My parents were people who taught good principles, but I never considered them religious. Mother took us children to church, but I can't remember that Daddy ever went himself. I was raised a Baptist in Texas. The preachers often said that we had better "be good" or we would go to Hell. In almost the same breath they would indicate that one could never be "good enough" because "we are all sinners". I had always thought that I was a pretty good girl and did not feel that I merited Hell. It was confusing to me.

Finally, after having heard something about them, I arranged to have Mormon missionaries come to teach me and my husband and children. It was so good to hear that there were people who believed that God still works through prophets. The Baptists had said there were no more prophets and no more scripture. Until that time Bible stories had always sounded like fairy tales to me. With newfound insight they began to sound like real events and real people.

Our family did join the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I did quite a bit of reading and found that some of the doctrines had been changed from the way Joseph Smith taught them to be. I didn't understand, for instance, why the garment had been changed from wrist and ankle length to a new "street length" suitable for modern fashions. Changing God's directions for fashion? Who has authority to do that? The original pattern for the garment had been given to Joseph Smith by an angel sent form God.

I was never excited about the fact that the doctrine of plural marriage was a part of the church (although it has been denounced, it is still in the scriptures) and that we would "have to practice it again some day." In other words, I didn't want to participate in that principle at all, even though I recognized that everybody who was anybody in the Bible was a polygamist.

Many things had been changed from Joseph's original teachings. I continued to read and found many differences. I purchased a set of the Journals of Discourses. Talk about changes! There are too many to name. I retained my membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints for many years not knowing of any church who came closer to the truth.

Over the years my family moved several times to Utah, Idaho, then back to Texas and back again to Utah. I kept feeling that Utah was where I belonged. I continued to be uneasy about the things in the church that were different from the way they were intended to be.

Then, just about two and a half years ago, a long time friend of mine sent me the TLC pamphlets (which can now be found on this TLC web site) and letters to read and invited me to attend a two day seminar called the "Models" to learn what she had learned. I read all the information eagerly and knew that I had finally found the truth. I accepted the invitation to attend the seminar, knowing already that I would hear truth. There I received more truth and recognized it as such. I was excited to know such marvelous things and to hear them taught with such power from a true prophet. Now, I really didn't want to go back home to Roy, Utah, but by this time I had employment there and had to make a living. My husband also knew we had heard the truth. Now it was up to us to decide to gather or not. I could think of little else, but waited for my husband to give the go-ahead to quit my job and get ready to move, which he did in about two months. I felt so anxious to become a part of the Gathering. I had often read in the scriptures how Christ feels about gathering his people. In fact, when I joined the LDS Church the first thing I wanted to do (and did) was to to gather with the LDS in Salt Lake City, Utah. Now I had an opportunity to gather with others of like mind who all had pulled up stakes and had given up homes and families and jobs just as I had done. I had the opportunity to join the True and Living Church of Jesus Christ of Saints of the Last Days. I moved to Manti and was baptized in August of 1996.

It is such a joy to sit at the feet of a real prophet and hear him speak words of truth, comfort, understanding, explanation, and sometimes chastisement. It is such a joy to hear the scriptures taught by someone who really knows what they mean and to receive witnesses of the same. It is such a joy to receive much more than milk in any given meeting, to be expected to learn something, and to do something, and to work as part of the whole group doing what I can within my abilities.

My husband has left me now, but I am ok. In fact, I am truly happy. I expect that one day I will be the plural wife (I now understand this principle a little better and can accept it) of a good man who makes every effort to follow God's laws and to lead his wives in righteousness. At the time of this writing none of my children have opted to investigate what is being taught here, but I have not given up hope for them to do so. I call to mind the Lectures on Faith with which many of you may be familiar . They were once a part of the LDS scripture, but that is one of the things taken out by later leaders (Some more recent members of the LDS Church don't even know the Lectures on Faith exist!) In the 6th Lecture it is said that we must be willing to give up everything for God and that we must know that what we are doing is God's will for us. Now I know that.

I know who God is. He is Adam. He was the first man to inhabit this earth with Eve, one of his wives. Jesus Christ is his Son and is our Savior and Redeemer. He performed the Atonement for each one of us if we repent. James D. Harmston is a true prophet of God. Oh, they have done so much for all of us! All we have to do is repent of our sins and keep the commandments and the covenants we have made -- and do it God's way, not our own.

The LDS church has fallen into great apostasy just as the church did so many times in the Book of Mormon. They teach the true order of prayer in the temple and then do not allow people to use it. What for? I wonder.

I yet have a great deal to learn. Isn't Eternal Progression continual learning? Life has become an exciting adventure. If you feel a deep need to receive more truth, further light and knowledge, and to learn something more of the mysteries of God and to live all of his laws more completely, then read more and pray to know if this is the place to find what you are looking for. I thank you for taking a part of your time to read what I have had to say. May God bless you in your search.

Patricia Morris