I have a pair of soft, red shoes that I bought when I was living in Costa Rica during my grade twelve year. They are my favorite pair of shoes by far. They are comfortable, soft on the feet, easy to slip on and off, and they don't have heels. Although those are all fabulous reasons to love a pair of shoes, these shoes tell a special story for it is in these shoes that I first gained my own testimony of the Gospel.
Although I've always had a testimony of the Gospel, I guess I never knew it until I was on my own, in a foreign country. When you don't speak the language, it is easy to feel alone, even when surrounded by people. It is in these shoes that I began devoting my spare time to reading and studying from one of my favorite books, The Book of Mormon.
It was in these shoes that I learned that Heavenly Father is always there for us. As I would kneel in prayer and ask for comfort, I would always receive it. If I was ever on the bus, or walking to seminary and felt unsafe, I could always say a little prayer and feel at peace.
It was in these shoes that I stood and joined in prayer for safety with my Spanish family every time we or another family member left the house. My testimony of prayer grew each and every day as we encountered bus accidents, potentially dangerous situations downtown, and scary acquaintances. I was always kept safe.
It is in these shoes that I learned that the Holy Ghost speaks in one language that all can understand. I attended church every Sunday with the family that I was staying with. Although the language was different, the feeling was the same. The hymns were just as beautiful in Spanish and even though the words were different, the meaning was still the same to me.
It is in these shoes that I walked to and from seminary at sunrise every morning to study and learn. Because of the rough roads and sidewalks, they became very worn. One morning, the seminary teacher asked us to memorize Section four of the Doctrine and Covenants (in Spanish mind-you) to recite the following week in front of the class. It wasn't an easy task for me, but I am always grateful for that inspired seminary teacher and the wisdom she shared.
It was in these shoes that I stood and shared my testimony one of my last Sundays in Costa Rica. The closing song was "Las familias pueden ser eternas" (Families can be together forever). I had just finished crying my way through my testimony in another language and was missing my family so bad, still this Sunday makes my top five Sunday's list. I will be forever grateful for my experience there and for the family that took such great care of me and treated me as one of their own while I was there.
Mi testimonio es como la de un niño. Yo se que la iglesia es verdadera con todo mi corazón, y que José Smith fue un Profeta de Dios y que el libro de mormon es verdadero. Yo se que nuestro padre celestial nos conoce y cada personalidad y conoce a todos los que lo necesitan. Yo amo a Jesucristo y mi familia. Yo estoy agradecida por los templos asi yo puedo vivir con mi familia en eternidad. Yo se que me Padre Celestial oye mis oraciones y repuestas de mis oraciones.
