And we see that death comes upon mankind, yea, the death which has been spoken of by Amulek, which is the temporal death; nevertheless there was a space granted unto man in which he might repent; therefore this life became a probationary state; a time to prepare to meet God; a time to prepare for that endless state which has been spoken of by us, which is after the resurrection of the dead.

— Alma 12: 24.

This scripture helped me to better understand my purpose in life. I was baptized into the Church 2 years and 2 months ago, after the deaths of my grandpa and a cousin who were both members of the Church.

In March of 1998 my grandpa died after suffering for a long time. Later, a bus was unable to stop at a traffic light because of excessive speed and my cousin was hit and lay in a coma for a short time before his death. I went to the house of my cousin where he lay in his coffin. I wondered that if there was a God, why He would let my cousin and grandpa suffer so before they died. Sister missionaries were also at the house and I talked with them. They invited me to a fellowship night in the meetinghouse of the ward, and the elders who worked in my neighborhood talked with me and taught me the discussions, after which I was baptized in July of 1998. Now I am on a mission.

This scripture helped answer questions I had concerning death and has helped me want to do everything I can to help this cause, especially with the investigators. Because I am a convert, I can understand how they feel. My greatest hope is to be able to endure to the end, making good use of this probationary state, and to do my best for the rest of my family who are not yet members of the Church. This particularly cheers me up to help them know the true Church of Jesus Christ.

— Elder Rodrigo Huerta, Bolivia Cochabamba Mission.

"Living by the Scriptures" is another in a series of Church News reader response articles. Was there a time when a particular scripture touched you, when it offered comfort, guidance and much-needed support? If so, please describe your experience in 250-300 words, giving the scripture reference and telling how it affected you.

Send your submission to Church News, P.O. Box 1257, Salt Lake City, Utah 84110. Fax No. (801) 237-2524. Internet E-mail: churchnews@desnews.com