Emerson: Testimony of the Mormon Church & Missionary Work

Hi, my name is Emerson Sena, I’m from Brazil but now I live here in Orem, Utah, United States and I want to share with you a bit of experience I had in my life. When I was a little kid, I always had questions about my existence, about my life, why I’m here and others and where we came from? And what’s gonna happen after we die? So I remember joining the Catholic Church as a small kid and I loved going to help and learn and sing. But still I had questions – Why are we here?

I remember my biggest question was: Where are the prophets, where are the apostles? We didn’t have them anymore. So I stayed for a long time in the church, still having my questions. So when I got to Tunisia, I became a surfer so I started to the beach and surf and stopped going to the church. And I remember there was a guy called Elson and he went to surf every day, but on Sunday. And so, I was wondering about it. So one day I asked “Elson, why you don’t come to surf on Sunday?” And he said “Because I’m a Mormon”. And that was interesting. And I said “What’s a Mormon?”

So he starts telling me about Mormons, about their beliefs. And then he gave me a job offer to work for him. And he kept teaching me and letting me know about the church and one day he said “Do you want to meet the missionaries?” And I said “What’s that?” And he said “Two young men – they teach about the church, they answer the questions.” And I said “Yes, bring them.”

And it was interesting because the first day we met, they asked me “Do you know why you are here?” And I said no. Then they asked “Do you know what’s gonna happen after you die, about your family, your mom and dad, your kids, the future?” And I realized I didn’t know and then they explained to me that God had a plan for my life.

The third time we met they told me the church had a prophet today, had apostles today. It was really interesting. And they gave me a book – The book of Mormon. I read some parts, went home. And by the end of the book, I had a promised that said “If you want to know about yourself, open your heart and ask God. And if you do that, you will know by the Holy Spirit, Holy Ghost”. So that night I prayed and I fell asleep after that, I remember and I heard a voice. I don’t know, in my dreams, maybe. And it says “Son, follow that path that will guide you unto me”.

So then I decided to be baptized and the next day we met, I said, Elders – I want to be a member of this church. I have found what I was looking for. So October 1992 I was baptized and since that day, my life has changed for better. Now I know who I am, I know God’s my father, I know after this life, I can go back to live with him, with my family, my friends. It’s something really special with me that I want to share with you. And sometime, if you have the same questions, the desire to know – go look for some member of the church, go look for some missionaries. I’m sure they’re gonna help you to find for yourself as I found by myself.