Obedience

I was born into a farming family in a remote village in Andhra Pradesh. I have four siblings, and I was raised there along with them. We did not have the privilege of formal education. From an early age, my siblings and I helped our parents by working in the fields and supporting them in farming. Although we were poor and had little materially, we were rich in faith and had the gospel teachings of Jesus Christ. As a family, we attended church every Sunday and practiced family prayer regularly. This faith was our greatest source of hope; it kept us united with God and strengthened our family bonds. My parents taught me many valuable lessons, but the most important was to live the gospel through obedience. They were wonderful examples to us.

When I reached marriageable age, I got to know my future husband was from Mumbai. Since Mumbai is a large city, I imagined that my life there might include a comfortable home with a garden, flowers, and a balcony. As it was an arranged marriage, I accepted God’s will and married him. Soon afterward, I had to say goodbye to my family, which was exceedingly difficult for me. Many emotions and thoughts filled my heart as I left my home.

After arriving in Mumbai, I was surprised to find that my husband and I lived in a slum in an exceedingly small and overcrowded house where even fresh air could barely pass through. Married life began with many challenges. I did not know the local language, Hindi, which made communication exceedingly difficult. Every day, I had to walk two hundred meters to fetch water and carry it home in vessels. My husband left for work early in the morning at 7:00 a.m. and returned late at night around 9:00 p.m. every day. I spent my days doing household chores from morning until night. During this difficult period, I gradually stopped praying and studying the scriptures. Life became increasingly challenging, and my husband did not follow the Word of Wisdom or attend church regularly. Many trials and afflictions arose, and I began to feel abandoned and wondered why God had brought me there.

One Sunday during a Bible study at church, I turned the pages of the Bible and read Proverbs 3:1–2, which teaches that obedience brings peace and long life. As I studied these verses, my heart was filled with the Spirit, and I felt a burning feeling within me that brought tears to my eyes. I began to reflect on the life of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Though He suffered many trials and was falsely accused, He never forgot God. Even in His last moments, He obeyed Heavenly Father. Though He lived a sinless life, He fulfilled the Father’s will by sacrificing His life so that we might return to our Heavenly Father.

Through His Atonement, we are given the opportunity to repent and strive to obey Him. I understood that obedience truly brings peace and happiness. From that time onward, I began praying again, studying the scriptures, and living the gospel through obedience. Gradually, I helped my husband through the gospel to keep the Word of Wisdom, participate in family prayer, and live Christ’s teachings. Later, I was blessed with two children, which brought great peace and joy into my life. My husband lovingly cared for me during and after my pregnancies. As our children grew, we taught them the importance of obeying the gospel.

In 2016, one of our distant relatives invited us to visit The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. My husband and son attended church, where the missionaries taught them about the restored gospel. They were baptized, and later my youngest daughter and I also accepted the gospel and were baptized. We moved from our old house into a better home, which was filled with peace and the love of God. In 2019, my husband passed away at the early age of 42. I was heartbroken and felt helpless. I worried about how I would raise our children without him, as he had been the only earning member of our family. I was a homemaker and did not know Hindi (local Language) well enough to communicate confidently, which made the situation even more difficult.

However, I knew that God had not abandoned me. I placed my faith in Him, obeyed His commandments, and faced these challenges without losing hope. I found work in a women’s sewing company, and three years later, I became a union leader, helping and empowering other women. My children completed their education and began living stable, independent lives. Our home became filled with peace and happiness. I truly felt the love of our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. I came to understand God’s Plan of Happiness, that families can be reunited after this life and remain together forever. I have faith that I will reunite with my husband again, and I know that Jesus Christ has made this possible.

As I strengthened my relationship with God, I learned that He wants His children to grow and learn through trials. These experiences help strengthen our faith in Jesus Christ as we obey His commandments and live the gospel. As I did so, I felt myself drawing closer to God. Looking back, I see that it was God’s plan to bring me from a small village to this place and into the restored gospel. I am deeply grateful that my son served a mission and returned home honorably, and that my daughter is currently serving a mission.

I testify that as we obey God, He blesses us with peace, happiness, strength, and success in our lives. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen. ■