My Story About Joining The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
ساهم في هذا المقال عضو محلي في كنيسة يسوع المسيح لقديسي الأيام الأخيرة. قد لا تمثل الآراء المعبر عنها آراء ومواقف كنيسة يسوع المسيح لقديسي الأيام الأخيرة. لزيارة الموقع الرسمي للكنيسة Churchofjesuschrist.org.
Written by Lee Yat Wing. (Original Version in Chinese.)
Lee Yat Wing was baptized in Kom Tong Hall in 1977. Currently, he lives in California, USA.
In the 1970s, I was a salesman for a Japanese textile company. During that time, the clothing manufacturing business was flourishing in Hong Kong; many factories and wholesale companies needed textile supplies. As a result, I was quite busy. The business world was like a battlefield. Where there is profit, there is competition. Since the competition became stiff, my workload increased greatly, and even my good friends became my rivals.
In order to deal with the competitors, I was under a lot of pressure. I had to learn how to be crafty. In order to please the buyers, it became necessary for me to spend more time with them. We would often go drinking or play mahjong. I became used to leaving early for work and coming home late at night. Since I was under this stress for a long time, my personality and attitude were affected by it.
Back then, I was becoming mentally and emotionally unstable. I distrusted others, became selfish, and deeply worried about losing what I have worked so hard to earn. I lost my confidence and was becoming irritable. As a result, I depended on tobacco and wine to numb myself from the burdens. I knew that this would hurt me if I continued down this path. This kind of life disgusted me.
In order to change, I knew the only power I could rely on was religion. Even though I was not a Christian, I had heard of the changing power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in a person’s heart and mind. I began to have a desire to learn the truth!
At that time I lived on Caine Road. Close to my house, there were many churches, and there was also a meeting house of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Acropolis Road, not very far away from my home. I could see the building from my living room. In the past, many young missionaries had knocked on my door, however, I was hardly ever home, so I never got in touch with them. It wasn’t until one day, the opportunity finally arose. I was not feeling well, so I didn’t go to work and stayed home. While I was resting, coincidentally the missionaries came and knocked on my door.
Just like the scripture says: “ask, and ye shall receive, knock, and it shall be opened unto you.” My heart rejoiced in the gospel lesson which the young missionaries taught, so I set another appointment and we continued our discussions. I knew that was the opportunity I had been longing for. After several discussions, they encouraged me to obey the Word of Wisdom. To me, that was a great challenge. However, I committed without a second thought. Now that I think about it, that decision was a miracle.
I was taught to keep my promises since I was young. The elderly in my family once told me, “Keeping a commitment means being trustworthy.” When I started, it was hard for me to obey the Word of Wisdom. However, I endured as much as I could, because I wanted to show that I was committed to God’s will for my life. Gradually, obeying the Word of Wisdom became natural. I learned the importance of determination. I learned that when a person decides to do something, whether it be good or bad, determination will become a source of strength, pushing us to achieve our goal, and after achieving it, it will become a natural thing to do.
My life gradually changed. Not long after joining the Church, I quit my job as a textile salesman and started my own business. I am grateful for the change the gospel has brought into my life. Like the scripture says, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls” (Matthew 11:28).
I am grateful for the guidance of the Spirit, which helped transform me. My life and thoughts have changed drastically compared to where I started. I now lead a peaceful and happy life. The gospel has cleared my mind and taught me what to pursue in life. I have turned away from a laborious and miserable life, and now I can enjoy a simple but savory meal. The Savior taught us to repent before it is too late. In Matthew 5:29 we read: “And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.”
I testify that the gospel is true. The gospel can relieve us from doubts and troubles. When we seek after His kingdom and His righteousness in everything we do, Heavenly Father will let us know how to find the right path. I testify that the God in whom we believe lives. Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer. He is forgiving and compassionate to us all. This is my testimony in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Original Text
李日榮
加入耶穌基督後期聖徒教會的故事
七零年代，我在香港的一家日本商務公司擔任推銷日產布疋的工作，當時香港的製衣業非常蓬勃，厰商和批發商都需要很多布料 供應，所以我的工作相當忙碌。正所謂商場如戰場，有利益的地方便有競爭，由於競爭利害， 至令我的工作日益沉重，即使是好朋友也變成勾心鬥角的對象。
為了應付競爭者，我每天都要承受很 大的壓力，也漸漸學到了狡詐，為了討好買家，必 須要交際應酬，飲酒打麻將亦在所難免，早出夜歸 也成為習慣，由於長期身處在這種緊張工作環境下， 性格心態不其然受到影響
那時候，我覺得自己變得精神緊張、情緒反覆、對人懷疑、自私自利、內 心多慮、患得患失、缺乏自信和煩躁不安，所以我不斷要依賴煙酒去麻醉自己。雖然如此，我也知道要是我繼續長此下去，對自己的身心必定有很大傷害，而我也漸漸討厭這種生活。為了要改變自己， 我想到了一種力量可以給我幫助，那就是宗教的力量。雖然我不是基督徒，但我也曾聽說過福音可以改變人的心智，因此我心中不期然地產生了一個渴望——我要學習真理!
當時我住在堅道，家的附近有很多不同的教會， 在離家不遠的衛城道便有一所耶穌基督後期聖徒教 會，我在家中客廳的窗前便可以看到教會的大樓。 過往曾經有許多年輕的傳教士到我家叩門傳道，可是我很少閒在家裡，所以未能和他們接觸，剛好有一天機會來到，那天我因為心境不佳，沒有上班而呆在家中休息，碰巧傳教士便來叩門。
就正如經文所說:「尋求，就尋見。叩門必為你開門」。我內心非常喜悅傳教士的福音教導，所以我也約好了他們 繼續教導我更多的福音課程，我知道這將會是我期待已久的改變機會，學習了幾個課程後，他們鼓勵我遵守智慧語的誡命，對我來說，這確實是一項挑戰，可是我卻不假思索地一口答應，回想起來，那真是一件奇妙的承諾。
我願意實踐承諾是跟我從小被教導有關，長輩曾教導我說，「答應而能實行的才是守信用」。我為了要守信用，起初雖然感到遵守這誡命有點困難，但我盡力去忍受，漸漸遵守智慧語便成為很自然的事。我明白到下决心的重要性， 如果我們决心要去做一件好事或壞事，决心必定會成為我們內心的一種力量，推動着我們去達成，達成後便會成為自然和習慣。
加入教會之後我的生活漸漸改變了，不久我辭去布疋推銷的工作，自己去做生意。我感謝福音帶 給我生活的改變，正如經文所說:「凡勞苦擔重擔 的人可以到我這裡來，我就使你們得安息，我心裡 柔和謙卑，你們當負我的軛，學我的樣式，這樣你 們心裏就必得享安息」。
感謝聖靈的帶領，讓我走向改變之路，回顧當年又看看今天，我的生活和思想有很大的距離，我感覺平靜沒鬥爭的生活，就是快樂的生活，福音讓我清醒，知道人生何求。勞苦愁煩，不如回頭，粗菜淡飯，食之甘飴。救主曾經教導我們及早改變的道理，馬太福音 5:29 「若是你的右眼叫你跌倒， 就剜出來丟掉，寧可失去百體中的一體，不叫全身丟在地獄裏」。
我見證福音是真實的，確實可解除我們心中疑慮和困苦。如果我們願意運用福音的教導作為生活上的標準，每件事都先求祂的國和祂的義，天父必定會讓我們知道如何找到正確的道路。我見證:我們所信仰的神是活着的，耶穌基督是我們的救主和救贖主，是一位寬恕和充滿着慈悲的神。 我的見證是奉耶穌基督的名，阿們。
