Suddenly an indescribable feeling came over me, a cleansing sensation, as if my spirit were being washed, purged, and purified. The sensation was so powerful that I opened my eyes and looked up, almost expecting to see heavenly personages. But my eyes blurred, and tears flowed down my cheeks.
Embarrassed, I turned to see if Don was still praying. I was startled to see that tears were also running down his cheeks.
“What’s the matter with you?” I asked.
“The same thing that’s the matter with you.”
That night, in a boarding house in Uravan, I discovered that the Church is true, that Joseph Smith is a prophet, and that the Lord answers prayers. That experience changed me. It softened me, causing me to seek and be receptive to manifestations of the Spirit. I felt any disposition to do evil wash away.
In a very real sense, I was born again.
[P. 25 in Hogge, Robert M. 1992. “A Friend in Christ.” Ensign, October, pp. 25–26. Click here for the complete article.]