i believe in Christianity as i believe that the sun has risen, not only because i see it, but because by it, i see everything else.

good morning everyone. for those of you who don't know me, my name is meghan carpenter. i've only been attending here for about 3 months. i've gotten to know a few of you, and i love it here. i'd like to start by thanking you for accepting me so openly into your congregation, and for befriending me when i was going through a very difficult transition period. 
a few weeks ago, i was talking to my wonderful youth ministers, sam and kit, and shared a bit of my conversion story. they suggested i share with the rest of the youth, and i agreed. little did i know that they had shared with pastor joe, and, because of such, here i am. 
even so, i am grateful to be where i am right now. i am so grateful for this opportunity and i pray that the Holy Spirit will be here with us, and that i will know what He would have me say.
my parents were high school sweethearts. they met in 9th grade biology and, though my mom despised my dad's "belt buckle the size of texas" neither could deny what they felt. i know what you're thinking. what does this have to do with anything?
religiously, my parents were very different. my mom had been a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints her entire life. her parents were devout members, serving in their temple, their callings, and helping most of their neighbors in any way possible. but, as it seems this description always ends with, my mom was a rebel-child. 
my grandma and grandpa, my daddy's parents, separated when my daddy was 12. soon, my grandma was working 2 jobs and my dad was raising his 9 year old younger brother. though my dad was baptized LDS when he was 8, he was never active. he simply didn't have time. he started working weekends when he was 13, and worked ever since. 
so, my parents were, religiously anyways, completely opposite. but they had something in common. they were both rebel children. needless to say, my mom fell away from her parents church, and mom and dad got married. they adopted me when i was 8 months old, and we were Christmas and Easter mormons. 
when i was 3 years old, i told mom i wanted to go to church. they called the bishop's wife and, until i was 9 years old, i went to church by myself, encouraging every week that my parents went with me. it wasn't until i was 10 that my mom began coming to church, then my dad a few years later.
so, fast forward a few years. i was a happy junior in high school, but sort of confused about my religion. i tried talking to my mom about it. she just brushed it off and said i needed to pray more, read the Book of Mormon more. i was too strong to be questioning. 
and i tried. i prayed and prayed for an answer. little did i know that my prayers would be answered through an unsuspecting 17 year old boy. 
we met, and i hated him. he was so loud and happy and popular. and i was, well, not. even through our differences, we soon became best friends, and then boyfriend and girlfriend. 
religion was something we just didn't talk about for a while, because we were of different faiths. i didn't realize at the time how confused i was about my religion. but he was there when i needed him to be. this boy taught me about Jesus, and how important my relationship with Him is. he taught me about the bible and personal revelation. and i believed it. i knew it was true. 
but, this boy, as many people do, ran out of my life just about as fast as he came in. and i was left not knowing where to turn. it was then that i realized that this boy was the reason i believed what i did. but, at the same time, i was not happy doing what i was. the LDS church just wasn't working for me. 
so, i started searching. i prayed a lot. i read the bible every night. i eventually decided to begin trying different churches. i attended 4 different churches before finding my way here. 
this has been the best experience though. many people have been there for me, including my Savior. i have never been closer to Him in my entire life and i love Him so much. i love where i am. i love who i am. i love each and every one of you, and i pray everyday that i can be to someone else what you all have been to me. i love each and every one of you, and i know Christ loves you as well. God bless each and every one of you. amen.




today, i helped in my churches' main ministry. it was probably the best experience of my entire life. i love being able to share my story with others and there were so many people who came up to talk to me after i spoke. many people are going through the same thing i went through and they all thanked me for giving them faith and strength through it all. 
ahh. i love Christ and the unity that, through Him, we are all able to have.(: