Lourdes Ramos

Before that day, I had been a member my whole life. I was baptized at eight, graduated from Primary and Young Women, and served a mission. But my testimony was built on the testimonies of my parents. It was borrowed.

When I had my first son, the weight of being a parent hit me. I wanted to teach him the gospel, but I realized I didn't truly know for myself. I felt like I was just going through the motions.

One afternoon, I was commuting home from work. The jeepney was hot and crowded. I was reading the Book of Mormon on my phone, feeling frustrated that I wasn't feeling anything. I decided right then to just say a silent, desperate prayer in my mind: "Heavenly Father, if this is true, tell me."

It wasn't a burning bush. It wasn't a voice. But a feeling of deep, profound peace washed over me. The noise of the jeepney faded. I just knew. It was like a light switch turned on in my mind. I sat there crying, trying not to let the other passengers see me.

Since that day, my testimony is no longer borrowed. It is mine. I know the Book of Mormon is true. I know Joseph Smith was a prophet. And I know that Heavenly Father hears the prayers of a tired mother in a jeepney.