At an early age, around 5 years old, I saw magazines (Plain Truth) and books given by our neighbor who are Jehovah Witnesses. I was baptized when I was still a baby, because my parents are Roman Catholics. I attended mass during Sundays and prayed the rosary during Wednesdays and on other occasions like death anniversaries or during rosary month (October).
When in my high school days, we were required to attend mass on Sunday and Friday because we stayed in a boarding house owned by the Roman Catholic church. We were required to make a summary of the sermons in those days as checked by religion teachers. On Wednesdays we had to do “holy rosary,” as they called it. Even in college I attended Roman Catholic rites and traditions. Years had passed after graduating college. I lived with my sister in a boarding house in Baguio City, Philippines. Then what caught my attention was two ladies, Sister Edith Velasco and Sister Florence Dalino having long hair, and every morning they sang songs. Later on I realized that they were born again Christians. I talk to them once in a while, not knowing that they had a plan for me.
During my 26th birthday, they gave me a gift, a King James Bible. Although they gave it to me through my sister, I knocked at their door and thank them for it. The first thing they said to me was they wanted to invite me to a Sunday service held in a rented schoolroom near our place. I attended several times until they asked me if I was aware what time we are living in, and also they talked about the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, rapture and white throne judgment. Of course my answer was that I didn’t know all those things. They gave me tracts and Spoken Word books by Prophet Branham. The pastor gave me his personal copies of books about Brother Branham: Seven Seals, Seven Church Ages, etc.
Ever since then, the more I read; it opens my eyes about the truth on denominations, anti-christ, the beast, original sin and so forth. I read the books several times while I took down notes, because there were few Spoken Word books available. Three weeks after my 26th birthday, I accepted Christ as my personal Saviour and was baptized. Since then, I put my trust in Jesus Christ alone and anticipated His second coming.
When I came to Canada five years ago, I brought with me Christian tapes and all my Spoken Word books, including the books given by the pastor. This is a living testimony that I can share to our brothers and sisters in Christ. Praise the Name of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Armando