During my freshman year of high school, I struggled a lot with friendships and felt very lonely. I prayed every night, asking Heavenly Father to help me. My parents and I often talked about what I was going through, and together we read President Nelson’s talk “The Power of Spiritual Momentum.” In it he says, “Every book of scripture demonstrates how willing the Lord is to intervene in the lives of those who believe in Him. ... In the same way, the Lord will bless you with miracles if you believe in Him, ‘doubting nothing.’ Do the spiritual work to seek miracles.”
I had already been praying and fasting to find friends, and my family had been praying and fasting for me too. But I decided that going to the temple was another specific piece of spiritual work I could do. I really needed some blessings in my life.
My mom had already been going to the temple every week since I was little, so I started going with her. Sometimes she’d do initiatory ordinances while I did baptisms, and other times I’d baptize her.
After a few months, things were still really hard, but I felt a stronger connection to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Every single time I was in the temple, I had an overwhelming feeling of comfort and peace.
And then, slowly, miracles started to happen: an old friend sent me a text, I found people to sit with at a school football game, and someone invited me to hang out. I started to feel a sense of hope. Momentum was gathering, and I did a fast of thanksgiving to show Heavenly Father that I’d noticed.
Around this time, a temple worker asked me if I had seen a difference in my life since I’d started going to the temple every week. I bore my testimony of the temple to him and said that I felt closer to the Spirit and to the Savior. I also told him that I felt happier, made better choices, and had experienced miracles.
A couple of months into my sophomore year, I was talking to a girl in my seminary class, and she said she wanted to go to the temple more. I told her that I went every week and suggested that we get a group to go together. It started off with four of us, and now there are about eight. Each week we text each other to see who can make it to the temple, and I reserve appointments. But we also hang out on the weekends, and we say hi to each other in the halls at school. Over the last few months, they have become some of my closest friends.
I haven’t brushed these things off as coincidences. I know that attending the temple brought real miracles into my life. Even though I had to go through a lonely year in school, I feel grateful for it. Not only has my faith grown stronger, but I’ve also become more aware of others who feel lonely or need a friend. And I’ve learned for myself that the prophet’s promises are true.
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