Indiana

Monica Smith had a neighbor who believed in the seventh-day Sabbath. After discussing the subject together, Monica was interested in attending services at the Huntingburg Seventh-day Adventist Church. One Sabbath afternoon, Monica’s six-year-old daughter suggested, “Mother, let’s go to the Adventist church.” It was a miracle that the Huntingburg Church was meeting Sabbath afternoons at that time.

Mother and daughter were welcomed at the church. Following the services, Justin Childers, pastor, and his wife Sonia, made arrangements to visit with them at their home. The visit initiated a series of Bible studies that continued with the Childers and Brian Wilson, a church elder.

Within a short time, Monica asked how she could become a member and join the church. With that encouragement, they covered the rest of the material in the lessons and made arrangements for her special day.

"It was amazing," said the pastor, "that she never had any objections to any of the Bible's doctrines, or took an issue about what would happen when she obeyed [God]. I have never experienced studying with an individual who was so open and willing to accept whatever the Bible taught as a present truth." Monica was baptized on Sabbath, October 29, 2005.

Justin Childers, Huntingburg Church pastor, with Bruce Babienco, Lake Union Herald volunteer correspondent