Author Archives: cthielphotography

“I think we’ve all had times in our lives where we feel utterly broken. I know I have. But, when I was younger, I was taught to pray. So, when I felt absolutely alone with no one to talk to, I remembered to kneel down and talk to God.  I poured my soul out toContinue reading “NINETY TWO”

“The loss of a loved one is one of the most devastating news anyone can receive. For me, that news came to me when I was 9 years old.     My mom was pregnant with her 4th child; a soon to be baby boy. We had a bedroom ready for his arrival, and familyContinue reading “NINETY ONE”

“I feel blessed to say I was born and raised in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and as a few other wonderful members have stated, being a member is not the equivalent to being converted. I have found that raw conversion is found in the most gut-wrenching doubts that plague what youContinue reading “NINETY”

“When I was growing up, my father became a minister in a nondenominational church, so I was raised in a family that always attended church. When I was in the sixth grade, I met the girl who would later become my wife. We began dating as Seniors in High School and the first time sheContinue reading “EIGHTY NINE”

“I was not raised in this Church. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Found Me. I was invited via text message to a friend’s baptism, got my first lesson the next day and when I learned that this is the restored Church of Jesus Christ, it was a no brainer. I committed.Continue reading “EIGHTY EIGHT”

“Each person’s journey with their faith has defining moments.  These moments can be filled with joy, and sometimes they are filled with sorrow.  Once in awhile, they are both. After years of struggling with infertility, my husband and I were overjoyed to find out we were expecting our first baby.  We received crushing news justContinue reading “EIGHTY SEVEN”

“I was raised in a Lutheran home by wonderful parents. When I attended the University of Wisconsin, I was not looking to change religion or change religion or change my rather casual commitment to my beliefs. In 1975, when a friend’s and my elder brother’s decisions to join the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-dayContinue reading “EIGHTY SIX”

“I was nine years old when the missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints made contact with my family and began to teach us. I was immediately drawn to their message and joined my parents as these young men taught them about the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. Sometimes it’s easy toContinue reading “EIGHTY FIVE”

“The questions – “Why am I here?”, “What happens when I die?”, and “What is the meaning of life?” plagued me at the young age of 13. Even though I was born to kind, faithful, and active members of the church, I felt the need to understand and know for myself if what I wasContinue reading “EIGHTY FOUR”

“I was not raised in the church and had never heard of the church until the missionaries started coming over. I don’t remember how old I was when I got baptized, what I do remember is that I was living in west Virginia at the time. I really liked going, the kids were nice, andContinue reading “EIGHTY THREE”