My name is Claudia Fotea. I am 30 years old and I live in Deva with my family, with my husband , our daughter Adela and our son David.
I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints for 10 years. It has been a little while since I was baptized and in the same time I feel like I was a member all my life.
The missionaries were sent in Deva for the first time in December 1998. Immediately they started to teach English classes. In February 1999 my best friend Mirabela, found out about these classes and both started to attend. They had quite a few people there. But we did not know that these young Americans were missionaries for the Church. We knew nothing about them. At the end of one class they decided to have a presentation of The Book of Mormon (that was recently translated entirely) and of their reason for being here. I do not remember anything they said. But there was something that hit my heart and my soul. In the moment I first saw The Book of Mormon my heart was filled with some feelings that I have never had before. I have to say that I was always a religious person. Before I was Orthodox and I even had times when I was active in the Church and I started early to study the Bible. A few times I talked to people in other churches, too. Soon I realized that something was missing so I stopped going to church. But I continued to study the Bible. ( When I was 4 years old my grandmother died. Because we were very close, and because I was alone at home with her when she died this was a shock to me. This experience made a deep impact on me and I started to be tormented by many questions. Where do we go when we die? Why are we here on earth? Everything was very important and vital to me.I used to cry for hours, alone in bed during the night. And I was praying and begging my Heavenly Father to help me understand.)
Anyway, when I saw The Book of Mormon I felt like I was finally coming home after a long trip. I felt worm and I felt joy. I saw a road opening in front of me, the road that I prayed so hard for the Lord to show it to me. In that moment I didn’t quite understand what were those feelings but I new I had to read the Book. Of course I was afraid to ask the missionaries to give me a copy. But I wanted to go to their meetings on Sunday. Me and Mirabela made plans to go the following Sunday, the Sacrament Meeting was held in the same building with their English classes. Unfortunately, Mirabela couldn’t come so I gave up because I was afraid to go alone.
After a while we discovered that the missionaries were living in the same block with us. And soon I found in my mail box a flyer about the Book of Mormon and their phone number to call and ask for a copy. But again I was to shay to call. But it was a beautiful Sunday in May 1999 when we met the elders close to the place we were living and we got the courage to talk to them and to ask for a copy of the book. The elders were so happy about this that they even went immediately to their apartment to get one for each of us. Then we went to the park to have a discussion about the Book and their Church. It was wonderful. Immediately I realized that they and actually their Church was having the same ideas that I was having about many things. I was truly happy for the first time. I was feeling how this experience was lightening my soul. I was decided to go to Church the next Sunday.
This time we really went. I took the only dress that I had at that time, I met Mirabela and together we proceeded to the Sacrament Meeting for the first time. We were very excited and we were thinking we would go to a room fool of unfamiliar faces. We were scared. But when we arrived there surprisingly the room was almost empty. There were only the 4 missionaries. In a way we were relieved. Later we found out that they had no members in Deva, yet. The city was recently opened for missionary work and they had no Branch. But us, starting with that
Anyway, at that moment I was not thinking about this situation of being the first or the only members in Deva. I knew I wanted with my whole being to be baptized. I was happy. I was 18 and a half and still living with my parents. They found out about my relation with the Church and were not very pleased. They met the missionaries but did not agree to my baptism. My mom told me from the start that if I want to be baptized I will have to leave their house. During that time I read the Book of Mormon twice and other church books.
After many struggles, we decided to be baptized on the 25th of September without our parent consent. That day soon arrived, with many stumbles in between, but eventually nothing stopped us from taking the Name of Jesus Christ and to make a covenant with Him. That day was wonderful. Our parents were not there for us, but we had some friends that attended the ceremony. I was so happy that I felt like floating. Everything seamed like a beautiful dream. I have finally found what I was looking for so long. I found peace, tranquility and so much happiness. I made so much progress in such a sort while with the help of the missionaries. I assimilated the doctrine and the laws of the Church so quick that I felt I was a member for so many years. Also my first years as a member
I spent them doing a lot of missionary work; I wanted to really share my happiness to other people. This was a wonderful time that really changed my life.
After a year my mom found out about my baptism and she really kicked me out. I lived with a friend for a while. After a few weeks they received me home again. They continued to persecute me but because I was spending much time serving I was not thinking about that.
I know with all my heart that this is the work of the Lord on earth. The
I am grateful for the blessings in my life, for my husband, for our daughter Adela, and for our son David. They are the most important treasures that God gave in to my life.
I know that my Redeemer lives, He is my Savior, He is Jesus Christ. I am very happy to say this in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
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