Well, hey Dempsey, I’m so glad to spend some time with you! How are you doing?

I’m alright, it’s been a very interesting day today, let’s just say that.

Well, bring us up to speed. What’s going on with you?

I’m the assistant manager at Murphy’s Gas Station in my area. We had a raise and rebuild, so we have a brand new store. We haven’t been working much lately, but today we were supposed to get a double truck, which didn’t happen. Still, I’ve been getting some stuff done around the store and checking out the new layout, getting ready for everything. It’s been very interesting.

What part of the country do you live in?

I live in Thompson, Georgia.

I don’t know where that is. I know where Valdosta and Atlanta are, though.

It’s literally right in the middle of both of them. Right in the heart of Georgia.

Let’s get started. What was your life like before you found the gospel?

Before I found the gospel, I was mentally distraught. It felt like everything was wrong all the time—nothing seemed to go right. Life just wasn’t working out, and I was constantly upset and angry. I just felt like there had to be more to life than this. After I found the gospel, I started seeing things in a different light, and it helped me realize that there was so much more to life than what I had been experiencing.

How did you find the gospel, or how did it find you?
When I started working in Thompson, I’d already met missionaries plenty of times in my life. From the time I was 13 or 15 years old up until now, I kept running into people from the church. When I moved to North Carolina, I encountered more members of the church, and after I moved back to Georgia, it happened again. One of my coworkers at Murphy’s was a Latter-Day Saint, and we started talking about her faith. I wasn’t sure what to call it, so I asked if she was Mormon, and she corrected me, saying that “Mormon” is a derogatory term and that they are Latter-Day Saints. I got interested and started looking it up. She gave my information to the missionaries, and I started meeting with them. I was baptized in May of this year, after meeting with them since October of the previous year.
Wow, so you’re still kind of new to it.
Yeah, still new. I just received my Melchizedek Priesthood about three weeks ago.
Congratulations, brother!
Thank you! I’m glad to hear that. It’s a great step, isn’t it?
Oh yes! Everything feels so much better now. I don’t have any negative animosity toward anyone. The agency I received through my baptism has allowed me to discern the difference between people I thought were close friends and now realize they might not be.

How has your life changed since you accepted the gospel?
The clouds are gone. The storm is gone. I can see a future now and know where I’m going. I don’t worry about whether I’m doing this or that right—everything is falling into place. I know now that this is what I’m meant to do. Life feels so much better than before, and I no longer have negative thoughts hanging over me.

Was there something specific that the missionaries said that made you realize this was what you wanted to be involved with?
When I met with the second set of missionaries, we discussed the Plan of Salvation, and the scripture that really stood out to me was Mosiah 3:18-19 about the natural man. That’s when the light bulb went off for me. You go through life as a convert and don’t realize there’s a whole different way of living than what you were used to. Before you join the church, you’re fighting those old urges, but once you realize it, you understand that even if you stray from the path, the Lord will help you back on track.

Did you face any resistance from family or friends when you started?
My mom was curious at first about why I was doing this. When I explained it to her, she said it made sense. Over time, she’s noticed a change in me, and so have my kids and their mom. They see the difference in my life—I don’t do the things I used to. I quit smoking and drinking, and I even gave up caffeine. I feel so much better now. My kids are happier because the car doesn’t smell like smoke anymore!

There was this one moment when I quit smoking, and someone gave me a priesthood blessing. The blessing said that the smell of tobacco would make me sick, and sure enough, the same day, I almost threw up because I smelled a cigarette. It made perfect sense, and everything clicked together that week when we were learning about the natural man. It was like the Lord was knocking on the door, saying, “Open up, this is for you.”

That’s a powerful story. I love hearing about priesthood blessings and how they come to pass. Have you thought about your mom accepting the gospel someday because of the example you’re setting?
We’ve talked about it. She’s expressed interest in coming to church with me, and she sometimes sits in on my lessons when the missionaries come over. She even cooks for them sometimes when they visit. She’s religious in her own way, so she may not join the gospel, but I think she’s on her own path, and maybe it will take a little longer for her.

Is there anything else you wanted to share?
I help out with the missionaries a lot. Whenever they have new friends, they invite me to their lessons or ask me to share my testimony. I’m actually writing something for them tomorrow.
That’s great! You’re paying it forward, getting involved with missionary work.
I am!

I’m so pleased to have you as a brother in the gospel, and I’m really moved by your story. Thank you so much for sharing it with us, and I hope to see you again sometime.
Of course, of course!