My testimony, in my own voice. This is the personal witness of Scott McLaine, our minister. It is mine, and it is offered to you freely.
A Seeker on Every Road
Before I gave my whole heart to Jesus Christ, I spent years searching. I wanted to know God, and I was willing to look everywhere for Him.
I attended Mass more than a dozen times with my Catholic friends, and one of the most significant spiritual moments of my life came as I prayed at the foot of a statue of Mother Mary. I sat with the beauty of their worship. I read dozens of Watchtower pamphlets and attended meetings with the Jehovah's Witnesses, contemplating what it would take to be among the chosen 144,000. I spent time with my Jewish friends, doing my best to understand their faith and the world they were raised in. I watched and prayed along with hundreds of services from Lakewood Church and Pastor Joel Osteen, drawn in by his messages of hope and encouragement. And I worshiped in many houses of God: Baptist, Pentecostal, Russian Orthodox, and non-denominational services both small and large.
I read the Four Noble Truths, Buddhism's teaching on suffering and the path beyond it, and The Way of the Bodhisattva, Shantideva's guide to a life of compassion. I read The Art of Happiness, the Dalai Lama's conversations on finding a lasting and gentle joy. I went on Buddhist retreats, studied the teachings of Mingyur Rinpoche, and hosted live events for Ringu Tulku Rinpoche. I read the Tao Te Ching and tried to understand the Way, the quiet art of living in harmony with the flow of life. I made my way through the Bhagavad Gita, where Krishna counsels the warrior Arjuna on duty and devotion, and through the Vedas, the ancient hymns of India.
I visited Maharishi University of Management and seriously considered a PhD in the Science of Creative Intelligence. I read and studied Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's book The Science of Being and Art of Living. I read and meditated on Paramahansa Yogananda's Autobiography of a Yogi, one yogi's lifelong search for God. I studied John White's The Highest State of Consciousness and Kundalini, exploring what people have called moments of enlightenment. And I searched the internet and watched hundreds of near-death and afterlife experiences, listening to ordinary people describe reaching Heaven. And this is only a notable sample of so many more.
I am grateful for every one of those roads. Each one held something true, something beautiful, and each one was part of how God prepared my heart. Because I have walked so many of these paths myself, I can tell you with all my heart: wherever you are on your journey, and whatever road brought you here, you are welcome.
And after all that searching, God did something simple. He guided me just down the street.
Guided Down the Street
I had recently moved into the community, and I noticed there were two churches just down the road from my home. On my drive home from work, I pulled into the parking lot of one, prayed, and circled the church.
That next Sunday morning I got dressed up, drove down the road, and pulled in for service. To my surprise, I realized this was not a church, it was a ward.
"Dang," I thought, and I started to drive away. Then I stopped. Maybe God guided me here. All my business partners are Latter-day Saints, and I had thought about exploring the Book of Mormon. But then I thought, no, I can't go in there, those missionaries will never leave me alone. And then I thought: are you really going to drive away from the church you were just guided to? Don't you have faith that God guides you?
When in doubt, follow your heart, and have faith that God is leading the way.
So I walked through the doors, and two young, bright-eyed missionaries greeted me. I smiled and asked, "Am I allowed to attend service here?" They said, "Sure, come on in." They asked if I was visiting, and from where. I said, "Just down the street." I was starting to figure out what that meant.
The Bargain
The missionaries and I began to meet. We had breakfast, we talked on the phone, and they kept asking me questions I could only answer yes to. I learned about the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Plan of Salvation, the Word of Wisdom, chastity, tithing, and fast offerings, and so much more.
To sum up what I learned: I came to Earth from Heaven, and if I wanted to return to Heaven at the end of my earthly life, I had to give up coffee, give up alcohol, go to church every week, and pay tithing.
And I thought to myself, are you kidding me? What a bargain. That is all I have to do? Does anyone else know about this? I mean, jeeeze. Well, actually, Jesus.
Jesus, there is no habit, no vice, and no excuse that I love as much as my relationship with You. I will give these things up.
So, help me God. And He did, and I did.
Behold, the Light and the Life
I read 3 Nephi chapter 11, as the missionaries instructed, and I loved the verse where Jesus descends from Heaven and proclaims:
"Behold, I am the light and the life of the world." (3 Nephi 11:11)
And He continues:
"And I have drunk out of that bitter cup which the Father hath given me, and have glorified the Father in taking upon me the sins of the world." (3 Nephi 11:11)
If He could do that, surely I could give up coffee and alcohol, attend church, and pay my tithing.
I'm In
I started attending our ward every week. I went to a Stake Conference, where I accidentally got the Bishop in trouble. The missionaries had texted me that they were up front, and I kept looking and looking and could not find them, because they had been called up to the choir. The Bishop noticed me searching and raised his hand to get my attention, right as they were taking one of those votes and said, "All opposed." And there he was with his hand in the air. Oops. Sorry, Bishop.
I attended Why I Believe many times and listened to the heartfelt testimonies of others. I prayed many times a day, talked with my friends, and slowly started running out of excuses.
Then the missionaries asked if I wanted to watch General Conference. I put it on to listen while I worked on a Saturday morning, and I quickly realized I was not getting any work done. I was glued to every word. Every speaker had a beauty about them, a wisdom within them, and a heartfelt testimony to share.
On the second day, after three full glasses of water to replace the tears flowing down my face, Elder Kevin G. Brown of the Seventy spoke about the gift and power of testimony, and how a sure witness of the gospel of Jesus Christ is gained and sustained. During his talk I had finally had enough with myself. I dropped my arms, gave up, and said, "I'm in."
And in an instant I heard and felt the Word of God enter me, from the top of my head and sinking into my heart, echoing back with authority: "I'M IN." I broke down in tears when I realized what had just happened, what I had just committed to, and what had just been confirmed to me.
Eleven Eleven
Next came my baptism. I chose November 11. I liked the idea of being baptized on 11/11, so that every time I saw 11:11 on a clock I would be reminded of the most sacred day of my life.
Then I discovered that my favorite verse, "Behold, I am the light and the life of the world," from 3 Nephi chapter 11, is actually verse 11. 11:11.
I was telling my Latter-day Saint business partner about the coincidence, and he wondered aloud what number book 3 Nephi was. He pulled out his scripture app and started counting. Would you believe it is book 11?
Book 11, chapter 11, verse 11, and a baptism on 11/11. Once again it was confirmed to me that Heavenly Father moves in mysterious ways, unique to each of us. He guides us to the right place, to meet the right people, in the right moment, at just the right time. And all we have to do is believe in Him and listen.
The Sun and the Son
For me, the physical sun is a symbol of the spiritual Son.
Just like Jesus, the sun is the light of the world. Every day it shines brightly, whether we think about it or not. It shines on cloudy days even when we cannot see it. It shines on stormy days even when we cannot feel it. It does not matter if we think about it. It does not matter if we believe in it. It is still shining.
On any day, all we have to do is walk outside, take a deep breath, point our face toward the sun, and feel its warmth. Like the sun, Jesus is shining on us each day, and all we have to do is take a deep breath, turn our face toward Him, and feel His presence in our life.
My Witness
The Lord is my light, my source of strength, and my salvation. He is my refuge, my well of wisdom, and my foundation.
Because of the subtle hand of God bringing me to this ward. Because of the light, faith, and persistence of the missionaries. Because of the beauty, power, and wisdom of the lessons taught and learned. Because of the cleansing and the beautiful testimonies I heard at General Conference. Because of the Sword of the Spirit piercing my heart the moment I said "I'm in." Because of the synchronicity of the eleventh book, eleventh chapter, and eleventh verse matching my baptism on the eleventh day of the eleventh month. Because of the undeniable presence and gift of the Holy Ghost. Because of the mighty angels I have seen fly through the sky of my life.
For these reasons and so many more, I give you my testimony that Jesus Christ is the light and the life of the world, and that He suffered greatly so that we may have safe passage to our eternal home.
With eternal gratitude for our Heavenly Father, and for the confirming witness of the Holy Ghost, I testify of these truths in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.