My Testimony to the World regarding the work of the Marvelous Work and a Wonder
By Kevin Martin 2021
I stumbled upon this work in 2014 at 30 years old. The years prior were filled with personal suffering due to my pride and vanity. Before 2014 I was very religious. My church (LDS/Mormon) was all I had known since I was born. I was taught that to know peace, one must know the opposite. Each time my life felt terrible I would justify that it is what God needed to teach me so that one day I could feel peace. I felt unworthy to receive happiness and peace. Each time my life would feel unbearable I would submerse myself in the teachings of the LDS church to try and find where I was lacking in keeping the commandments. Eventually things got so hard that I decided to turn elsewhere for help because I could not sustain living with such guilt, depression, and hopelessness.
I searched the internet for anything that I could gather hope from. I found a video of Ida Smith explaining her life and why she let go of the LDS church. She explained that she had never been happier and more fulfilled. It caught my attention because she seemed sincere. I marveled that such a prominent LDS believer could be swayed so dramatically. I could relate to her.
My life, from the moment I was born, was centered around the LDS/Mormon religion. My Dad was especially staunch and relied heavily on that church for his value. I saw first-hand the effects of those beliefs, but I knew no different. I was never encouraged to think for myself. We believed, and that is all there was to it. My dad was a person in authority in the local congregation. This brought our family a level of pride and satisfaction.
My parents were divorced when I was 10 years old. I stayed strong in the LDS church up until I was 30. I served a 2-year mission for the church when I was 19. Married an LDS girl in the LDS temple. EVERYTHING about my life was based around the teachings of the LDS church. I thought this would bring me happiness because it is what I had been taught since the moment I could comprehend speech.
Over the years I saw a lot of hypocrisy within the LDS church. I started to doubt the veracity of its teachings because of many experiences I had where the church chose to act in ways that I believed were contrary to how Jesus taught. The more that I saw these things, the more I would slowly open my eyes to the fact that things were NOT being divinely guided. I started thinking with my own brain. Eventually I could not handle the stress that was heaped upon me by the church. They wanted so much from me. They wanted me to serve them constantly despite what this service did to me. I began to search diligently for truth. It took a lot of sleepless nights, frustration, and crushing anxiety to bring me to a point of humility where I was willing to accept the truth when it was presented to me. I had to be fully willing to give up everything I had known. I had to witness first-hand the misery that religion can cause to souls.
The first thing I did when I found this work was read The Sealed Portion. This book took me for a ride. It answered so many questions that I had about how humanity SHOULD act toward one another. It opened my eyes further and confirmed that I had made the right decision to look beyond the LDS church for truth. After only a couple days of reading that book, I decided that I would never be a part of another religion again. It spoke deeply to my soul and relieved huge burdens that I had been carrying.
From that point on, my life changed a great deal. I relate to the character of Ammon in the Book of Mormon. His heart was completely changed. His selfish desires of receiving personal value turned into desires for the welfare of ALL souls. So did mine. I learned that every single human is of infinite worth. I learned that all humans experience this life differently, and that is good. I learned that each human being is an independent God of equal value. Treating people with respect became easy for me because it is who I really am. Once I understood the truth about who we are and why we exist, I saw all others and myself in a completely different light. This allowed me to find peace between me and my fellow humans. I began to walk in a calm, steady, and mentally sustainable way. The world transformed from a place of competition and fear, to one of splendor and beauty. Each truth I learn opens my eyes up further to the magnificence and wonder of life and existence.
Something that has intrigued me about how my life changed since I found this work is how I no longer have any desire to find something better. During my search for truth, I was always left with questions unanswered. I would have to continue searching to find more answers. Once I found the MWAW, I stopped feeling any need to search for more truth. It satisfied me completely. “by their fruits shall ye know them”. This fruit is the best I have ever eaten.
I now believe 100% that I am the sole proprietor of my life experience. I decide how I act and feel about things. I command and my universe obeys. I do not have any special power to do magic or things that any other cannot. I do have the power to decide how I experience the world through my body. I choose peace and love above all else. I have learned that I am not subjected to any other unless I decide to subject myself. Consequences for my actions are a natural part of using my mind and body. They are not punishments from God, nor are they are not gifts from God. Nobody else can choose my actions for me. I decide who I allow near me and who I keep at a distance.
Thank you to the message of the Marvelous Work and a Wonder for teaching me that there still is hope for this world. If a person who was blind as I can find peace, then I believe anyone can. I believe the world can find its peace and life everlasting. This is the only thing that matters to me. My entire life’s walk is a prayer to end inequality and to overcome the vanity that has a hold on this world.
I will FOREVER be grateful for this work.
Sincerely,
Kevin Martin
403-795-0229
Alberta, Canada
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