A Light That Cannot Be Hid
The gospel of Jesus Christ filled their lives with light. Now they share that light fearlessly.
Photographs by Ntebaleng Twala
Joana M. and Praise I. have a lot in common. They’re both 17 years old. They both live in Khomas, Namibia. And they both love sharing the gospel.
The Light of Love
Joana joined the Church when she was 10 years old, after the missionaries introduced her family to the Book of Mormon. Now she’s determined to share her testimony with others.
Once, Joana felt prompted to share the Book of Mormon with her uncle, who’s a pastor in a different church. She worried that he might criticize her beliefs, but, she says, “The Spirit kept prompting me to speak up.”
She told her uncle how the Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ. They had a good conversation, and her uncle promised to learn more for himself.
Joana has found joy following the Spirit’s promptings to share the gospel with those around her.
“It made me want to not ignore promptings, but just take the chance,” Joana says. “I felt at peace.”
She continues, “Bearing my testimony brings me closer to Heavenly Father.” This strong relationship gives Joana even more courage. In the past year, two of her friends have joined the Church because of her efforts.
She says the best way to bear testimony is with genuine love. “I tell my friends, ‘I don’t want to force you. I want your choices to come from your heart.’ I invite others to come to church so at the last day, we can all be saved. I want to do my part.”
Scripture study and prayer strengthen Joana’s relationship with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.
The Light of Testimony
Praise joined the Church as a teenager after meeting the missionaries on the street. They walked past him at first, then came back and asked if he was interested in learning about the gospel. Praise immediately said yes.
Now, sharing the gospel is one of Praise’s favorite things to do. He’s a branch missionary, so he spends most of his time after school helping the missionaries and ministering to others.
His parents aren’t members of the Church, but they’re supportive of Praise’s missionary work. “My mom says going out with the missionaries makes me a better person,” Praise says. “When you’re introduced to something great, you have to show the people around you that you’re a new person. They’ll see the greatness in you and love what you’ve been introduced to.”
Praise loves sharing the light of the gospel. He regularly helps the missionaries, and even introduced his sister to the gospel (far left). People have noticed that living the gospel has made Praise a better person.
Praise’s good influence has already brought big results. After he was baptized, he wanted to introduce his sister to the gospel, but worried that she might react poorly. He decided to pray about it. When he did, he felt the Spirit and took that as a good sign. He introduced her to the missionaries, and after a few months, she was baptized too.
“I felt that with the Lord by my side, everything is possible,” Praise says.
The Light of Divine Worth
The gospel has taught Praise and Joana valuable truths. For example, because of the Church, Joana knows her worth as a daughter of God. Modesty and the law of chastity remind her of His love.
“We need to have dignity,” she says. “Modesty isn’t just about what you wear. If I take care of my body, I can be an example to others.”
Before her friends were baptized, Joana was the only member of the Church at her school. While other youth around her struggle with physical, emotional, and spiritual consequences of breaking the law of chastity, being sexually pure has helped Joana be a good example and introduce her friends to the gospel.
Likewise, Praise says, “It’s brought me a lot of joy to follow the commandments. You might feel like they limit you from having fun in life, but they actually keep you from destroying your life.”
Knowing the gospel helps Praise overcome peer pressure and bad influences. “The drugs and the parties might seem like a lot of fun,” he says, “but the gospel helps me understand that what we’re preparing for is greater than all of that.”
The Light of the Savior
How are Praise and Joana so confident in their testimonies? It’s because of their relationship with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.
For Joana, connecting with Them through scripture study and prayer is part of her daily routine. “It’s as vital to me as drinking water,” she says. “Jesus Christ is my everything.”
Praise says, “Jesus Christ is someone I look up to. As we strive to be like Him and Heavenly Father, we will become better people. Whenever I feel like I’m not capable enough, I remind myself that Christ is my foundation. He gives me the strength to overcome anything.”