“When I was a teenager, there was a time I felt like I had become far from God and what he wanted for me. I still believed in Him, but I felt like I was in a dark, distant place and I felt like my future would be the same. Personal and familial problems had left deep wounds that seemed so insurmountable while living in a relatively wealthy area, I saw others that had such small challenges. I became bitter and frustrated as if God had decided to leave me. I took out this anger on my friends and family, pushing them away until I was as lonely as possible.
After living this way for some time, I wondered if there was a way to bring light back into my life, or if my fate was sealed. For several days, I asked myself, “how can I draw near to God? And is he really even there to welcome me?” Very late into the night, as I thought about this and couldn’t sleep, I opened my scriptures which fell directly to Doctrine and Covenants 88:63, “Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you.” The wording matched my question exactly without having ever read this line before.
I repeated that phrase in my head several times a day, “draw near unto me.” I let it change how I thought and prioritized my life. Little by little, I felt a light come into my life. God continued to have small ways to give me direction, comfort, and love. After a few years, this had become strong enough that I began to actively reach out toward others, and felt strong enough to serve a mission for His church.
There are still struggles I work with day-to-day in drawing closer to God, but one of the moments I’ll always remember is when he spoke to me so clearly on that sleepless night. I hope that anyone else who reads this understands that if you take a step toward God, he will always take a loving step towards you.”
I Am Converted 