Sister Barbara Thornblad Freed - Story & Scripture Thought

Being invited to tell something of yourself can sure make your mind go blank! However, I will give it a try.
From age 7, I grew up in this neighborhood and ward. The ward boundaries and names changed every once in a while, but the neighbors were always the same! There are several people presently in the ward with whom I have associated for many of those years. My current visiting teaching partner, Ruby Kidd, was raising a young family back then, and when I was a teenager, I used to baby sit for Marva Marx. One of our great ward families was the Gudmundsens, whose youngest daughter was an adorable little thing (and is now the fabulous Patricia Wilson). When I married, we moved away, but years later found ourselves back in the same neighborhood. I could go on and on with this subject, as I have very fond memories of growing up here.
I’ve always had a broad field of interests, which has never changed throughout my life. My spare time activities often involve things like sewing, making family films and DVDs, photography, word puzzles, cooking, reading, and checking out the latest pictures from the Hubble telescope. I have had a lot of ideas for “that book I am going to write someday”. Maybe I’ll surprise myself and actually do it.
My four children are terrific people and I find joy in their association, and with my fabulous grandchildren. The time I spend with them is all gain for me.
The first official church calling I received came when I was 15 years old. I was asked to play the organ in Sunday School (that was long before the 3 hr. block). I’ll never forget that experience, as the deacons decided to play a big joke on me. Let’s just say my initiation into that calling was somewhat embarrassing.
That was the start of a stream of continuous callings, which have always been various, rewarding and usually great fun! The people I have worked with, and the experiences we have shared have certainly added to the quality of my life, to my testimony of the Godhead. Throughout my life I have developed a firm conviction that the children of God are His greatest creations, and working side by side with them is an education.
As it must be with everyone, it is very difficult, if not impossible to try to put my life, experiences, feelings, thoughts, and all that is me in a capsule. Maybe I can just say this……
I talk too much and make a lot of mistakes. I feel deeply about life, this earth and all it holds, and the heavens from which I came. I tend to study people and find them very interesting and inspirational. My heart holds a deep respect for who are generous, kind and brave. I know that we are part of a great plan and that there is a Heavenly Father who blesses me more than I expect or deserve. I like to look at, and study what is around me with the naked eye, and through a camera lens. I think that I will never stop being amazed!


Scripture Thought
Moroni 10:4,5.
4. And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask of God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.
5. And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye many know the truth of all things.
As a teenager, I decided to find out for myself if I could be given a testimony of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. From my own experience, I knew that God existed, but I didn’t have any real knowledge as far as the Church was concerned. It didn’t matter too much at the time because I wasn’t sure that a person needed to know if they had proper faith. Also, the teachings of the book were the excellent teachings of the Savior.
However, in my mid twenties, a concern about the real truth of things troubled me. As I was aware of the promise of Moroni 10:3, 4 and 5, I decided to put it to a test. Faith is a very literal exercise for me and that is what I had to put forth to receive the fruit of this promise. I read the Book of Mormon in all earnestness, knowing that I would get an answer (yes or no). One day, I received the testimony to the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon, and that Joseph Smith really was a prophet of God, as are the prophets after him. That was all I needed to know because that is the core of the restored Church. I did not receive a testimony that everything anyone ever said or did in the Church was inspired truth. All I needed to know was the two important facts that were testified to me. This one experience has been the foundation for me to stand with the Church. To see that the Lord has put all of this in the hands of imperfect human beings is awesome, and has helped me understand that His trust needs to be honored by doing our best for Him.