Sianead Harding

I am 18 years old, just finished my A levels and am currently preparing to serve a mission with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day saints ( Otherwise known as the Mormon chuch)

As a convert to the church I've lived both lives: the wordly one and the spiritual. I know first hand what its like to live under the direction of noone; having no help or guidence, my life was a guessing game. It was a life of chance and little did i know at the time but I was lost with no map, not even an ending destination in sight. It sounds cliche to say it but thats when i found the church. I was introduced to it by my best friend, she invited me to join her one sunday and I said yes purely because I had no other plans... it was as simple as that. Now, four years later i currently hold three callings within my church: Relief society Teacher, YSA representative and ward missionary, as well as preparing to serve a full time mission for the next 18 months.

Not once in my life up until then did i even consider whether god was true or strived to live a life that will get me to eternal joy after i died but, as I sat there in church that first time i felt something i never had before... a sense of belonging and love. Due to the way i was brought up I'd never really felt like I was loved, or wanted. My sister has aspergers and my brother ADHD so my mums full proportion of time was dedicated towards them. As well as this my parents were no longer together but still lived with each other so it was constant arguments and fights both verbal and physical. Living in my house is like trying to walk across egg shells, everyone is constantly on edge too scared to let their guard down because its inevitable that theres another row just around the corner. So, i grew up isolating myself from them as a way of trying to protect myself. Although, attending church that day made me realised that I can be loved, i already was loved, by my Heavenly Father.

It was that realisation that changed my life forever, no longer am i living in fear and wishing my life away but instead i cherish every moment I have here on this earth. Our Heavenly father put us here on this earth to grow and become stronger and through my trials there is one thing i am certain of: WE NEED NEVER BE ALONE! Our Heavenly father is always willing to help us although in order to do so it is down to us to ask for it. As the bible states in Matthew 7:7, ask and you shall recieve.