grateful I got saved so young. But it hasn’t always been easy. I have had a lot of doubts. But anytime I have doubts, I Just go back to the fact that Jesus died for me and it’s really that simple. There’s nothing that I could have done because He did it all for me on the cross.
I was born and raised in a devout Catholic family. I can clearly remember my first communion, first confession, doing catechism (Catholic Sunday school) and being very proud of it all.
We moved to Summerside when I was 10 and I became an altar server (helps the priest with different tasks) and I took that job seriously. Then I joined the choir, I went to youth group, I even considered myself friends with the priests. Early teens hit and I started rebelling. I didn’t want to go to church. I only went for the music. I didn’t get anything out of it! I didn’t want to go to youth group and I absolutely did not want to go to confession. I remember having arguments with my dad that left me in tears because I couldn’t understand why I had to go. Eventually I ended up running the choir and teaching catechism but lying to my dad about going to confession. I did all the retreats and had the big emotional reactions they wanted but I remember hating being called religious. I would firmly say “I’m not religious, I have faith.”
I intended to try out different churches when I moved out because I just didn’t agree with the teachings. Then I met Alan. As our relationship grew, I was introduced to the Christians. Everyone seemed so calm and settled and happy. Pam would ask me to go to meeting and I would say no because I was Catholic.
Eventually I gave in and went to one Gospel meeting. David Herlihy & Brody Thibodeau spoke. I don’t remember anything they said but after I asked Brody “Is purgatory real or is it Catholic made up garbage?”. His answer was simple: “it’s not in the Bible. You go to Heaven or Hell. There is no in between.” (Purgatory is a place Catholics believe you go to “pay” for the sins you didn’t confess before you died. Once paid then God decides where you go. I was more afraid of purgatory than Hell).
I believe that week they started up meetings for me at the Springfield hall. Allison would pick me up and take me each night. Allison asked me lots of questions after meeting. I understood I was a sinner and I deserved Hell and that’s where I was going. Allison recited John 3:16 to me but inserted my name. “For God so loved Leanna that he gave his only Son. So if Leanna believed on him she will not perish but have everlasting life.” It was the next verse that spoke more to me. “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved.” I was stuck in the mindset of “I deserve Hell” and “why would God bother saving a sinner like me?” The Catholic Church was so intense and negative. I felt condemned all the time but the Bible was saying Jesus came for the exact opposite reason!
December 7, 2015: The second Monday of the meetings I drove myself. I sat beside Angela and spent a good portion of the beginning of the meeting searching for a song: 213 Was it for Me?
Gospel Hymn Book 213: Was it for Me
Was it for me, for me alone, The Saviour left His glorious throne, The dazzling splendours of the sky, Was it for me He came to die?
(Chorus) It was for me, yes, all for me; O, love of God so great, so free; O, wondrous love, I’ll shout and sing, He died for me, my Lord, the King.
Was it for me sweet angel strains Came floating o’er Judea’s plains, That starlight night so long ago? Was it for me God planned it so?
Was it for me He wept and prayed, When prostrate in the garden laid, That night within Gethsemane? Was it for me, that agony?
Was it for me He bowed His head Upon the cross, and freely shed His precious blood – that crimson tide? Was it for me the Saviour died?
I couldn’t comprehend why God would send his Son for me? I’m not worth that sacrifice! I was afraid that someone else would come into my life and tell me that this wasn’t the way to heaven either and I’d have to start over again. Catholicism wasn’t the way, what if the Gospel Hall wasn’t either?
After meeting that night I got in my car and headed towards O’Leary. I understood everything. I am a sinner. I deserve Hell. God sent his Son so I wouldn’t have to go to Hell. I just had to let go of my fear and trust. I took a deep breath, squeezed my eyes shut (while driving) and said “I trust you!”. I let out that breath and all of my sin was washed away. I opened my eyes. Laughed. Cried. And rejoiced. I was saved! I of course had doubts immediately. What really confirmed it was the next night at meeting.
I looked at the chart and instead of focusing on Hell, my eyes immediately went to Heaven and I thought “I get to go there!”. I could hardly contain my singing and my smile. I told Allison on Thursday driving her home from meeting. I was afraid to tell Alan but he said he was happy! Looking back, I realize he encouraged me to go each night. He wasn’t saved at that time but he understood that I needed to be.
The following 10 months were a rollercoaster but Alan got saved just in time. I knew in my gut I would marry a saved man and I did.
John 3:16-17 KJV [16] 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. [17] For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
I was born October 14, 1980. I am thankful for my parents and 3 siblings. When I was a child I remembered that I tried to attend the Sunday mass every Sunday, as a roman catholic religion used to do. That time, all I thought and understand that going to Heaven is according to work a good work or being a good person. Attending the mass every Sunday to the roman catholic church is one of my way to show to the Lord that I am a better person, which is not in the Bible. But because I do not read the bible before I do not know the truth about the salvation of my soul.
Then, at my age of 22 years old I went to Taiwan for work as a factory worker to the company of Canon Camera. After a year that is 2003 I met a man name Aldrin, two years after we decided to get married 2006 of January. I felt so in loved with my husband and I felt that I am one of the happiest woman in the world. Two years after 2008 of November we had Joshua, but big trial comes in our marriage. When Aldrin went back to Taiwan for work he met another woman and abandon us his wife and his own child. My heart was totally broken and full of pain and hatred. I decided to go back to Taiwan to work hard for my son. God is so good, after two years God make a way for me to move on and start a new life here in Canada. 2011 of May I came here to PEI and work at the fish plant South Shore Seafoods. Even I am too far from our country the pain and hatred still within my heart.
One year after, 2012 I met some Christians family. Mommy Pam, Daddy Andrew and their children. They invited us to come to their home and we enjoyed the Canadian food for the first time. This family invited me to come to the Gospel meeting. And I refused because I told to my self that I am a roman catholic religion. I don’t want to change my religion. But, God is really good to me He wants me to know and hear the truth from the Bible His word. Then, I heard two Filipino girls got saved and accept the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour.
My roommate Sarah she is one of the girl who got saved, asked me to come to the Gospel meeting. For the favor of our friendship, I said yes I will come ones. I heard John:3:16:
John 3:16 KJV [16] 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.
Then, I told to my self I want to come again and hear more the word of God about salvation. That is January 2nd week of 2012 when I first heard the Gospel.
I continued and enjoyed to come and heard the Gospel for two months. Praise the Lord Jesus Christ I got saved March 25 2012 Sunday night right after the Gospel meeting.
1 Timothy 1:15 KJV [15] This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
That is the verse that I heard that Gospel meeting , I understood very clear from His word that He is faithful and worthy to trust and why He came to this world is to save sinners like me. My good works is not going to take me in heaven. I have done a lot of sins and one sin is enough to take me to hell, to the lake of fire. That night my broken hearted was healed and my soul have everlasting life. Praise the Lord Jesus Christ that He ever came to this world suffered and shed His precious Blood on the Cross and washed away all my sins. He is my Great Redeemer.
The Lord is full of grace and mercy, after 7 years that me and my husband been separated the Lord have a better plan for us. Beyond in our understanding. My husband and I have a reconciliation and I forgave him as the Lord forgave my sins. Aldrin came here in Canada with Joshua in May of 2016 and heard the Gospel for two months and he got saved “ Praise the Lord”. Then, January 7 2017 we got a chance to renewed our vows at Springfield West Gospel Hall.
Life is not easy but one thing I enjoyed each day, to know for sure that my soul have everlasting life, and with the surrounding of the love of the Brethren in the Local Assembly. Thanks be to God the Lord Jesus Christ for His precious blood that shed on the cross to washed away my sins.
I was saved at a very young age so don’t have a lot of memories so my parents have filled in the gaps. When I was 2, Uncle Murray (Pratt) had children’s meetings in Kirkland Lake. As a normal, busy little girl, I couldn’t sit still so dad whispered to me “listen Melissa, God wants to speak to you”. From that moment on, I sat up straight in my seat, listened in all the meetings and memorized every verse.
A year later, Sarah was born. At one month old, mom had finished nursing her and was going to put her into her bed, but got chatting with Aunt Jackie (Cook) and just held her while she slept instead. She looked down after some time and Sarah was blue in her arms. After that episode Sarah spent quite a bit of time in hospital and Amanda and I spent some time with Uncle Larry and Aunt Janie (Pratt). After reading at the table after supper, Uncle Larry always went around the table and asked the kids each a question. When he came to me he said “Melissa, where is God?”. Much to their surprise, I jumped up from my seat and ran around to their China cabinet and the big Pratt family photo that sat on it, and pointed to Uncle Murray. Well, Uncle Larry fixed that one quickly and they realized why I sat so well whenever Uncle Murray was preaching!
The next few years I was really worried about the Lord’s coming. I would bring it up to mom and dad all the time and mom called Jim Beattie at one point and asked him what she could do as she had a really young girl who could hardly fall asleep at night and many mornings they would find me asleep outside their door on the floor. He just gave them the advice not to push me off, but just to give me Gospel verses, so that’s what they continued to do.
On January 20, 1990 a few months before I turned 5, mom called dad and told him he would have to come home for lunch as I was very upset and had told mom that I just really wanted to be saved. Mom and dad sat down with me and told me verses, and all I remember of that day is realizing that I wouldn’t be left behind because Jesus died for my sins.
Of course being saved so young I had a few bouts of doubts. When I was 8, I had a nightmare that I was falling into hell and I remember waking up crying and sweating and getting down on my knees and saying, “God I know I’m already saved, but if I’m not, I know hell is where I deserve to be, but I know you sent your son to die for me and so I never have to go there. Thanks for saving me”. I crawled back into bed and slept the rest of the night.
Another time when I was 14, I had asked for baptism and someone came to our assembly the week before the baptism and spoke on false professions and how he was baptized and in the assembly and then realized he was never saved… well I remember being in the shower later that week and getting on my knees and saying “Lord, I know I’m saved, and I’m sorry for doubting you, but if I’m not saved, please show me”. I got out of the shower and opened my Bible and my reading that day was in Matthew:
Matthew 18:3 KJV [3] And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
So I was baptized summer of 1999 and received into fellowship in November the same year. I haven’t been perfect, but I’m so thankful for a Saviour who loves me anyway!
It was 1980, and my Dad had been going out to gospel meetings in Freetown with Harold Croken. That was in May. I’m not sure when Mom and I started going, and maybe she went awhile before I was expected to go, but in August, she got saved.
I remember listening pretty well, but as a 14-year-old, I was distracted easily. I was definitely questioning a lot that was said, John 3:16,36 were two verses that were my mind all the time.
John 3:16 KJV [16] 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 3:36 KJV [36] He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
I knew my sins were taking me to Hell. Mom had gotten saved, and that troubled me. The next couple of nights, I listened intently, and John 3:36 kept coming back to me, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.
That night on the 29th, I accepted that Jesus died on the cross not just for my past sins but for my present and future sins. I was very quiet about it, not sure what I had just discovered, but on the way out, I told Mr Ramsay I had gotten saved. I had gotten in the car to head home, and I’m not sure if I told my Dad I had gotten saved or He overheard me telling the preachers. But none the less he said oh Darlene, you better not be just saying that because Mom just got saved. Of course, after that, I was so mad at him for not believing me that I refused to go back to meeting.
Needless to say, every evening was a fight ending with me crying my way to meeting. It was a long winter… He also made me tell my friends at school that I could no longer be friends with them because I had gotten saved, but that didn’t go over well. Spring turned into summer, and school was out.
Helen Andrews saw that I wasn’t doing so well spiritually and offered for me to come live with them during the week to help out in her bookstore. Her and Hillard we’re so good to me, reading the Bible and praying with me every day.
Well, 43 years later, I have been disappointed in myself many times, but the Lord knew all along my future and loved me just the same.
I was gone to bed that Wednesday night and couldn’t sleep because I kept thinking, if I died or if the Lord came in the night I’d be in Hell. I wanted to go talk to mom and dad who were still up but I kept getting up to go and then I’d tell myself, no, it’s fine, I’ll go back to bed and worry about it in the morning. And then I remembered that Randy Bell spoke in children’s meeting once about the devil using our pride to keep us in our sins and I thought, this is just my pride and I need to get this settled.
So I went downstairs and told my parents I wanted to be saved. They read through some verses with me about how I was a sinner and Jesus died for sinners. I was already at the point where I knew I was a sinner but I couldn’t grasp how I could know for sure that I was saved because I couldn’t understand how everyone always talked about how simple it was but I couldn’t get it. So dad read me the verse in John 14:27 about the Lord Jesus leaving his disciples with peace.
John 14:27 KJV [27] Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
He then launched into some explanation of the verse but I still have no idea what he said because when I heard that verse, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you . . . Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
I went off in my own thoughts and I was thinking yep, here I am terrified of going to hell, God I need that peace and then the thought popped into my head; Christ died to give you peace. And I just accepted it. It really was that simple!
So I turned to dad who was still in the middle of his sentence and I said “I just got saved!” Haha he was like “what?!” What happened?” so I explained and then we all got down on our knees and thanked God for giving us His Son. It was a pretty joyful night for us that night. 😄
