My Girlfriend asked me to Choose between Her and my Faith

I think the same thing happened to me because I am not evil and all I knew was that in life there is God. But I didn’t know what He was for. After I was able to listen to Bro. Eli, it was like magnet that I could not stop listening to him anymore. I was never like that before; spiritual things were not my interest.

By Onyx Rivera

I am a former Catholic. My mom is a Catholic through and through, while my father is a former member of the Iglesia ni Cristo ni Manalo (INCM). But that had been a long time ago back in Laguna. My father left that because at first he thought it was the true church.

His siblings were fighting and so he left home for Manila and there got married. Almost all my relatives from my father’s side are members of the INCM. You might be curious about me, but I hope there will be a time that I can convince them to be with me in the true service of God.

I had classmates in High School who were from the INCM but we never did discuss differences in our faith. Neither did they invite me to visit their chapel. I was still a catholic then.

In August 2001, two of my childhood friends introduced to me the Ang Dating Daan. One of them was a Catholic and the other, a member of the Jehovah’s Witnesses. I refused to listen and watch that TV program which they zealously did. I ignored my friends and said, that’s okay; we can have different faiths. And as long as we remain friends, I will respect your faith.

That was my belief then, until it was my turn to listen to Bro. Eli without noticing that I was getting addicted to it. This was between August up to September 2001. I learned Bro. Eli is Bro. Eliseo Soriano, also a preacher.

I went to a Grand Meeting, the same one being held by Bro. Eli in many places. It was held near our place, in Rasak Sports Complex. I thought I needed a Bible and so I went to SBN 21 in Strata.

It was on August 21, 2001. I saw my classmates there; I even greeted them before I would ask a question to Bro. Eli. I was one of those lined up to ask questions regarding anything in the Bible and he would answer – direct from the Bible.

On my way home, I was riding on a jeepney by Gabby’s, and I thought to myself, Wow! I was able to do that! Because, you see, I am very shy. Later did I realize that I was seen on TV, on the Internet, in the studio, and heard on the radio! So that is how it is when it is God who moves you! This is something!

I was alone in the jeep reflecting. One night when I was yet a Catholic, I was in bed wishing I would find the true religion if this one (RC) is not it. I asked God to show me. But I was surprised why I asked that. Wasn’t I in the true faith?

I like Bro. Eli because he has mastered the Bible and because he tells the truth. I would write and write in my notebooks the new truths he was saying. That was the reason I asked for a Bible from him.

My indoctrination sessions lasted to about a month. It was a worker then who administered them live. I was very happy whenever I watched Ang Dating Daan. My feelings were so light that I gave priority to the indoctrination sessions to the extent that I and my girlfriend parted ways. She had asked me to choose between me and my church.

I told her, Sorry, but I would have to choose this Church! It was so painful but because of my newly-found joy I stood my ground. She asked me, “Is it me or your Church?”

How good indeed is our Lord! I and my girl friend resumed talking to each other after I got baptized on October 12, 2001. On November 30, 2001, or a few weeks later, my girlfriend also got baptized. I could not ask for more.

God has been so good to us. My girl friend is now my wife and we are blessed with a child who reminds us of many things in our service to The Almighty.

Later on, my classmates also became members of the Church, now registered as Members Church of God International (MCGI). This is where Bro. Eli preached, the TV host of Ang Dating Daan. I got baptized ahead of them, however, on October 12, 2001 by Bro. Rodel Mangiliman in Apalit, Pampanga.

Do you remember what happened to Bro. Eli about getting and buying the ADD Convention Center in Pampanga? Didn’t he tell us that at that time he did not know why he had to buy a fishpond? What was he going to do with a big, big fishpond? Including those big tracts of land around, what were they for? Why were people selling those to him? Later on, he realized that it was for a Convention Center to be built!

I think the same thing happened to me because I am not evil and all I knew was that in life there is God. But I didn’t know what He was for. After I was able to listen to Bro. Eli, it was like magnet that I could not stop listening to him anymore. I was never like that before; spiritual things were not my interest.

Whenever it was Bro. Eli preaching, it felt so good listening to him. My parents wondered why I had to hide in my room the radio because my papa was using it. So there was a Bro. Eli to listen to; there were my classmates to invite me and challenge me to listen to Bro. Eli; there was the radio so I could listen. So I dumped my girl friend for the indoctrination sessions because faith was more important. These were all the events that led me to my request to God to show me the true church. He will supply the right thing at the right time anyway –just like my wife now who is also my sister-in-faith.

Those were the days. What is important is that I got affiliated in the true church. I hope to be able to continue in God’s service.