I love you Mom.
Elder Mendenhall
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Here's that really great conversion story!
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From email dated 05 APR 2009This is the conversion story of one of the "Mamas" or actually "Gogos" (grandma or granny) in my branch.
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My father-in-law was born in Nongoma right in the heart of Zululand. Being loyal to his King he fought in many wars defending the Zulu Kingdom. His warrior name was Udakwa-Ukusutha. When the war was over he decided to go looking for a job in the city of Durban. He found it in the harbor, unloading the goods that came by ship from other countries. His boss offered him a small shack to stay.
One night while sleeping he had a dream, a voice telling him to go back to his birth place, preach the gospel to his people, and baptize all those who repented. “I am not learned, how can I do that?” he asked. The voice said, “I will teach you by the Holy Spirit and I will give you a new name. From today onwards you will be known as Timothy.” The next morning he went back to work as usual, but still confused about the dream. The following night the voice came back again relating the same story. It was only when it cam back for the third time, then he decided to quit his job and went back home.
He obeyed and did all the things that he was commanded to do, even though he was not learned, but he could read the Bible by the power of the Holy Spirit from Genesis to Revelations. He was very powerful in preaching the gospel as a result many people were converted. When there was a drought in the area, he would go up to the mountain and prayed to God. His prayers were answered and the heavy rains would fall thereafter. Many people did not understand how it happened, they thought he used his magic powers. The Lord blessed him in abundance and he truly prospered in the land because of his obedience.
Other ministers and pastors of religion in the area did not like him at all, they became very jealous of him. He was accused of stealing people from their churches and influencing many to follow him. One day the ministers of the African Congregational Church decided to persuade him to join them so that they could work together as one in doing the work of the Lord. Because of his ignorance and weakness he fell into the temptation, he could not resist their cunning and flattering words. He was ordained and given the highest position in the so-called church. Sadly he forgot all what the Lord had commanded him to do and followed the teachings of men.
At the end of his life he became very ill and was admitted in hospital. One night while he was there sleeping, the voice came back again telling him that, “there is only one true church in the whole face of the Earth. It is called by the Savior’s name only.” “What about my church?” he asked. The voice replied, “The church that you belong to is not the Church of Christ. All these many churches are lost, they follow the teachings of men.” Confused he nervously asked, “What am I supposed to do now, and where can I find the Church of Christ?” The voice continued, “There is nothing that you can do now, your days are numbered. The only thing you can do to help yourself is to tell your family members to look for the church.” When the voice had stopped he woke up, shocked, trembling and cried bitterly for having wasted his time following the wrong path and something that was not true. He even remembered that he broke the promise of the Lord by allowing the cunning men of this world to deceive him. Nevertheless he prayed for forgiveness and asked the Lord to be merciful to him and send just one member of his family to the hospital before he died.
One of his sons, Griffiths Mathe, my husband, worked far away from home as a police officer. He was inspired to go visit his father. When he came home he found out that his father was admitted in hospital. He rushed there and when his father saw him he cried, but thanked Heavenly Father for having answered his prayers and sent him. He then told him everything that had been revealed to him in his dream. He even told him that he was deceived by the ministers of the false church. Thereafter he gave him an assignment to look for the Church of Christ and should never rest until he found it. After a few days he passed away.
The long search began. We were in and out of so many churches looking for this church that was called by the name of the Savior, but we could not find it. I remember very well writing down a long list of all the churches that we know of, unfortunately nothing came up. We were so disappointed and discouraged. At last we decided to forget about everything, but my husband was very bitter and hurt in his heart because he knew that he had failed to accomplish what his father had commanded him to do in his dying bed in hospital.
Prayerfully we waited patiently until one day the missionaries came knocking on our door and said, “We are from the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints.” We could not believe what we heard. My husband in his shocking state remembered all what his father told him about the church, that it is called by the Savior’s name only. He then asked the missionaries to come in and tell us more about their church. They began their story and when they had finished he asked them to listen to his father’s dream and his last words in hospital. At the end they replied, “Father you are the luckiest person because we come from that church.” Oh what a relief!!!
Thereafter they began their discussion teaching us all the eternal truths on a daily basis. Finally we accepted the gospel and that was our turning point. We were both baptized and confirmed members of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints. It was the happiest day of our lives. We were very grateful to our Heavenly Father who answered our prayers. In his great love, mercy and wisdom he sent those two missionaries.
It was not very long after our baptism my husband became very ill, he was diabetic. He suffered a lot of pains because of the amputation of his both legs but I will never forget the beautiful smile that I saw on his face when he gave up the ghost. It was a great testimony to me that, “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.” (Psalms 116:15)
Written by Duduzile Anna Mathe of Mpumalanga Branch, Hillcrest Stake.
He obeyed and did all the things that he was commanded to do, even though he was not learned, but he could read the Bible by the power of the Holy Spirit from Genesis to Revelations. He was very powerful in preaching the gospel as a result many people were converted. When there was a drought in the area, he would go up to the mountain and prayed to God. His prayers were answered and the heavy rains would fall thereafter. Many people did not understand how it happened, they thought he used his magic powers. The Lord blessed him in abundance and he truly prospered in the land because of his obedience.
Other ministers and pastors of religion in the area did not like him at all, they became very jealous of him. He was accused of stealing people from their churches and influencing many to follow him. One day the ministers of the African Congregational Church decided to persuade him to join them so that they could work together as one in doing the work of the Lord. Because of his ignorance and weakness he fell into the temptation, he could not resist their cunning and flattering words. He was ordained and given the highest position in the so-called church. Sadly he forgot all what the Lord had commanded him to do and followed the teachings of men.
At the end of his life he became very ill and was admitted in hospital. One night while he was there sleeping, the voice came back again telling him that, “there is only one true church in the whole face of the Earth. It is called by the Savior’s name only.” “What about my church?” he asked. The voice replied, “The church that you belong to is not the Church of Christ. All these many churches are lost, they follow the teachings of men.” Confused he nervously asked, “What am I supposed to do now, and where can I find the Church of Christ?” The voice continued, “There is nothing that you can do now, your days are numbered. The only thing you can do to help yourself is to tell your family members to look for the church.” When the voice had stopped he woke up, shocked, trembling and cried bitterly for having wasted his time following the wrong path and something that was not true. He even remembered that he broke the promise of the Lord by allowing the cunning men of this world to deceive him. Nevertheless he prayed for forgiveness and asked the Lord to be merciful to him and send just one member of his family to the hospital before he died.
One of his sons, Griffiths Mathe, my husband, worked far away from home as a police officer. He was inspired to go visit his father. When he came home he found out that his father was admitted in hospital. He rushed there and when his father saw him he cried, but thanked Heavenly Father for having answered his prayers and sent him. He then told him everything that had been revealed to him in his dream. He even told him that he was deceived by the ministers of the false church. Thereafter he gave him an assignment to look for the Church of Christ and should never rest until he found it. After a few days he passed away.
The long search began. We were in and out of so many churches looking for this church that was called by the name of the Savior, but we could not find it. I remember very well writing down a long list of all the churches that we know of, unfortunately nothing came up. We were so disappointed and discouraged. At last we decided to forget about everything, but my husband was very bitter and hurt in his heart because he knew that he had failed to accomplish what his father had commanded him to do in his dying bed in hospital.
Prayerfully we waited patiently until one day the missionaries came knocking on our door and said, “We are from the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints.” We could not believe what we heard. My husband in his shocking state remembered all what his father told him about the church, that it is called by the Savior’s name only. He then asked the missionaries to come in and tell us more about their church. They began their story and when they had finished he asked them to listen to his father’s dream and his last words in hospital. At the end they replied, “Father you are the luckiest person because we come from that church.” Oh what a relief!!!
Thereafter they began their discussion teaching us all the eternal truths on a daily basis. Finally we accepted the gospel and that was our turning point. We were both baptized and confirmed members of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints. It was the happiest day of our lives. We were very grateful to our Heavenly Father who answered our prayers. In his great love, mercy and wisdom he sent those two missionaries.
It was not very long after our baptism my husband became very ill, he was diabetic. He suffered a lot of pains because of the amputation of his both legs but I will never forget the beautiful smile that I saw on his face when he gave up the ghost. It was a great testimony to me that, “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.” (Psalms 116:15)
Written by Duduzile Anna Mathe of Mpumalanga Branch, Hillcrest Stake.
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