Today, we’re sharing our first restoration testimony — by Brother Brandon Coppa. The goal of these testimonies is to feed our faith and praise God for the gift of the restored gospel.
When listening to testimonies from the saints you often hear the phrase, “born and raised in the Church.” I’m one of those who can lay claim to this phrase. I was given something many people search for their entire lives, and I completely took it for granted.
As a child and teen, I was active in church but never truly convicted. Once I left home for college, I began to question what I truly believed and if that included the Book of Mormon.
Let me be clear that there is a big difference between asking why you believe something and questioning if you believe something. It has been my experience that questioning why I believe in the gospel allows me to reflect on the teachings, blessings, and miracles I’ve received in my life. When I question if I believe in the gospel I make a place for the evil one to plant seeds of doubt, fear, and confusion.
Looking back, it is amazing when I contrast my childhood to my early twenties. As I began to doubt the pure truth of the gospel, I transitioned from a person with love and peace in his life to a person who struggled with anger and depression. It was at this point in my life that I began to actively seek out joy, and I did so by immersing myself in the Bible and Book of Mormon. I didn’t read them critically looking for an excuse not to believe; instead, I read them with an open heart, hoping to receive something.
On my 24th birthday, I asked that my parents, sister, and grandmother fast for me that I may receive direction in my life. That morning, my grandmother fell asleep while praying. Although this might not sound strange to you, my grandmother has woken up at 5:30 a.m. almost every day of her adult life without an alarm and rarely naps.
As she slept, she was given a dream. In the dream she saw me standing at the doorway of a church sanctuary. As I stepped into the room, I was presented with a tall vase of pure white. I reached into the vase and took out two sticks. I then walked to the front of the room where I met my grandfather who had passed away. I raised my arms with a stick in each hand. My grandfather smiled, and the dream ended. I was given to understand that the vase represented Christ and that the most important thing was that I accept Him. After accepting Christ, He gave the tools needed to sustain my faith, which are the Bible and Book of Mormon.
The dream planted me in the restoration, and two months later I was baptized. Following my baptism, my life “coincidently” transitioned from anger and depression to love and joy.
Share Your Restoration Testimony
This year, we’re making it a point to publish experiences and miracles related to the restored gospel and the Book of Mormon. Did the Lord ever give you an experience to confirm these things? If so, we’d love to hear from you! Click here to share your story.
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This article has undergone ministry review and approval.
What a truly beautiful experience! I have no doubt that many go through the stage of questioning what they believe. It was wonderful that you shared your experience and hopefully many of the those that find themselves in the same stage will follow your example.