In this second half of my interview, Lizzy talks about how the Book of Mormon brought her to Jesus Christ. She and Brian talk about how the Addiction Recovery Program of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints blessed their lives and how the power of the atonement can make our lives so much softer and more meaningful.
Please click HERE to get the resources from this interview.
Hello Melanie,
Thank you for posting the interview with Lizzy and Brian! Over the last year my wife and I have been able to facilitate the church’s ARP in our ward. A few years back I was serving as the Bishop and had a very strong impression to bring the ARP into our ward, being 45 minutes away from the one the stake was running. It was approved and for the next couple of years it struggled, but I still felt it was necessary to keep it running. Then I am released and my wife and I are called to facilitate and oh, what a blessing it has become in our lives. I really think, at least in part, those promptings that came to me during that time would be to bless our own lives today.
My love for those attending has grown so deep and I excited when they share their struggles, if you know what I mean. When one of them struggles or relapses I do not hesitate to meet them where they are and bring them back. And the neatest thing that has happened to me is that I have been able to share my story openly and boldly of the struggle I had with pornography several years back. I have seen the hand of the Lord reach down to me and lift me back into His loving arms time and time again. The beautiful thing for me now is I can help others find Him and, at times, I can be the hand for the Savior to grasp another’s and lift them up. I can be His hands and it is so beautiful.
I really love what Lizzy and Brian shared about we all need to be there and be more open with our weaknesses and challenges. We really all need the ARP because of the deep truth being taught to bring us back to our Jesus. One of the many truths I have learned from this calling is that we all have our struggles and we need each other to fight the battle with the temptations that come. We have had some amazingly spiritual lessons in this class because of the openness and love, not only that we feel from each other as we share, but most of all from Jesus Christ because of our deep willingness to rely on Him.
Thank you for your deep love for the Savior and being willing to share it as boldly as you do. I truly hope more of us will be willing to speak more openly about our weaknesses and struggles then be willing and openly shout out our deep conviction that Christ is the only one who can heal us and give us the strength to move forward with our chin up. You are awesome! Keep it up!
Your “Brother”,
Josh