I was a very active member of another church during my high school years. I helped out during religious rituals and would even lead their prayers. In my last year in high school, my father was referred to the missionaries and they consequently came and began teaching my family. When I told my associates in my former church about the missionaries, they discouraged me and told me that what was being taught was wrong. When my teachers in school found out, their attitude towards me changed. They would not call on me when I tried to participate in class discussions. They became very fond of giving me extra work like cleaning and other projects. I was initially affected by how badly things were going for me that I decided to stop listening to the missionaries. However, as I continued to participate in the religious rituals of my former church, I began to feel very different. I somehow felt that it was not right. I realized that what the missionaries were teaching was right. I felt prompted to continue listening to them and accept the challenge they gave. After I was baptized, I lost my friends. My teachers always found something wrong with everything I did. However, I knew the Church was true. Why else would I be persecuted as I was? I found that as I tried my best to be closer to the Church, the harder it became for me. Despite all this, I decided that it didn’t matter what people around me did or said. I would simply continue to move forward and do what I know to be true. I found that the persecutions I received only strengthened my faith.

Randy Molar - Legaspi Philippines Stake