June 2, 2016
My family story of conversion is a glorious one, though it
is filled with many hardships, but I will write more about my personal
conversion and how I got this far.
It has not been easy but what I can remember is that my dad
was a God fearing man who had searched the scriptures and he knew the truth but
was not sure. He was a loving father who
though not a member of the Church lived the Gospel. My dad at a certain time stopped going to
church, any church because he was raised in the Anglican church and had gone to
many churches and what they taught and practiced was against the scriptures he
knew so his spirit could not bear it.
He sat at home every Sunday while my mom took I and my
siblings to church and every time we returned home my dad will teach us,
correcting the wrong things the preacher might have taught us. He didn’t want his children to go
astray.
My dad got in contact with missionaries in 1997 before I was
born. My dad and my mom came in contact
with the church for the first time missionaries contacted my dad but my dad had
just gotten a job and was transferred then I was born.
I was 11 years when my dad’s friend invited him to a ward
conference and he agreed to go. It was amazing what a change of heart. At the conference missionaries once again
after 11 years now in Calabar contacted my father.
In the conference my dad loved the choir, the church, and
the missionary teachings. The first
Sunday we came to church now not a conference, he asked to see the bishop and
he collected many books including a very big book, Our Heritage. We investigated the church in and out because
he had been deceived by many churches many times.
The missionaries taught my dad, my dad taught my mom and us
and in a while, I, my sister, my dad, and my mum were baptized in 2009 in
Calabar 1st ward. My word to
the missionary who baptized me was that some day I would be like him with a
white shirt, tie, and tag. My dad grew
rapidly in the church though things were hard but we grew harder I guess.
He was first called as a Young Men’s President and a very
active one. In short, my Young Men President while my mum was the Young Women’s
President until we left for Enugu where he was called as first counselor to the
Bishop. He kept setting examples for me,
correcting me and teaching me, then in 2013 he passed on to the other side of
the veil in Enugu.
His death shook my life but my mum it shook most. Then I promised myself that if there is
anyone on earth I would emulate, it will be my dad and I would serve a mission
because he and the Lord would want me to do that. I loved him and still love him.
My mum also followed his examples after his death, kept
growing in the church now she is still a Young Women’s President and an Institute
teacher. I kept growing active
everywhere I was I was known for good.
It was not easy. I grew in the
church since when I was eleven in the right order at the right time, I received
the Aaronic Priesthood and became a deacon at 12 years. At 11 years I was a teacher and at 16 I was a
priest and now at 18 years in 2016 I am a full-time missionary from Enugu to
Calabar mission Nigeria, where my dad saw the church for the first time. It is amazing how simply before I was born my
dad saw the church at Enugu, then eleven years after we joined the church at
Calabar, then at 15 we went back to Enugu now at 18, I have been called to
serve once again in Calabar. I have been
called to convert where I was converted, and I will never leave the
church. I am the first missionary from
the Okpala’s family from Uhualla Akpo down in Aguata local government area in
Anambra State Nigeria, the first missionary.
I remember saying to a missionary some years ago that I will
be like him some day, now I am not just like him in white shirt, tie and tag. I
am like him even in serving the same mission he served; Calabar mission. His name was Elder Vandi.
Before I forget, my dad’s name is Okpala Ebenezer
Chuks. My mom is Okpala Esther
Nkeoma. I am Okpala David Chuks Jr. with
Okpala Joy, Okpala Angela, Okpala Emanuel and Okpala Favour as my siblings and
we have been sealed as a family for time and all eternity.
We are five children at home, two boys, me as the eldest and
three girls, I am setting examples for my brother to follow. I know that the Lord will always be with me
and my family as He has always been though things are not easy. Physically I know these things are true and
always will be as my dad, a lover of the Gospel or representative of Christ at
all times, in all things in all places. I will search to know the scriptures, I will
be like Christ and my dad in all good ways and my God help me. This is my story.
Elder Okpala, David Chuks
Nigeria Calabar Mission
18 years.
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