00:00
Thank you for joining us here on God’s Guiding Light, where people who have joined the Church and found their way to the gospel share their conversion stories. I personally really love this aspect, what I like to call Open Mic Sunday testimony meeting. Every once in a while, someone shares their conversion story, and that really touches me. So, I asked Larry, who lives in East Texas, to come on the show, and he said he would love to. I appreciate it. Hey Larry, welcome!

00:30
Thank you! Glad to be here.

00:32
So now, I was just telling everybody that you live in East Texas now, right? I’d like to know about your life before finding the gospel. What was that like? Were you always in East Texas?

00:46
I was raised kind of between Fort Worth and Sulphur Springs, but basically always in that area of Texas. I finished school in Fort Worth and then left. The only reason I mention this is that it’s integral to my conversion story. I went to Houston and worked at the Houston Zoo, which was a wonderful job. While there, I saw a billboard that said they needed a thousand new faces for the Houston Police Department.

01:06
So, I happened to have a new face and joined, working there for ten years as an officer.

01:18
Can I ask what you were doing at the zoo?

01:21
I was a zookeeper. I loved working with the animals!

01:26
Which animals did you really enjoy working with?

01:29
I started in the bird department, which was interesting, but then I worked with a four-year-old Indian elephant in the children’s zoo. I was one of two keepers who took care of her.

01:39
That sounds amazing!

01:41
It was! She was intelligent and playful. One time, while I was cleaning her pen, she’d step on my foot, which didn’t hurt because her foot spreads out. We would play like that, and she would lift her leg as if I was being mean to her.

02:06
What was her name?

02:08
Her public name was different, but we called her Katu.

02:11
I didn’t mean to get you off track. So, you went from the zoo to the police department because they needed new faces?

02:17
Exactly! They were doing massive hiring, and while working there, I took a part-time job at a Catholic university for security. I noticed a young lady at a desk who had a beautiful smile and an interesting picture of a building.

02:35
I asked her what it was, and she told me it was the temple in Houston.

02:37
Did you have a religious background before this?

02:40
My grandmother was LDS, but my mother was not, and we weren’t allowed to have anything to do with the Church. We went to various churches, but I had little experience with the LDS Church.

02:56
So, you started talking to this young lady about the temple?

03:00
Yes, she was the perfect missionary! I was living a pretty messy life at the time. As a young police officer, I was exposed to a lot of things that could stick to you if you’re not careful.

03:20
I had great parents, but I learned to use rough language while on the job.

03:25
And this young lady encouraged you to speak to the missionaries?

03:28
Yes, she asked if I wanted to speak to them, and I said yes. It was a tough time because I knew the gospel was true but wasn’t ready to act on it. When I spoke to the missionaries, it felt like everything they said resonated with me.

03:47
So, you did get baptized in Houston?

03:50
Yes, but my wife at the time didn’t want anything to do with it. After that, I moved back to Fort Worth and joined the police department there.

04:00
And you fell away from the Church after moving?

04:02
Yes, I lost that initial support group and ended up inactive for over 20 years.

04:09
Did that weigh on you during that time?

04:11
Occasionally, but life got busy, and I didn’t talk about gospel experiences with my colleagues.

04:19
So, now you’re in Fort Worth. How does the story continue?

04:23
I was single and working in the evidence lab. I started talking to a young lady in the Juvenile Division, and one day I realized she sounded like a Mormon when she was on the phone.

04:36
What happened next?

04:38
I asked her about her religion, and she said she was a Latter-Day Saint. I told her I was too!

04:47
And you got married?

04:49
Yes! She had a great conversion story herself. I adopted her son, and we had a great life until she passed away.

05:01
I’m sorry to hear that. Did she help you return to church?

05:04
Yes, she did.

05:05
How is your life different now that you’re involved in the gospel?

05:09
It’s drastically different. I used to see a lot of darkness in my work. Now, being around people who share the same beliefs is like recharging my batteries.

05:21
I can’t imagine the challenges you faced as a policeman. Did anyone notice a change in you?

05:26
Yes, a few colleagues noticed a difference, especially after I went through a deep depression following a difficult time in my life.

05:38
And now, what are you up to?

05:40
I’m still active in the church and married to a wonderful woman I met on a dating site. She was brave enough to put that she was LDS.

05:56
Congratulations! Is there anything else you’d like to share?

06:00
Just to encourage anyone in similar careers: don’t let darkness take over. Look for the light from our Savior.

06:12
Well, Larry, I appreciate your time and thank you for sharing this inspiring story.

06:17
Thank you very much!

06:18
Goodbye!

06:19
Bye!