Testimony

Brother Arthur L. Williams

I was raised in the church by a loving mother who cared for her six children.  We were in church three days during the week and most of the day every Sunday.  Upon knowing who and what Jesus Christ has done for me, I was baptized as a young believer at the age of 12.

During high school, I began to run with the wrong crowd.  I was allowing my grades to drop, missing classes, missing choir practices and services.  After numerous attempts by my mother for me to return to who and what my life was to be, we came to the decision for me to go to school outside of the city.  I agreed to go to “Job Crop” in the State of Utah.  Finishing high school and a vocation (meat-cutter) and with my college years ahead of me, I entered them well-balance. But there was a problem, I was using marijuana.

As I returned home, I began a job at a mixing plant where I mixed plastics for vinyl records.  A Christian brother’s father got me the job by way of the Father in heaven.  I was attending church again and began speaking with the elders.  One thing they told me stood out.  “God has a plan for your life.”  Slowly I began to slip backward.  Problems and setbacks began to take this turn in my life over the next several years.  It was at this time that a wonderful Christian woman entered my life.  With things hidden, we were married.  For the next 10 years and four sons, we were holding together with me playing a role as if the secret life I had was not known to others.  Drugs and sex became so taxing. How did I get in so deep?  Plus, I had left the church.

At this time, I came to the second most important decision of my life, to check into a rehabilitation center.  The first most important decision was to wholeheartedly return to God.  I returned to the church and over the next few years God blessed me to join the Deacon board, lead bible studies, and be a member of the choir.  The Lord lead me back to a life of worship.

Even as I am present here in prison with a 56 year-to-life term, I remain faithful to the purpose of the Lord in and over my life.  For the past 22 years, I have been exhorting the word of God, teaching the word of God, singing the word of God as a worship leader, and a leader in the community of faith.  All praise and honor to the Lord Jesus Christ, who saved me from me.  And my heavenly Father, my God who receives the glory.