Changing

For some, finding Christ can be a long and challenging process. But the result makes it all worthwhile. Today’s episode of Changing features Jermaine Ward, who developed his relationship with Christ while serving in prison. His incredible story shows that we can work to live a life full of prosperity and hope no matter our past.

Growing up, his family life was volatile.

• As a kid, he watched someone bleed to death on the stairs of his house after a bad prostitution deal.
• In particular, his father had an issue with a man in Jermaine’s community. One thing led to another, and Jermaine’s father told Jermaine to shoot the guy. And he did. 
• Because of that decision, Jermaine was on the run for manslaughter.
• At 16, he fled to St. Louis and joined gang life.
• While his manslaughter case was closed, an argument with his father years later resulted in Jermaine’s father calling the police to turn Jermaine in for his crime. After that, Jermaine went to prison. 

While in prison, Jermaine studies morals, philosophy, and religion.

• Many people in prison are just trying to find themselves. If you don’t mess with people, they’ll usually leave you alone.
• One night he was thinking of all the things he did wrong in his life, and he didn’t want his relationship with God to go down the same path. So he took it seriously and read the Bible.
• Jermaine found it very powerful that Jesus continued his ministry after visiting the Jewish people in the middle east.
• Jesus taught five principles: faith, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and obedience.
• Second Nephi 31:5 And now, if the Lamb of God, he being holy, should have need to be baptized by water, to fulfill all righteousness, O then, how much more need have we, being unholy, to be baptized, yea, even by water!

Jermaine was determined to do home worship.

• He kneeled down and prayed while in prison, and all he asked was, “Lord, is this the truth?”
• He felt a spirit come over him, and it was powerful and convincing. It was undeniable. He felt comfortable and warm.
• His first week out of prison, he looked for the Church of Latter-Day Saints in the yellow pages.
• He called each church, asking if they do what's outlined in the Doctrine and Covenants.

When we’re patient with the Lord:

• We shouldn’t expect God to answer all of our prayers immediately - he answers them when the moment is right.
• The Spirit helped him understand that he never reconciled with society for killing somebody.
• So, when he got out of prison, he sought to pay his debt to society. But he was still owned by the state, and he could not be baptized until his parole was over. 
• But he worked, studied, and focused on doing right by God to repent and come to terms with his past.

Jermaine’s advice to people who think changing your life is too challenging:

• God loves all of us, and we have to love ourselves.
• Don’t look to be judged by the world's standards; just look to God. Because he’s all that matters at the end of the day.
• Just have the desire to pray and do what God asks you to do.

Final takeaway? If you desire greater things, God can help you overcome obstacles to get there. To contact Jermaine, send him an email at [email protected]. In addition, you can find his book, Sayings of the Saints, on Amazon. 

In today’s episode of Changing, host Donald Kelly talks to Keith Diaferia about his transformation from Darkness to Light. 

Even the people closest to Keith didn’t truly know who he was. 

• He was compelled to darkness through drugs, alcohol, and the nightlife. 
• While living in Chicago, Keith became affiliated with a gang, who became like a second family.
• Keith ignored the guidance of his parents and siblings. While they thought he was just a “mixed-up kid,” Keith was becoming a monster through the relationships that were taking over his life. 
• When Keith was 14, he had the desire to be part of a dark lifestyle and yet he felt the presence of Christ in his life.  He just didn’t know what to do with it. 

By day, Keith had his “normal” life.

• However, he would participate in street fighting at night, returning home with a broken nose or a black eye. Keith then became a money collector, living out this secret life between the ages of 14 and 20.
• Around the age of 40, he was tired of waking up not knowing if an enemy would finally get him.  He’d been shot seven times, stabbed four times, beaten countless times, and almost died three times from anaphylactic reactions to medication.

God touched Keith’s heart.

• Keith knew he had to change. So he walked away from wealth, relationships, and material possessions to move toward God’s love.
• Keith endured much to get in and out of this lifestyle; his gang required a beat-in and beat-out. He endured a beating for 3 minutes from the chin to the waist, without defending himself, by 80 members of the chapter. When it was done, he had three broken ribs, a punctured lung, a lacerated kidney, lacerated liver, internal bleeding, a broken hip, and a cracked sternum. He was hospitalized for four weeks.

Keith’s past life continues to haunt him. 

• Since then, Keith has been approached twice to return, and his life has been threatened for not doing so. 
• Both times, however, he let them know that he wasn’t turning his back on God.
• Because of the code, the gang lives by, Keith has earned their respect with his loyalty to God.  Even with his life threatened, he remained loyal to his renewed faith and new life. 
• Keith came back to church when his two sisters approached him after Holy Spirit directed their steps back to him, even when they were scared to approach. 
• Keith’s parting advice? Everyone is worthy of this love, worthy of change, and worthy of the blessing God has for each of us. So have faith, discipline, and love to see true change. That’s how Keith did it.

MUSIC CREDIT: Audio Jungle

The holiday season isn’t just a time to give, it’s a time to serve and be thankful! In today’s episode of Changing, Donald discusses five easy ways everyone can share the gospel this holiday season.

1. Offer service

• There are so many opportunities to serve others, wherever you are!
• You could offer hand sanitizer, help carry someone’s groceries or help someone put their shopping cart away.
• You can simply reach out to people and see if they need a prayer. Or, if you have the resources, consider buying meals or presents for people in your church or community.

1. Give out Bibles

• If you know people in your life who don’t own a Bible, consider giving them as gifts.
• It’s a simple, kind gesture that can make a tremendous impact on someone’s life.

1. Share what’s in your heart with others

• Expressing the feelings in your heart can make all the difference in someone’s day. 
• If someone asks you how you’re doing, use that as an opportunity to talk, whether that’s about the excellent holiday service your church just had or about a fantastic podcast you listen to.

1. Share experiences on social media

• Share the positivity of the gospel to drown out the negativity often present on social media.
• Share messages about church

1. Invite others into your home

• This might be difficult because of COVID.
• If you can implement safe practices, invite people into your home for a devotional, for games or meals or whatever you want!

1. Sing Christmas carols

• Okay, we’re going past five, but there’s never too many ways to share the Gospel!
• One of our personal favorites: singing songs and hymns. What’s not to love about that?

1. Pray for others in need

• Regardless of your circumstances in life, you can always pray for those around you.
• There is power and miracles in prayer. Look for ways to pray for those who need it most.

If you use any of these methods or have another powerful way to share the Gospel, we want to hear about it! Contact Donald directly at [email protected] or share it with the Changing Facebook Group.

We’ve heard from amazing guests and heard great strategies and tips to become better followers of Christ. But no matter how many stories we hear, getting out of our comfort zone to make those positive changes can be difficult and overwhelming. So in today’s episode, Donald shares his three tips to make big changes in your life. 

1. Pray for help and guidance.

• There are countless examples in the Book of Mormon that show God will answer our prayers.
• Our Savior Jesus Christ prayed for the nourishment and guidance he needed in the Garden of Gethsemane for help from God, so why aren’t you doing the same?
• Christ has experienced all the pain, challenges, and difficulties of our sin. If he can bear all that, I’m sure he can help you with your challenges.

2. Study your scriptures.

• Study the Bible and the Book of Mormon. Paul was persecuting Christians, but he changed and overcame his sin for the better.
• You can make positive changes and empower yourself by hearing the struggles and triumphs of others in the Bible. 
• Set a goal just to read a few verses or a passage that is meaningful to you.

3. Start small.

• Luke 16:10 - “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.”
• What are the small changes you can make to lead to a significant impact? Pray for the daily opportunities and rich experiences God provides for you every day.
• If you stay consistent and do these small changes every day, things come from small things.

If you’re listening to this podcast in December, don’t wait for January to make small changes. Start now. There’s no time like today to make a positive impact on your life.

It is incredibly important to be grateful for the many things we are given throughout our lives, but it is especially important this month: the month of Thanksgiving. As an example, today, Donald talks about 5 examples of individuals from the Bible who demonstrated gratitude. 

1. The 10th Leper - 10 individuals were infected with leprosy, a chronic infectious disease that severely affects the skin. Jesus used the power of God to heal all 10 lepers, yet only one of them returned to Jesus to thank Him. Although the rest of the lepers were excited, they did not show their gratitude towards Jesus. As we live our day-to-day lives, are we expressing our gratitude towards Heavenly Father for the small blessings we are constantly receiving? 
2. Abraham and Sariah - Sariah was elderly and barren, yet both her and Abraham prayed regularly to have a child. God blessed them both with a baby boy, who they named Isaac. When Isaac grew older, the Lord instructed Abraham to sacrifice his son to show his loyalty to the Lord. Despite Isaac being his only beloved son, Abraham still followed God’s instruction and brought him to the hill. An Angel of the Lord appeared right before the sacrifice and commended Abraham for his obedience, and the sacrifice was called off. Abraham showed his gratitude to God by being obedient. Are we grateful to God even during times of trial and struggle in our lives?
3. Mary and Martha - Lazarus, a good friend to Jesus and brother to Mary and Martha, passed away and was buried. Jesus traveled several days to visit Mary and Martha, knowing Lazarus had passed away. When Jesus arrived, he used the power of God to raise Lazarus from the dead. If Jesus used the power of God to raise Lazarus from the dead, he can use that same power to bless you when you pray and ask. Our gratitude enables Him to provide those blessings. 
4. Naaman - Naaman was a revered military leader. He became sick, and traveled to the prophet Elijah in hopes of being healed. However, Elijah instead sent his servant to instruct Naaman to wash himself in the River Jordan seven times to be healed. Naaman was doubtful and frustrated that Elijah did not attend to tell him directly. Nonetheless, he decided to wash in the river as instructed. Miraculously, Naaman was healed, and gave thanks and gratitude to the Lord for this blessing. Oftentimes we have family members or friends in our lives who act as our guide and mouthpiece for the Lord. If we listen to God, and give thanks for those people in our lives, God will continue to bless us. 
5. The Adulterous Woman - A woman was caught in the act of adultery. The townspeople took her to Jesus and demanded that she be stoned to death for her sins. In response, Jesus spoke to the crowd and said, “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her”. The crowd quickly dissipated and left Jesus alone with the woman. Jesus saved this woman’s life, and in return the woman showed gratitude by following Jesus' last command: “Go and sin no more”. God constantly forgives you for your sins. Are we being grateful to Him for His mercies towards us?

God constantly blesses those who are openly grateful to Him. Audio Credits to Soundstripe.

Changing can take forms in many ways. From small elements to life-altering events, we constantly look for ways to better our lives. For today’s guest, a decades-long search for a church led her to a solid and lifelong relationship with the Heavenly Father. Cheryl Niedzwiedz learned changing is more than a Sunday activity, and that’s the story she shares on today’s episode. 

Cheryl had fond memories growing up in the church. 

• Her earliest church memories are a feeling of warmth while singing worship songs.
• She loved reading scripture, and she felt wrapped in love every time they were about Jesus.
• When she blew out the candle for her eighth birthday, she wished for the wisdom of Solomon. 

However, she quickly realized discrepancies in the way people acted outside of church.

• The people who attended church seemed like different people Monday - Saturday. They weren’t trying to be Christ-like outside of Sunday school. 
• Cheryl learned that confessing her sins to the Father made them forgiven. But it bothered her that people would commit the same sins for the same reasons every time.
• Why would the heavenly father forgive you if you didn’t intend to change?
• She realized her childhood church was not for her when she was ten. Her Sunday school teacher was teaching about Jesus when a voice came to her and said, “this is not it.”

At 13 years old, she began to attend other churches to find one where she felt comfortable. 

• She went to many different churches over twenty years, and it wasn’t until her early thirties that missionaries of the Latter-Day Saints knocked on her door.
• They explained the belief in changing after repentance. They explained the power of prayer. In these conversations, Cheryl felt calm and hopeful, knowing these thoughts were true. 
• It was the warm feeling she remembered as a child. 

When she came to church, she didn’t find perfect people. 

• But she found a group of caring, supportive people whose goal was to be more Christ-like.
• Since joining the church, she has felt like there was a lightning strike in her heart.
• While her family was initially skeptical, they were pleased and accepted it once they saw the positive changes in Cheryl and her life.
• Now, after fifty years of being in the church, she’s still working on changing. But we are all a work in progress.

For someone who needs a change in life, especially finding a church, Cheryl recommends praying to the Lord. Because our Heavenly Father will lead us to the answer.

While the Lord is all-powerful, the messages he sends us are seldom loud or boisterous. Instead, these personal revelations are often small, still voices in the back of our minds, urging us on the Lord’s path when the moment is right. But how can you know when you’re experiencing a personal revelation? And, especially in today’s technological world, how can you make yourself receptive to hearing them? Find out on today’s episode of Changing.

Put yourself in a position to hear personal revelations:

1. Repent - Are your past sins blocking your communication with God? Address them and ask the Lord to forgive you. 
2. Understand the voice - Do you know that small voice speaking to you? Study scripture and other resources to draw yourself closer to Christ. 
3. Pray -  If you’re unsure if God is speaking to you, ask him! Praying is a great way to ask God for help while also serving those in need.
4. Fast - Go without food or water for a period of time. Suppressing the needs of the flesh to show dedication to the spiritual puts you in a headspace conducive to reflection.
5. Know God - Read, learn, and, most importantly, emulate the LoThen, as. As we become more like him, we’ll see and feel God guiding us on his path.

Donald’s Personal Revelation Story:

• At one point, Donald went on a two-year mission trip. To prepare for his journey, he spent time each day studying scripture and praying to be closer to God.
• The night before he discovered where his mission trip would take him, Donald had a vivid dream of the great lakes. 
• When the mission call came the next day, he ran to open it. And what did the letter say? He was going to Detroit, Michigan. (Right next to the great lakes.) 

The moral of this story? The Lord will reveal personal revelations to you if you are open to listening. Audio credits to soundstripe.

Many people share common misconceptions about the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the concept of repentance. In today’s episode, Donald will discuss 3 of these misconceptions and how we can free ourselves of the false ideas they portray. 

1. I don’t need to repent

• No matter who you are or what walk of life you are from, everyone needs to repent. Jesus Christ is the only perfect being. If we seek to become like him, we must utilize His atonement and recognize that we are never exempt from repentance.
• As a young adult, Donald came to believe that repentance was only for bad people, for sinners. However, he later came to realize that the greatest difference between sinners and saints is those who repent and seek to become better.

2. I’ll be shamed/I’ll get in trouble

• Before Donald became a Bishop, he thought that only sinners or bad people needed to repent. But come to find out, the complete opposite was true! As a bishop, Donald found new respect and love for the individuals who would come to him to confess their sins and mistakes. Those people were learning and growing. As you repent, you build a spiritual fortification for yourself.

3. God will not forgive me

• This is simply a lie. Heavenly Father will always forgive anyone who truly seeks repentance. Some sins are harder to recover from, but God will never turn his back on us when we utilize the Atonement. 
• There are several examples in the scriptures, like Peter, who denied Christ but was later forgiven and led the 12 apostles. We are all capable of repentance.

Bonus #1. Bad thoughts still come to mind, which means I haven’t changed

• We all receive occasional bad thoughts. Having a bad thought doesn't make you a bad person. What’s important is how you deny those bad thoughts in your mind. Try singing an uplifting song. Over time, as you deny those thoughts, they become weaker and less influential. The Holy Spirit will help you overcome negative and sinful thoughts.

Bonus #2. I keep making the same mistakes over and over again

• Repeating past mistakes does not make you a bad person, but it does mean you need to continue progressing and improving yourself. A little desire for change will help you grow little by little.

“Repentance is reviewing one's actions and feeling contrition or regret for past wrongs, which is accompanied by commitment to and actual actions that show and prove a change for the better.” (thechurchofjesuschrist.org). The ultimate goal is to improve ourselves and grow closer to Jesus Christ.

Do not let Satan make you feel unworthy of Christ’s Atonement. You are nothing less than a disciple of Jesus Christ. Jesus loves you, and knows that you can make it back to Him. Audio credits to soundstripe.

We all know how important our scripture studies are. The problem is, many of us struggle to find meaningful ways to engage with those studies on a daily basis. In today’s episode of Changing, Donald discusses 5 different powerful techniques that everyone can practice to develop a more meaningful daily scripture study.

1. Set apart time/location for studies 

• When he first started his walk with Christ, young Donald lived in a small apartment with his family. The TV in the living room was often distracting, as well as the outside porch and living area of the apartment. 
• Donald would find the only secluded place, his hallway bathroom, to study in peace and privacy for one hour every day. Often, he would study in the morning before the day got too busy. Other times he would block off an hour after school to study as a part of homework. He would even use the clothing hamper as his desk.
• Find a quiet space, whether that’s your patio, closet, or bedroom. Minimize distractions. Set a time on your alarm/calendar to remind you daily.

2. Focus on a specific book or topic for studies 

• No matter which scripture you are reading, it is important to study a specific book, then read chronologically (i.e. Old Testament, then New Testament, then Book of Mormon, etc). Or...
• Study by topic (ie faith, prayer, baptism, Atonement).
• Always open your studies with a prayer. Ask to learn something new via His inspiration.
• Study from General Conference talks. 

3. Use a journal

• Write down your spiritual thoughts and feelings in a notebook. Write insights from the Holy Ghost, no matter how subtle the feeling you get. They are important. 
• If you study the scriptures digitally, take notes in the Gospel Library app. You can tag notes, scriptures, talks, etc.

4. Share/discuss insights

• Maybe you have a podcast, YouTube channel, friends or family. Utilize those opportunities to share your insights with those outlets. Share with a Christian coworker and ask for their perspective.
• As a teenager, Donald stayed with a Christian family. At the dinner table, they would ask about everyone’s day. Donald would share what he studied.

5. Study with specific questions 

• As a bishop, Donald would often receive questions from his congregation members that he did not know the answers to. He would search for those answers in his daily scripture studies.
• Focus on characteristics of Christ, and form questions around who he was (ie “how can I improve who I am?” or “How can I protect my family from the influence of pornography?”).

If you have any questions for Donald, you can contact him at [email protected]. He is also happy to pray with you for guidance and inspiration. 

As we focus on studying the word of Christ, we walk with him. Audio credits to soundstripe.

No matter who you are or what your background is, there’s always someone there for you. And that’s the Lord. Regardless of your pains, trials, and turmoils, the Lord knows how you’re feeling and can lead you on the path to salvation. On today’s episode of Changing, Donald is joined by Barbara Velasquez, who will share her story of how the Lord gave her the help and guidance she needed to find happiness.

Barbara’s early life was unstable. 

• Born and raised in Guatemala, she experienced homelessness and an unstable childhood. 
• Her mother wanted her to have opportunities beyond what she could provide in Guatemala, so she sent Barbara to the United States for an education.
• Because of that sacrifice, Barbara graduated with a Bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University with a degree in Business Management and Marketing.

Moving to the United States exposed her to the Lord.

• Growing up with her aunt in North Hollywood, California, Barbara’s best friend took her to various LDS church activities, which Barbara enjoyed attending. 
• While Barbara eventually moved to live with her mom and step-dad, she stayed in touch with that friend, who taught her lessons with the assistance of missionaries.
• The missionaries were allowed to see Barbara, but they were not allowed in her mother’s home. So, they gave Barbara lessons in the parking lot of their apartment complex.

When Barbara told her mother she was getting baptized, she was very accepting.

• Throughout her life, Barbara suffered from anxiety and depression, and finding the Lord helped ease some of those feelings.
• Because of the Lord, Barbara has finally found the stability she’s been looking for, and her mom is thrilled.

The main takeaway from Barbara’s story? If you don’t feel okay or experience a trial in life, it’s okay to look for help. The Lord will always be with you, even if you don’t feel with him.

Want to get in contact with Barbara? Connect with her on LinkedIn to reach out!