I was born into a family in London who were receiving the lessons from the Missionaries and my parents liked what they heard but stopped taking the lessons on the day of my Christening into the Catholic Church when they felt they were so poor that they couldn’t live the Law of Tithing. They were actually late to the service, by all accounts, with guests waiting while they made up their mind which faith to follow.
All through the remainder of my life I kept bumping into the missionaries and felt drawn to them.
My mother told me in no uncertain terms that “We are not interested, are we Cheryl!” and as a lovely but formidable Irish woman, I took her counsel.
When I was 19 years old I had a moment that would define which path my life would take.
I was working in the City of London, earning a little too much for a 19 year old, and would meet my friends in the Pub most weekends as is customary in England.
My friends were a wonderfully colourful and diverse group, some a little shady on which side of the law they sat.
My friend, Stan, who was a dealer of Cannabis (I was never interested in using, I was an athlete) offered to double my money every week for as long as I wanted, risk free, if I would be the financial investor in his operation. It was an offer of big money. No touching the product myself. My name being on no paperwork. It sounded fantastic but I was uneasy. I thought long and hard.
I decided not to take him up on his kind offer and embark upon “the family business” of a life in crime, and 2 months later, after a heartbreaking split from a boyfriend, took myself off to Church and began receiving the lessons from an English Sister and a Greek Sister.
I knew that I had never not had a testimony of the gospel – I had always been “the gentle one” in a colourful family – and finding the Church which gave me access to the Gospel was like coming home.
I had the opportunity to serve a mission in the Greece Athens Mission in the 1990’s which itself was life defining, and now I raise my daughter in the Gospel and she has just reached YW age and blossoming as a rose.
~ Cheryl White ~
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Hugs, and thanks!
Hugs to you, and thanks!
Hugs to Cheryl! Thanks.
Hugs to CHeryl { }
What I love about your experience is your sensitivity to the spirit. You sensed all along the way which direction you should be headed. This is sometimes hard for me, even though I was raised in the church. So I can really appreciate that you had this sensitivity. It gives me faith that others, still outside the church, will also feel that spiritual draw to the gospel. Thanks for sharing!
this is a beautiful story! thank you for sharing!
Thank you for your story! I am sure your experience helped you to teach and inspire those you served on your mission.
Thanks for sharing your story, Cheryl. You’ve always had a believing heart, which is a spiritual gift. May the Lord continue to bless you and your family.
I am so glad you found your way home, Cheryl. Sending my hug!