Akash Raghoenath , 6 April,
2012
Den Bosch
Akash and Elder Davies
Akash lived in his own world by his own rules and no one
said otherwise. As a bright physics student, he scoffed at the existence
of a God and knew of the church only through South Park. Still, his soul
searched for something. Something which he found in a rather remarkable
way... at a bus stop! Akash recognized two Mormon missionaries standing at a
bus stop near Den Bosch and challenged them to a bet. If they could
show him that their God was real, then he would testify of that fact in front
of their church. Akash came to church the next Sunday out of curiosity
and was surprised to find that it was a Testimony service. He
recognized an answer to his question. He went forward and testified that
he knew. He started reading the Book of Mormon, and after a few
weeks of slow and not terribly dedicated reading, he decided, for himself, to
read the book. Within a number of weeks, he had read the Book of Mormon,
the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price.
He told the Elders that he wanted to be baptized, and chose the date of
April 6th. (a day that was both the anniversary of the Church and also
Good Friday, the day when Christ had paid for our sins on the cross.)
Akash gave up smoking cold turkey from multiple packs a day. He
continued to devour the books of the church and came to know and appreciate the
doctrine of God's own Church. He was baptized on his chosen day,
supported by his family, friends, and new found church family.
Akash has changed and is strong in amazing ways. He knows there is a God and that
the Gospel is true!
Akash Raghoenath is one of the most funny, interesting, and
strong-willed people you could ever meet. Akash's conversion to the
Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ was truly a miracle. We first met Akash
on an exchange in Den Bosch, waiting for a bus at the central station. He
asked us if we were the "Mormons" and we proceeded to have a
discussion about God. We exchanged phone numbers, and ended up meeting
Akash the next day at the church in Den Bosch. He was feeling skeptical
about the existence of God, but had promised us that if we could help him to
feel Heavenly Father's love in his heart, that he would give his testimony at
the Church. After explaining the Restoration, testifying of its
truthfulness, and inviting Akash to pray, which he did in a most powerful way,
he told us that he would be at church on Sunday to give his testimony. I
informed him that the coming Sunday "coincidentally" was the Sunday
that the congregation is invited to share their individual testimonies.
Akash had never before heard of a testimony meeting, and we weren't
actually sure where he got the idea to share a testimony at a church, but we
all knew that God's hand was with us in meeting Akash. He showed up that
same Sunday, and, sure enough, bore his testimony of what he had felt over the
past week. The members were in awe. The next week Akash told us
that he had had a revelation that the Book of Mormon was and is true, and
informed us that he wanted to be baptized on the day that Jesus Christ was crucified,
which happened to be April 6, 2012. Akash progressed with leaps and
bounds, overcoming difficulties and trials along the way, on one occasion
giving Elder Moscon a bag of tobacco and saying, "I don't want this
anymore, you finish this!". He made strong friendships with the
Young Adults as well as many missionaries, and on April 6, 2012, Akash
Raghoenath entered the waters of baptism, and gave a beautiful testimony about
the covenant he had just made with his Father in Heaven and with Jesus Christ.
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