Hugs for Bruce Horne!

(Bruce’s story as told by Boman Farrar.)

Nearly seven years ago while serving as a missionary, I met someone who would change my life forever. I would never have guessed that he would have such a strong influence on me when we met, but I guess that’s the power of retrospect. His name is Bruce Horne. We met him on a dirt road in the backwoods of rural North Carolina. The only way I can explain how/why we ended up there is guidance from a higher power. He was praying for answers and we were praying to find people searching for answers. I don’t believe it was a coincidence that our paths crossed.

Bruce was a Sargent Major in the Army Green Berets,  served  in Vietnam, rode in biker clubs most of his life, and has two tiny chihuahua’s he loves. He restored an early 1800’s cabin, which he lives in full time; all heat comes from wood he chops. I was lucky enough to find and teach him and his sweet wife, Becky Horne. They got married, joined the church and I was able to witness their temple sealing shortly before returning home from my mission.

The gospel of Jesus Christ and the Book of Mormon have changed their lives more than I could ever imagine. He is now the Elders Quorum President in his ward. He often jokes about how he must be the oldest Elders Quorum President in the church, and the only one who rides a Harley to Sunday meetings. He wears his nicest pair of blue jeans, leather riding vest, leather boots (stash knife included), and a white shirt and tie to church each Sunday. He sends a weekly email to his Elders Quorum and has included me in that email list. They are all amazing and I learn so much from him. I thought I would share his most recent email. Hope you get as much out of it as I did.

“So why do and did I sin? Easy–I was doing my will instead of my Fathers. So why did I try to stop? Well, I started to read the Bible, and my mistake was I started from the beginning. I was sure if I didn’t try to change I would “ROT in HELL” for eternity, or be put in a burning lake of fire and brimstone, or maybe be sifted as wheat and my stubble burned. None of the results were very appealing. I tried several churches, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Baptist, Free Will Pentecostal Baptist, Jehovah’s Witness, and finally Christ’s True Church. I read the Book of Mormon and felt a lot better. Finally, a book to give me hope and explanations of what was really going on. To this day, I still am not crazy about the Old Testament. You need to read it so you know what Noah’s Ark is and the Passover in Egypt meant. It also testifies of Christ—I believe in Christ and I can’t comprehend Isiah, (or spell it) so I will stick with the Book of Mormon. Everybody that matters to me ( all the recent Prophets, all the Church leaders) says it is THE BOOK that contains the fullness of the Gospel, and that it will get you closer to God than any other book. Rest my case. The only way it possibly could not be true, is if there was no God. But we don’t need to worry about that because SOMEONE is answering my prayers.

Most Churches Have to make money to stay in business. The preacher depends on the congregation for his house and car and fine suits. He doesn’t want to offend them or drive them off, so he preaches “God Is Good”. So how do I know that my Church is Christ True Church? Easy- who in their right mind would tell the members they couldn’t drink beer, coffee, or ice tea?? Look how many people this keeps away. We do this because we do Gods bidding and not mans. We do what God tells the Prophets to do, not what is popular. Because God is the same today as he was yesterday and will be tomorrow.

Lately, we have been getting some pretty good encouragement instead of woe is me. Elder Holland told us even when we fail it is OK, as long as we are really trying. God picks us back up and cheers us on. Even though we will never be good enough while on this Earth, we can still be ACCEPTABLE to God as long as we sincerely repent and try, says Elder Cornish. So, yes, we are going to make it to the Celestial Kingdom as long as we keep repenting and don’t rationalize or rebel. In other words, do Gods will and not our own will. Isn’t it great that Gods talks to us thru our Prophets? That is why we studied last Sunday that we have to totally COMMIT to Christ—no half stepping.

THANKS, Bruce!