June 25, 2025 • 42 mins
Judy Conrady grew up in Brooklyn, New York, until the age of 12, when her family moved to Twentynine Palms, California. She is the eldest and only daughter among her mother’s four children. Throughout her life, Judy held several jobs, her favorite being at a drive-in movie theater. At age 21, she joined the Navy and loved it. A passionate traveler, Judy met her husband, Tobias, at her first duty station in Fort Meade, Maryland. They were married a year later and have now been happily married for 22 years. Together, they have six children—three daughters and three sons—and recently became grandparents for the first time, an experience they find incredibly exciting.
In 2010, Judy and her husband became members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. All of Judy’s callings have been with the youth, including serving as a Young Women’s counselor and Sunday School teacher. She and her husband were recently called to serve in the Nursery, a calling they find both fun and rewarding.
Judy is a Certified Public Accountant and while most people could not imagine, she has a genuine love for accounting. She enjoys helping others with their tax needs and finds great satisfaction in her work. She currently serves as the first counselor in the stake Young Women’s presidency.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Hi friends, welcome to the Wichita KS State Podcast.
I'm your host, Paul Kitchen, a state history specialist.
This podcast is intended to helpbring followers of Christ closer
to him and to promote unity within the body of Christ by
listening to our state leaders share their personal stories of
faith. By reflecting on faith promoting
experiences, we can strengthen our individual faith in Jesus
(00:20):
Christ together. Welcome to our next episode, I'm
here with sister Judy Conrady. She grew up in Brooklyn, NY
until the age of 12 when her family moved to 29 Palms,
California. She is the eldest and only
daughter among her mother's fourchildren.
Throughout her life, Judy held several jobs, her favorite being
(00:42):
at a drive in movie theater. At age 21, she joined the Navy
and loved it. A passionate traveler, Judy met
her husband, Tobias, at her first duty station in Fort
Meade, MD. They were married a year later
and have now been happily married for 22 years.
Together they have six children,three daughters and three sons,
(01:04):
and recently became grandparentsfor the first time, an
experience they find incredibly exciting.
In 2010, Judy and her husband became members of the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
All of Judy's callings have beenwith the youth, including
serving as a young woman's counselor and Sunday School
teacher. She and her husband were
(01:24):
recently called to serve in the nursery.
By calling, they find both fun and rewarding.
Judy is a certified Public Accountant and while most people
could not imagine, she has a genuine love for accounting.
She enjoys helping others with their tax needs and finds great
satisfaction in her work. She currently serves as the
first counselor in the Stake Young Women's Presidency.
(01:46):
Welcome, Judy. Thank you.
Excited to visit with you today.So let's start with your early
life. And is there any formative
influences that you'd like to share with us?
Yes, I think my greatest influence is my grandmother.
(02:06):
She is my, I guess, paternal grandmother and she was a
devout, A devoted lover of Christ and she had the most
amazing relationship with him. She truly knew him and knew that
he knew her. I will share that she spoke to
him like he was there and she knew he heard her.
(02:30):
I remember one of my earliest memories with her was that I had
as a kid, I was trying to help with the dishes and I had gotten
something in my eye and I could not get it out.
And I got scared and she like jumped up and she took me to her
room and her and my grandfather laid me on their bed.
(02:51):
And their very first thing they did, she knelt beside me and she
began to pray. And she was just, oh, she was
praying fervently and she was begging.
And my grandfather got the oil and they were trying to bless
me. And I was like, what are they
doing? I just thought I'm trying to get
(03:11):
something out of my eye and these people are just praying
and and I just kept like trying to get it out.
And finally it just it came out and I remember I was like, I
told her I'm OK. I got it and, and she jumped up
and it was like you would have thought that Christ was in that
(03:33):
room with us because she jumped up and she was like, thank you,
thank you so much. And she was so I'm sorry, so
thankful and I just couldn't. I, I, it was so amazing to me
that I literally, I was in the room with her and I still looked
around and, and I just, that hasalways, always stayed with me
(03:57):
because I thought he was there. He was there and she knew it and
she just, no one could tell her different.
And she knew that he had helped her because she asked.
All she had to do was ask. And I think that that is like
such a beautiful testimony to meand something that I lived
(04:18):
through her testimony for so long.
And I, it has helped me throughout my life because I
know that she would always tell me that outside of Christ, there
is nothing right? So she would always tell me in
Spanish, always fuerra de cristo, no, I nada and shoot.
And I would always think as a, as a young person, I was not, I
(04:42):
didn't go to church very much. And I thought, Grandma, there is
a whole world out there. Like there's so much.
And little did I know that really she was right, that there
are lives are so much fuller when we allow Christ into our
lives. And so I am so thankful to her
(05:03):
for that because when she passedaway, that was one of the most
difficult things for me because we were so close and she was
just so important to me in my life.
And I know that because of what she taught me and the
relationship that I have with Christ because of her, that I
(05:27):
was able to continue to find joythrough my grief and know that
there's still so much available to me even though I want her
back. And I definitely know I, I just
while I want, I want her here now.
I find so much comfort in knowing that we'll be together
(05:51):
again. And I just, I can't wait.
So yeah, yeah, I'm so thankful for it.
Incredible example of the the influence.
Yes. She still has in your life faith
in Christ, that spirituality andand she really like you said she
(06:12):
opened your eyes to you thought that she didn't see the whole
world, but she saw beyond our world.
She saw so much, she was so wise.
Thank you for sharing that. Yeah.
So who's the oldest relative that you remember as a child?
So I was privileged enough to know my great grandmothers and I
(06:37):
came, I was born a month I missed my great, great
grandmother by a month. So I could have I have had the
experience of all these amazing women in my life and so on.
My great grandmother on my father's side, she was
beautiful. Her name was Abita, and she, we
(07:00):
would, my grandmother would takeme to go visit her.
We'd go see her at least once a week, sometimes more, and they
would visit and we'd sit around and talk.
She played the guitar and she loved to sing what they called
corritos and they're just like short little, like hymns,
hymnals that she sang and, and she, she loved to sing, she
(07:24):
loved to play her guitar and shewas a wonderful seamstress.
And so I would always bring all my things that I needed mended
to her and she would fix them upfor me.
As she got older, they may have gotten a little bit funny, but
they always worked and it was great.
And so I really enjoyed that andI loved just hearing her stories
(07:44):
and just her enjoying time with me and just wanting to know what
was happening in my life and what brought me joy.
And I just, I always just remember her.
It's always being very sweet andjust caring, wanting to know
about me. So yeah.
It was great grandmother. Yes, yeah.
(08:05):
And I'm so thankful for that because I know so many people
who didn't even get to meet their grandparents, and I got to
meet just generations. And my grandmother, even though
she wasn't a member of the church, she was so into, like,
her history and hurt the generations of her family.
And she would always want to when we were all together.
(08:26):
She would always want to take pictures of all the generations
together. And she loved those things.
And so, yeah, it was a beautifulthing.
She would have been an amazing church historian.
So yeah. Family history is very important
and it really like the the photographs and the stories and
(08:48):
that really connects us together.
It doesn't. Great that you you did more than
meet your great grandmas it sounds like you had a
relationship with. Yes, it was.
It was amazing just to know themand to have those experience and
know who they were. Yeah, it's just so touching to
just not. You look at a picture and it's
not just someone you see, but someone I knew them.
(09:10):
And it just really it, it touches your heart in a
different way. No, thank you for sharing.
What role has missionary serviceplayed in your life?
Oh, missionaries. I love missionaries.
My husband and I, like you said,we joined the church in 2010.
We were actually, we were both in the military and so we were
(09:34):
stationed in Hawaii, Pearl Harbor at the time.
And I actually worked with a with a guy who was who had been
a missionary, but he was a Marine now and somebody was
talking about his religion. And my husband and I had been
looking had been visiting all kinds of churches, having all
kinds of experiences. And it just, you just feel so
(09:58):
lost in that journey. And so when I had heard that he
was a member of the church, I asked him about it.
And he, I always remember that he took the time to like, took
the time to set it aside, like we went separately, not in.
And he talked about it so reverently.
(10:19):
And it was just something I could tell so important to him
and so valuable that he wanted to share that.
I think it made it even more interesting and valuable to me.
And so I remember that he, him and his wife brought us our
first Book of Mormon and then they actually sent the
missionaries to our home and we actually got to experience
(10:42):
senior missionaries because we had Elder, Elder, I believe is
Elder McCabe. I think that was his name was
his. And he was he had actually been
in the Navy during Vietnam. And so he was a liaison with the
military and the church. And so he was able to because he
(11:05):
had that connection. He understood that different
life and all those things and bringing it together.
And he was amazing at doing that.
Him and his wife came and they and mainly it was him and he
came with the missionaries when they taught us the lessons and
he talked. I remember he shared a story of
(11:27):
an experience he had when he wasin Vietnam.
And that was something that actually brought my husband's
attention into listening to these lessons and about the
church and what all these thingsmeant for us.
And they built a pretty strong relationship.
And it was just amazing to me because we had visited all these
(11:49):
churches and my husband was like, I don't want anything to
do with any of this. And he, we were so frustrated,
you know, but I knew that we needed something.
We needed to build that foundation for our kids.
And so we kept trying. And, and so I, during the time
that we were taking the lessons with the missionaries, I
(12:11):
actually got deployed. And so I was gone for like 3 to
6 months. And during that time I was so
worried that that was it. My husband would stop going to
church. There would be nothing else
because it's hard. We had young children to do all
of that and work and all of that.
(12:33):
You don't want anything else. And so, and I remember I just,
that was my prayer. You know, the missionaries had
told us pray to know if the Bookof Mormon was true.
And I, and I did that. But my greater prayer was that I
needed a sign that this was the true church and that that my
(12:58):
family was going to grow in thischurch and that we could grow
closer to God through that. And I'm while I was gone, I
remember my husband. Sorry, it's always meant to cry.
That's all right. I remember my husband, he would
(13:18):
send me pictures of the kids, right?
Because it's really tough being away from your children,
especially when they're so small, because my kids were
under 2 at the time. And so well, my younger boys.
And he and he sent me this picture and he was wearing what
I called the church uniform because he had on his white
shirt and, and he had the boys all dressed up for church.
(13:44):
And he said, and he said something like following through
on our Sunday ritual and he had taken the kids out and he had
got them, I think like a little ice cream on the way home from
church because they had done so well.
And, you know, that's making it like fun for them.
And I just, when I saw that picture, I just knew.
(14:09):
I knew that that was the answer to my prayer that we were on the
right track. And so we came back.
When I came back, it was just soeasy.
We took those lessons and it wasjust, it all just seemed to fall
into place like all these the answer to questions we didn't
(14:31):
even know we had. And it just was so wait.
Such a good time with the missionaries.
I think that's why they send young people because you just
need someone who can also make it fun.
And I, I was just sharing with the missionaries, our
missionaries here that I remember that was the time when
it was like a lot of object lessons.
(14:52):
And so our missionaries always had this new object lesson that
they taught. And they're like, we're going to
practice it here with you guys. And we would have so much fun
with them. And I enjoyed that so much.
And I, I, I'd never realized really the sacrifice of what
that was until I sent my own sonout on a mission and, and he
(15:22):
made that choice. Like he decided we didn't even
know he had signed up to serve amission until he needed our
assistance with some documents. And I was like, what?
And he's like, yeah, I'm, I'm going, I've done everything.
I just need you to help me get this paper or whatever.
And I was like, oh gosh. And then I was like, well, I
(15:45):
want to think about it. And he's all, no, there's
nothing to think about. And I thought, oh, OK, well, I
guess I'm getting this paper andI'm, I'm so I'm just so happy
for him for this, this choice that he has made in this journey
and just the blessings that he has had.
(16:07):
But I think it has allowed me tosee the just the beautiful
sacrifice that all of these families have made.
And I'm so grateful for that because people like me wouldn't
have the gospel. We wouldn't have this
opportunity without them. And so I, I'm thankful everyday
(16:31):
and I think when I miss my son and I just want him to come
home, I think about that. I think about all of the people
that are waiting to hear the gospel and it's him who was
supposed to knock on that door or just pass them by and say
hello. And, and he, I really believe
(16:53):
Heavenly Father made him for that journey because he will eat
anything, sleep anywhere. He was prepared.
And so, and I think he went to probably an easier place.
He's in Ecuador. And so but he always talks about
this fish soup that he eats for breakfast.
And I don't know that I could eat fish soup for breakfast, but
(17:14):
kale will eat anything. So I'm, I'm so thankful to
Heavenly Father for that becausehe made him who he needed to be.
And it's just further testimony building for all of us because
He allows us to be who He needs us to be and as long as we are
willing, He opens the doors for us.
(17:35):
So I am so thankful to all of the missionaries and all of the
sacrifices they have made. And even for the missionaries
that like taught the sister missionaries that taught my
daughter, because my daughter did not join the church
immediately with us, she hesitated.
And she was, when we joined the church, she was actually 12 or
(17:59):
13. And so she kind of was like, she
backed off. And it was years before she came
back to just, she always went tochurch, but it was just, she
just wasn't ready to take that step.
And it was when we actually herein Valley Center, we had elders
(18:21):
for a long time. And then all of a sudden there
was a change and we got these sisters and they those, I'm so
thankful to those sisters. They came and they just
befriended her and they shared time with her and just laughed
with her and shared, you know, the love of Christ with her and
(18:43):
that's what she needed. And so when they came to try and
share the lessons with her again, they came and they spoke
Talk to me first. And I was so nervous.
I just was like, I don't, I'm, I'm trying not to burn this
bridge we've built, right? And it was scary for me, but I
(19:03):
thought, I have to let that happen.
I just felt like it's time to let that happen again.
And so they did. And it was amazing.
They just shared their love and their testimonies of the gospel.
And she was baptized. And it was so beautiful.
And I am, I was so touched because so many members of the
(19:28):
church had met her and had a relationship with her and they
all came to her baptism and she was so like so impressed.
She always talks about, I can't believe how many people were in
those pews. And so I'm like, that's all the
people who love you and wanted this for you, right?
(19:48):
So I just think about all of these missionaries.
And I also remember the missionaries that came to teach
Cameron. He is a.
Probably our youngest and last son, but he's our, I call him my
collector's edition because he we got him when he was older.
(20:09):
But really we, we shared the gospel with him when he came to
live with us. I actually didn't realize when
he came to live with us, but he had never been to church.
He didn't know anything about church.
It was so brand new to him. And that that was so foreign to
me because I grew up around religion my whole life.
(20:32):
My grandmother was Pentecostal, my mom was Jehovah's Witness.
I had family that was Catholic, but I didn't know very much
about it. And so I just had grown up.
Religion was a big deal. And so then to have these
conversations with Cameron and all of it was so new.
You could just share even the story of Jonah and it was a new
(20:56):
story for him. And so we got to share all of
those things and our perspective.
And it was so it was fun to share that and to know that that
I knew these things and that I knew Heavenly Father and that I
knew the truth of it inside me. And so and then just having the
(21:18):
missionaries coming and, and just the same thing, they became
his friend and they wanted to share that with him and allowing
him to learn and to read and study and just asking him
questions about what he had, what he was taking in.
And I am so thankful to our wardfamily because the Valley Center
(21:39):
ward took him into and they weremember missionaries truly
because they taught him and theybefriended him and took him in
to that to the our family here. And so and then he was also, he
went back and forth, but he was also baptized.
And so I'm so thankful for that and, and watching him grow in,
(22:03):
in his testimony and just watching him up there as he now
serves the sacrament and all those things and blesses it.
And I just think like, what an amazing thing that is.
So I'm so thankful to the missionaries, but I'm also
thankful to all the members of this church that take the time
to live their lives so, so that they can hear the spirit as it
(22:28):
guides them. So yeah, probably longer than
you wanted. But that is perfect.
I love that the missionary services, like you said, it's
very important and it helps bring people into the church,
but then all of us have opportunities to to live and
share the gospel, which is also missionary service.
(22:50):
Whether people join the church or not, we can be inviting and
we can be loving and as they're they're part of our lives, they
will they will recognize the importance of Jesus Christ and
and want that too. Yes.
It is, it's, it's really amazing.
I will, I'll put in my plug for ministering as well because I
(23:12):
really feel that that is true missionary work for our members.
Because I remember when we movedhere, I was a brand new member
of the church. I'd been a member of the church
like a month. It was so new to me.
And we are a blended family. And so I felt so different from
(23:33):
all of the members of the churchand the lives that they lived.
And I had lived a life so different.
And I felt just, well, the enemygets you right and you feel so
unworthy and you feel so less than.
And I am so thankful to my my visiting teacher, right.
(23:57):
So these are my ministering sister because she never stopped
showing up even when I was just like, OK, you can come in kind
of a thing. She always came and she always
loved me and she brought me random treats on days when I
(24:17):
didn't realize I needed them. And she continued to show up.
And I think so many days that I just, I was like, oh, I cannot
deal with this. But sitting with her did
something for me that I can't even, I don't even have the
words to explain. I just needed her to be there.
(24:40):
And that is such, that's such a big deal because I think so
often we get so wrapped up and we need to do this big gesture.
It needs to be this huge thing. And often we truly just need
someone to sit beside us in those moments that we're having
(25:04):
and those troubles and just knowthat they bring the spirit with
them and we can be together in that whole place.
And so I think that it's, it's so much more than we think that
it is. And I am, I'm so thankful for
that. And I'm so thankful for the, the
(25:28):
Chandler's because he was actually the Bishop here when I
first moved here. And his wife, sister Chandler,
she was so kind to my family andshe was my friend.
She was my first friend. And she she took me and my kids
in and she showed me all of her sewing skills, which are
(25:52):
amazing. And she helped me when I got
over my head trying to make a quilt.
And she helped me do that. And while she did that, she had
always had like all these Legos my kids always remember.
But she would allow them to play.
And then once we were done, we do clean up.
But it was just wonderful and I'm so thankful to her and to my
(26:14):
ministering sisters for just always being there because it
just, it helped me get through those difficult times when I
really felt like this isn't for me and I'm not like these
people. So yeah, thanks for letting me
share that. I love that, that just people
(26:37):
being there for each other and yeah, getting to know each other
outside of church, Yes, being true friends.
Yes. And we eat that so much, yes.
Thanks, So what are some things that your family enjoys doing
for fun? I don't know.
(27:00):
I don't know that people consider it very fun, but we are
just kind of a gathering family and we love to hang out in the
kitchen for some reason, even ifwe're not eating, we all stand
in there and we just talk. It's always the place where we
come together and we have just great conversation, tell each
other jokes and, you know, joke around with each other and just
(27:25):
enjoy each other's company. And I, those are my, my greatest
memories with them always just sitting around just hanging out
right there in that kitchen area.
We also enjoy the good old boardgame.
So we have a few that we enjoy to play and my kids probably
(27:48):
almost every Sunday when we get together, they will push
everything off the dining room table so that they can get a
board game out. And they have a few that they
really enjoy and we try them all.
And I really enjoy Ticket to Ride.
They don't always like it, but sometimes they will, you know,
play with me so I can have my fun too.
But we have a really good time with that.
(28:10):
And I think we just enjoy hanging out with each other,
just like being in in each other's company.
And it's just really, it's good.I think, you know, could be
worse, right? It's a lot worse.
It's a lot of fun. Yeah.
Being together, like you said, gathering.
And my wife Naomi likes to play a ticket to ride also.
(28:32):
Yeah. OK.
Fun game. So let's let's talk a little bit
about your your, your job, your professional course.
So what? What influenced you to become
ACPA? So I like I, I had talked about
I was in the Navy and I was in the Navy for almost 11 years.
(28:55):
And so when I got out, I was kind of looking for what would I
do? And for a long time I had
thought about as, as a youth, I wanted to be like a doctor in
the medical field. But I learned pretty quickly
that I have a problem with needles.
There's a bit of fainting involved.
And so I didn't think that that was going to work out for me.
(29:18):
And so I was looking for, I havealways just loved to be in the
service industry and helping people and doing things for
people. And I found that through
accounting, I could do that. And so, and so that's when when
I started going to school, that's what I did.
I just went for accounting and Ireally enjoy it.
(29:38):
I just really loved it. The numbers just work for me.
And so I just had a good time with it and I've been doing that
ever since. I and my husband has been just
absolutely amazing because I went to school while we still
had kids at home and he was starting a business and we were
(29:59):
doing it all all at once. And so I got my bachelor's
degree in accounting and I thought, that's it.
I'll never go to school again. And he's like, you can't stop.
You have to keep going and finish it up because he's like,
get that MBA and then you can get your CPA.
And so I, I was like, oh, OK, soI mean, I thought if he's going
(30:23):
to, he's, and he supported me. Like he literally helped me edit
my papers and all those things that I needed to do.
So he, he is just amazing. And so I did, I did all those
things and I struggled with the CPA.
It was very hard. And I learned that I didn't know
how to study. So I had to learn how to study
(30:45):
and really buckle down on that. And he was the best cheerleader
and I'm so thankful to him because I really, there are many
times I wanted to give up. And when I, when I failed my
first exam, that was just, that was really tough on me.
I had never failed like that. I'd never failed an exam and all
(31:07):
those things. And so it was a really powerful
lesson and I think it was actually a good thing because I
think we all need those moments where we fail because it helps
us to build up our fortitude andreally figure out that you can
get back up. This was just your first try and
keep going and adjust. It teaches us to adjust.
(31:29):
And so I'm so thankful for it, to him for that.
And I just, and, and I'm, I'm glad there's accounting in that
people mostly don't like it so that I can help them with it.
So yeah. And so right now I actually, I
do, I run the accounting department for an insurance
agency. And then I actually do taxes on
(31:52):
the side because I used to do public accounting and I just
couldn't let it go. I want, I thought I wanted to,
but I just continue to do it. So yeah.
Wow, and that thank you for sharing that experience about
called it failing a test, right opportunities of to learn.
(32:18):
And I think that often times at church, we don't talk about the
those moments in our lives. We tend to put on the I'm the
perfect person and, and it's it's good to it's good to hear,
(32:38):
but it doesn't sound right. It's good to hear that you
failed but but that that you learned from it and you learned
you. You relied on your husband, you
relied on the Savior and you work through things and you
still don't have the perfect life, but you know where to go
when you need the help. Yes, so true.
I never prayed so hard. I, I don't think when I was
(33:01):
going through that CPA process, I prayed everyday multiple times
a day because every time that I went to study or to look at
anything, I asked for help. I asked for that help and I
just, it was, it was a really good lesson because I, and it
(33:21):
was a good reminder of where where my help lies and who I can
rely on and I, I'm thankful for that.
It was tough. I don't want to do it again, but
it was, I'm thankful for it, yes, so.
Wonderful. So is there a more recent
experience besides this test that was a few years ago, Yes.
(33:43):
A more recent experience that has helped bring you closer to
Christ. Like to share with us?
I will share. I remember I think it was Elder
Kerr when Elder Kerr was coming to visit.
I remember that President Chandler was talking about
proper prayer language. And this was very important.
(34:04):
We had to have proper prayer language and the person that was
selected to say prayer, we needed to remind them of that.
And I had never heard this phrase so much.
And so I was like, what is proper prayer language?
And I just, it stayed in my head.
I don't know why. And I kept thinking about it.
And then I was like, it was on my mind so much.
I went to my husband. I was like, hey, So what do you
(34:27):
think about this proper prayer language?
And we talked about it and he's like, it's not that complicated.
And I was like, I don't know that I've heard that so much.
And it just kept coming to my mind.
And I remember as I was driving to work, I have about a 30
minute drive and I would, it would come into my mind and I
(34:48):
would think, how would I do proper prayer language?
And I was like practicing this proper prayer language every
morning, like to work home. Sometimes I'd just be sitting
around thinking about it. It was just in my mind.
And I thought this is crazy. And so, and I kept thinking I
was like Heavenly Father, I am so glad that they chose someone
(35:11):
else to do this proper prayer language.
And I just remember thinking that and just, oh man, I
couldn't stop thinking about it.And I remember when Elder Kerr
came, we had training and then we left to go to lunch or
dinner, and my husband and I came back.
And I remember as we're walking into the State Building, Brother
(35:34):
Arrington's coming out and he looks so relieved to see me.
And I thought, that's weird, youknow, but whatever.
I'm happy to see you too. We go to the same ward, maybe,
you know, whatever. And then he says to me, Sister
Conrad, can you please say the closing prayer?
And I thought, no, no, I cannot.I really did.
(35:58):
And I and I think I even said no.
And President Chandler walked upand I was like, let's ask
President Chandler what he wants, right?
I was like, President Chandler, he's asking me to say a prayer.
I don't think, did you want me to say that?
And he's like, yes, you should say this prayer.
And I thought, no, you know why?I don't know.
(36:19):
And I was like, but OK, I guess I'm saying this prayer.
And I was so nervous sitting down in the fuse thinking I how
am I going to say this prayer? And I, I got up there and
honestly, Brother Kitchen, I have no idea what I said, but
(36:40):
that was the spirit. And I am so thankful to Heavenly
Father for that and for giving me that opportunity to see that
when we are willing, He will make us who He needs us to be.
And all we have to do is the primary answers.
(37:01):
We just need to pray. We need to read our scriptures
and come to church and serve. And he does the rest.
And it's so, and it's in these just these random little things.
I can't stop thinking about this.
Maybe I'll just try it and and then maybe I can do it.
And he showed me that I can, that I really can.
(37:25):
And I, I think about that all the time because I remember my
husband had, well, we go in together, but I'm going to call
it his interview because they were talking to him and they
were looking for a Bishop. And I was asked the question, do
you see yourself as a Bishop's wife?
(37:47):
And in my head, I thought, no, Idon't, I, I sadly and, and I
tell people not to think this way, but I am just as imperfect
and I think, I don't know that I'm worthy of that, that I could
be that person that, that peoplewould need me to be to serve
(38:11):
them. And so I worry about that a lot.
And I and I thought, but what I said was I hope that a Heavenly
Father would make me the perfecthelp me for my husband.
And I think from that time, Heavenly Father has taken the
(38:33):
time to let me know that I am important to him and that he
will, if I allow him, make me who he needs me to be.
And I am so thankful to Him for that because I know that I am so
very flawed and I am one of His complaining, pouty children.
(38:55):
And He still comes and gets me and says, OK, I need you to do
these things and we're going to do it together.
I don't do it alone because the Savior's with us and He makes up
for all that we lack. And I am just so I I can't
express how thankful I am for that and my gratitude to Him for
(39:19):
that and to my grandmother for opening my eyes to what that is,
because it is truly a gift beyond measure.
Thank you. Reminds me of President Nelson's
invitation at General Conferencethat we need to become the
(39:39):
people that God needs us to become.
And relying on God to do that right, Doing the, the, the
primary things, like you said, those are important, but they're
not important because we're justdoing those things.
They're important because they're helping us become who he
needs us to become. And we do, we really do, and we
(40:03):
give that take that opportunity.Thank you.
I've really enjoyed this time together when you end our
episode with your your testimonyof Jesus Christ and of his
restored church. Yes.
Well, I'm, I'm going to start with the primary testimony that
I know this church is true. And I know that this is the
(40:30):
Lord's church restored on earth.And I know that that when we
take the time to read our scriptures and to pray that the
Spirit will speak to us and it speaks to our heart.
And we can all have that surety that this is His church and that
(40:50):
He is there for us and that He will take care of us because
this life is all about all the trials that we will go through.
And it is a learning. It is a real learning time for
us. And so as we take the time to do
those things, we will learn whatHe will have us learn, and He
will allow us to feel the joy that it is that He wants us to
(41:13):
have that. And I think, because I think
that's what really brought me tothe church, is, you know, second
Nephi to 25, where he says men are that they might have joy.
And I know that he wants us to be happy.
And it is just by living the gospel that we will and
(41:34):
following those commandments that we find that joy.
And I know that. I know that deep inside that He
is there for us and that He willprovide.
And I share that with you in thename of Jesus Christ, Amen.
I hope that this episode of The Witch Tookie is a Stick podcast
(41:55):
helped bring you closer to Christ.
I invite you to take some time today to write about or record
one of your own faith promoting experiences.
Hi friends, welcome to the Wichita KS State Podcast.
I'm your host, Paul Kitchen, a state history specialist.
This podcast is intended to helpbring followers of Christ closer
to him and to promote unity within the body of Christ by
listening to our state leaders share their personal stories of
faith. By reflecting on faith promoting
experiences, we can strengthen our individual faith in Jesus
(00:20):
Christ together. Welcome to our next episode, I'm
here with sister Judy Conrady. She grew up in Brooklyn, NY
until the age of 12 when her family moved to 29 Palms,
California. She is the eldest and only
daughter among her mother's fourchildren.
Throughout her life, Judy held several jobs, her favorite being
(00:42):
at a drive in movie theater. At age 21, she joined the Navy
and loved it. A passionate traveler, Judy met
her husband, Tobias, at her first duty station in Fort
Meade, MD. They were married a year later
and have now been happily married for 22 years.
Together they have six children,three daughters and three sons,
(01:04):
and recently became grandparentsfor the first time, an
experience they find incredibly exciting.
In 2010, Judy and her husband became members of the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
All of Judy's callings have beenwith the youth, including
serving as a young woman's counselor and Sunday School
teacher. She and her husband were
(01:24):
recently called to serve in the nursery.
By calling, they find both fun and rewarding.
Judy is a certified Public Accountant and while most people
could not imagine, she has a genuine love for accounting.
She enjoys helping others with their tax needs and finds great
satisfaction in her work. She currently serves as the
first counselor in the Stake Young Women's Presidency.
(01:46):
Welcome, Judy. Thank you.
Excited to visit with you today.So let's start with your early
life. And is there any formative
influences that you'd like to share with us?
Yes, I think my greatest influence is my grandmother.
(02:06):
She is my, I guess, paternal grandmother and she was a
devout, A devoted lover of Christ and she had the most
amazing relationship with him. She truly knew him and knew that
he knew her. I will share that she spoke to
him like he was there and she knew he heard her.
(02:30):
I remember one of my earliest memories with her was that I had
as a kid, I was trying to help with the dishes and I had gotten
something in my eye and I could not get it out.
And I got scared and she like jumped up and she took me to her
room and her and my grandfather laid me on their bed.
(02:51):
And their very first thing they did, she knelt beside me and she
began to pray. And she was just, oh, she was
praying fervently and she was begging.
And my grandfather got the oil and they were trying to bless
me. And I was like, what are they
doing? I just thought I'm trying to get
(03:11):
something out of my eye and these people are just praying
and and I just kept like trying to get it out.
And finally it just it came out and I remember I was like, I
told her I'm OK. I got it and, and she jumped up
and it was like you would have thought that Christ was in that
(03:33):
room with us because she jumped up and she was like, thank you,
thank you so much. And she was so I'm sorry, so
thankful and I just couldn't. I, I, it was so amazing to me
that I literally, I was in the room with her and I still looked
around and, and I just, that hasalways, always stayed with me
(03:57):
because I thought he was there. He was there and she knew it and
she just, no one could tell her different.
And she knew that he had helped her because she asked.
All she had to do was ask. And I think that that is like
such a beautiful testimony to meand something that I lived
(04:18):
through her testimony for so long.
And I, it has helped me throughout my life because I
know that she would always tell me that outside of Christ, there
is nothing right? So she would always tell me in
Spanish, always fuerra de cristo, no, I nada and shoot.
And I would always think as a, as a young person, I was not, I
(04:42):
didn't go to church very much. And I thought, Grandma, there is
a whole world out there. Like there's so much.
And little did I know that really she was right, that there
are lives are so much fuller when we allow Christ into our
lives. And so I am so thankful to her
(05:03):
for that because when she passedaway, that was one of the most
difficult things for me because we were so close and she was
just so important to me in my life.
And I know that because of what she taught me and the
relationship that I have with Christ because of her, that I
(05:27):
was able to continue to find joythrough my grief and know that
there's still so much available to me even though I want her
back. And I definitely know I, I just
while I want, I want her here now.
I find so much comfort in knowing that we'll be together
(05:51):
again. And I just, I can't wait.
So yeah, yeah, I'm so thankful for it.
Incredible example of the the influence.
Yes. She still has in your life faith
in Christ, that spirituality andand she really like you said she
(06:12):
opened your eyes to you thought that she didn't see the whole
world, but she saw beyond our world.
She saw so much, she was so wise.
Thank you for sharing that. Yeah.
So who's the oldest relative that you remember as a child?
So I was privileged enough to know my great grandmothers and I
(06:37):
came, I was born a month I missed my great, great
grandmother by a month. So I could have I have had the
experience of all these amazing women in my life and so on.
My great grandmother on my father's side, she was
beautiful. Her name was Abita, and she, we
(07:00):
would, my grandmother would takeme to go visit her.
We'd go see her at least once a week, sometimes more, and they
would visit and we'd sit around and talk.
She played the guitar and she loved to sing what they called
corritos and they're just like short little, like hymns,
hymnals that she sang and, and she, she loved to sing, she
(07:24):
loved to play her guitar and shewas a wonderful seamstress.
And so I would always bring all my things that I needed mended
to her and she would fix them upfor me.
As she got older, they may have gotten a little bit funny, but
they always worked and it was great.
And so I really enjoyed that andI loved just hearing her stories
(07:44):
and just her enjoying time with me and just wanting to know what
was happening in my life and what brought me joy.
And I just, I always just remember her.
It's always being very sweet andjust caring, wanting to know
about me. So yeah.
It was great grandmother. Yes, yeah.
(08:05):
And I'm so thankful for that because I know so many people
who didn't even get to meet their grandparents, and I got to
meet just generations. And my grandmother, even though
she wasn't a member of the church, she was so into, like,
her history and hurt the generations of her family.
And she would always want to when we were all together.
(08:26):
She would always want to take pictures of all the generations
together. And she loved those things.
And so, yeah, it was a beautifulthing.
She would have been an amazing church historian.
So yeah. Family history is very important
and it really like the the photographs and the stories and
(08:48):
that really connects us together.
It doesn't. Great that you you did more than
meet your great grandmas it sounds like you had a
relationship with. Yes, it was.
It was amazing just to know themand to have those experience and
know who they were. Yeah, it's just so touching to
just not. You look at a picture and it's
not just someone you see, but someone I knew them.
(09:10):
And it just really it, it touches your heart in a
different way. No, thank you for sharing.
What role has missionary serviceplayed in your life?
Oh, missionaries. I love missionaries.
My husband and I, like you said,we joined the church in 2010.
We were actually, we were both in the military and so we were
(09:34):
stationed in Hawaii, Pearl Harbor at the time.
And I actually worked with a with a guy who was who had been
a missionary, but he was a Marine now and somebody was
talking about his religion. And my husband and I had been
looking had been visiting all kinds of churches, having all
kinds of experiences. And it just, you just feel so
(09:58):
lost in that journey. And so when I had heard that he
was a member of the church, I asked him about it.
And he, I always remember that he took the time to like, took
the time to set it aside, like we went separately, not in.
And he talked about it so reverently.
(10:19):
And it was just something I could tell so important to him
and so valuable that he wanted to share that.
I think it made it even more interesting and valuable to me.
And so I remember that he, him and his wife brought us our
first Book of Mormon and then they actually sent the
missionaries to our home and we actually got to experience
(10:42):
senior missionaries because we had Elder, Elder, I believe is
Elder McCabe. I think that was his name was
his. And he was he had actually been
in the Navy during Vietnam. And so he was a liaison with the
military and the church. And so he was able to because he
(11:05):
had that connection. He understood that different
life and all those things and bringing it together.
And he was amazing at doing that.
Him and his wife came and they and mainly it was him and he
came with the missionaries when they taught us the lessons and
he talked. I remember he shared a story of
(11:27):
an experience he had when he wasin Vietnam.
And that was something that actually brought my husband's
attention into listening to these lessons and about the
church and what all these thingsmeant for us.
And they built a pretty strong relationship.
And it was just amazing to me because we had visited all these
(11:49):
churches and my husband was like, I don't want anything to
do with any of this. And he, we were so frustrated,
you know, but I knew that we needed something.
We needed to build that foundation for our kids.
And so we kept trying. And, and so I, during the time
that we were taking the lessons with the missionaries, I
(12:11):
actually got deployed. And so I was gone for like 3 to
6 months. And during that time I was so
worried that that was it. My husband would stop going to
church. There would be nothing else
because it's hard. We had young children to do all
of that and work and all of that.
(12:33):
You don't want anything else. And so, and I remember I just,
that was my prayer. You know, the missionaries had
told us pray to know if the Bookof Mormon was true.
And I, and I did that. But my greater prayer was that I
needed a sign that this was the true church and that that my
(12:58):
family was going to grow in thischurch and that we could grow
closer to God through that. And I'm while I was gone, I
remember my husband. Sorry, it's always meant to cry.
That's all right. I remember my husband, he would
(13:18):
send me pictures of the kids, right?
Because it's really tough being away from your children,
especially when they're so small, because my kids were
under 2 at the time. And so well, my younger boys.
And he and he sent me this picture and he was wearing what
I called the church uniform because he had on his white
shirt and, and he had the boys all dressed up for church.
(13:44):
And he said, and he said something like following through
on our Sunday ritual and he had taken the kids out and he had
got them, I think like a little ice cream on the way home from
church because they had done so well.
And, you know, that's making it like fun for them.
And I just, when I saw that picture, I just knew.
(14:09):
I knew that that was the answer to my prayer that we were on the
right track. And so we came back.
When I came back, it was just soeasy.
We took those lessons and it wasjust, it all just seemed to fall
into place like all these the answer to questions we didn't
(14:31):
even know we had. And it just was so wait.
Such a good time with the missionaries.
I think that's why they send young people because you just
need someone who can also make it fun.
And I, I was just sharing with the missionaries, our
missionaries here that I remember that was the time when
it was like a lot of object lessons.
(14:52):
And so our missionaries always had this new object lesson that
they taught. And they're like, we're going to
practice it here with you guys. And we would have so much fun
with them. And I enjoyed that so much.
And I, I, I'd never realized really the sacrifice of what
that was until I sent my own sonout on a mission and, and he
(15:22):
made that choice. Like he decided we didn't even
know he had signed up to serve amission until he needed our
assistance with some documents. And I was like, what?
And he's like, yeah, I'm, I'm going, I've done everything.
I just need you to help me get this paper or whatever.
And I was like, oh gosh. And then I was like, well, I
(15:45):
want to think about it. And he's all, no, there's
nothing to think about. And I thought, oh, OK, well, I
guess I'm getting this paper andI'm, I'm so I'm just so happy
for him for this, this choice that he has made in this journey
and just the blessings that he has had.
(16:07):
But I think it has allowed me tosee the just the beautiful
sacrifice that all of these families have made.
And I'm so grateful for that because people like me wouldn't
have the gospel. We wouldn't have this
opportunity without them. And so I, I'm thankful everyday
(16:31):
and I think when I miss my son and I just want him to come
home, I think about that. I think about all of the people
that are waiting to hear the gospel and it's him who was
supposed to knock on that door or just pass them by and say
hello. And, and he, I really believe
(16:53):
Heavenly Father made him for that journey because he will eat
anything, sleep anywhere. He was prepared.
And so, and I think he went to probably an easier place.
He's in Ecuador. And so but he always talks about
this fish soup that he eats for breakfast.
And I don't know that I could eat fish soup for breakfast, but
(17:14):
kale will eat anything. So I'm, I'm so thankful to
Heavenly Father for that becausehe made him who he needed to be.
And it's just further testimony building for all of us because
He allows us to be who He needs us to be and as long as we are
willing, He opens the doors for us.
(17:35):
So I am so thankful to all of the missionaries and all of the
sacrifices they have made. And even for the missionaries
that like taught the sister missionaries that taught my
daughter, because my daughter did not join the church
immediately with us, she hesitated.
And she was, when we joined the church, she was actually 12 or
(17:59):
13. And so she kind of was like, she
backed off. And it was years before she came
back to just, she always went tochurch, but it was just, she
just wasn't ready to take that step.
And it was when we actually herein Valley Center, we had elders
(18:21):
for a long time. And then all of a sudden there
was a change and we got these sisters and they those, I'm so
thankful to those sisters. They came and they just
befriended her and they shared time with her and just laughed
with her and shared, you know, the love of Christ with her and
(18:43):
that's what she needed. And so when they came to try and
share the lessons with her again, they came and they spoke
Talk to me first. And I was so nervous.
I just was like, I don't, I'm, I'm trying not to burn this
bridge we've built, right? And it was scary for me, but I
(19:03):
thought, I have to let that happen.
I just felt like it's time to let that happen again.
And so they did. And it was amazing.
They just shared their love and their testimonies of the gospel.
And she was baptized. And it was so beautiful.
And I am, I was so touched because so many members of the
(19:28):
church had met her and had a relationship with her and they
all came to her baptism and she was so like so impressed.
She always talks about, I can't believe how many people were in
those pews. And so I'm like, that's all the
people who love you and wanted this for you, right?
(19:48):
So I just think about all of these missionaries.
And I also remember the missionaries that came to teach
Cameron. He is a.
Probably our youngest and last son, but he's our, I call him my
collector's edition because he we got him when he was older.
(20:09):
But really we, we shared the gospel with him when he came to
live with us. I actually didn't realize when
he came to live with us, but he had never been to church.
He didn't know anything about church.
It was so brand new to him. And that that was so foreign to
me because I grew up around religion my whole life.
(20:32):
My grandmother was Pentecostal, my mom was Jehovah's Witness.
I had family that was Catholic, but I didn't know very much
about it. And so I just had grown up.
Religion was a big deal. And so then to have these
conversations with Cameron and all of it was so new.
You could just share even the story of Jonah and it was a new
(20:56):
story for him. And so we got to share all of
those things and our perspective.
And it was so it was fun to share that and to know that that
I knew these things and that I knew Heavenly Father and that I
knew the truth of it inside me. And so and then just having the
(21:18):
missionaries coming and, and just the same thing, they became
his friend and they wanted to share that with him and allowing
him to learn and to read and study and just asking him
questions about what he had, what he was taking in.
And I am so thankful to our wardfamily because the Valley Center
(21:39):
ward took him into and they weremember missionaries truly
because they taught him and theybefriended him and took him in
to that to the our family here. And so and then he was also, he
went back and forth, but he was also baptized.
And so I'm so thankful for that and, and watching him grow in,
(22:03):
in his testimony and just watching him up there as he now
serves the sacrament and all those things and blesses it.
And I just think like, what an amazing thing that is.
So I'm so thankful to the missionaries, but I'm also
thankful to all the members of this church that take the time
to live their lives so, so that they can hear the spirit as it
(22:28):
guides them. So yeah, probably longer than
you wanted. But that is perfect.
I love that the missionary services, like you said, it's
very important and it helps bring people into the church,
but then all of us have opportunities to to live and
share the gospel, which is also missionary service.
(22:50):
Whether people join the church or not, we can be inviting and
we can be loving and as they're they're part of our lives, they
will they will recognize the importance of Jesus Christ and
and want that too. Yes.
It is, it's, it's really amazing.
I will, I'll put in my plug for ministering as well because I
(23:12):
really feel that that is true missionary work for our members.
Because I remember when we movedhere, I was a brand new member
of the church. I'd been a member of the church
like a month. It was so new to me.
And we are a blended family. And so I felt so different from
(23:33):
all of the members of the churchand the lives that they lived.
And I had lived a life so different.
And I felt just, well, the enemygets you right and you feel so
unworthy and you feel so less than.
And I am so thankful to my my visiting teacher, right.
(23:57):
So these are my ministering sister because she never stopped
showing up even when I was just like, OK, you can come in kind
of a thing. She always came and she always
loved me and she brought me random treats on days when I
(24:17):
didn't realize I needed them. And she continued to show up.
And I think so many days that I just, I was like, oh, I cannot
deal with this. But sitting with her did
something for me that I can't even, I don't even have the
words to explain. I just needed her to be there.
(24:40):
And that is such, that's such a big deal because I think so
often we get so wrapped up and we need to do this big gesture.
It needs to be this huge thing. And often we truly just need
someone to sit beside us in those moments that we're having
(25:04):
and those troubles and just knowthat they bring the spirit with
them and we can be together in that whole place.
And so I think that it's, it's so much more than we think that
it is. And I am, I'm so thankful for
that. And I'm so thankful for the, the
(25:28):
Chandler's because he was actually the Bishop here when I
first moved here. And his wife, sister Chandler,
she was so kind to my family andshe was my friend.
She was my first friend. And she she took me and my kids
in and she showed me all of her sewing skills, which are
(25:52):
amazing. And she helped me when I got
over my head trying to make a quilt.
And she helped me do that. And while she did that, she had
always had like all these Legos my kids always remember.
But she would allow them to play.
And then once we were done, we do clean up.
But it was just wonderful and I'm so thankful to her and to my
(26:14):
ministering sisters for just always being there because it
just, it helped me get through those difficult times when I
really felt like this isn't for me and I'm not like these
people. So yeah, thanks for letting me
share that. I love that, that just people
(26:37):
being there for each other and yeah, getting to know each other
outside of church, Yes, being true friends.
Yes. And we eat that so much, yes.
Thanks, So what are some things that your family enjoys doing
for fun? I don't know.
(27:00):
I don't know that people consider it very fun, but we are
just kind of a gathering family and we love to hang out in the
kitchen for some reason, even ifwe're not eating, we all stand
in there and we just talk. It's always the place where we
come together and we have just great conversation, tell each
other jokes and, you know, joke around with each other and just
(27:25):
enjoy each other's company. And I, those are my, my greatest
memories with them always just sitting around just hanging out
right there in that kitchen area.
We also enjoy the good old boardgame.
So we have a few that we enjoy to play and my kids probably
(27:48):
almost every Sunday when we get together, they will push
everything off the dining room table so that they can get a
board game out. And they have a few that they
really enjoy and we try them all.
And I really enjoy Ticket to Ride.
They don't always like it, but sometimes they will, you know,
play with me so I can have my fun too.
But we have a really good time with that.
(28:10):
And I think we just enjoy hanging out with each other,
just like being in in each other's company.
And it's just really, it's good.I think, you know, could be
worse, right? It's a lot worse.
It's a lot of fun. Yeah.
Being together, like you said, gathering.
And my wife Naomi likes to play a ticket to ride also.
(28:32):
Yeah. OK.
Fun game. So let's let's talk a little bit
about your your, your job, your professional course.
So what? What influenced you to become
ACPA? So I like I, I had talked about
I was in the Navy and I was in the Navy for almost 11 years.
(28:55):
And so when I got out, I was kind of looking for what would I
do? And for a long time I had
thought about as, as a youth, I wanted to be like a doctor in
the medical field. But I learned pretty quickly
that I have a problem with needles.
There's a bit of fainting involved.
And so I didn't think that that was going to work out for me.
(29:18):
And so I was looking for, I havealways just loved to be in the
service industry and helping people and doing things for
people. And I found that through
accounting, I could do that. And so, and so that's when when
I started going to school, that's what I did.
I just went for accounting and Ireally enjoy it.
(29:38):
I just really loved it. The numbers just work for me.
And so I just had a good time with it and I've been doing that
ever since. I and my husband has been just
absolutely amazing because I went to school while we still
had kids at home and he was starting a business and we were
(29:59):
doing it all all at once. And so I got my bachelor's
degree in accounting and I thought, that's it.
I'll never go to school again. And he's like, you can't stop.
You have to keep going and finish it up because he's like,
get that MBA and then you can get your CPA.
And so I, I was like, oh, OK, soI mean, I thought if he's going
(30:23):
to, he's, and he supported me. Like he literally helped me edit
my papers and all those things that I needed to do.
So he, he is just amazing. And so I did, I did all those
things and I struggled with the CPA.
It was very hard. And I learned that I didn't know
how to study. So I had to learn how to study
(30:45):
and really buckle down on that. And he was the best cheerleader
and I'm so thankful to him because I really, there are many
times I wanted to give up. And when I, when I failed my
first exam, that was just, that was really tough on me.
I had never failed like that. I'd never failed an exam and all
(31:07):
those things. And so it was a really powerful
lesson and I think it was actually a good thing because I
think we all need those moments where we fail because it helps
us to build up our fortitude andreally figure out that you can
get back up. This was just your first try and
keep going and adjust. It teaches us to adjust.
(31:29):
And so I'm so thankful for it, to him for that.
And I just, and, and I'm, I'm glad there's accounting in that
people mostly don't like it so that I can help them with it.
So yeah. And so right now I actually, I
do, I run the accounting department for an insurance
agency. And then I actually do taxes on
(31:52):
the side because I used to do public accounting and I just
couldn't let it go. I want, I thought I wanted to,
but I just continue to do it. So yeah.
Wow, and that thank you for sharing that experience about
called it failing a test, right opportunities of to learn.
(32:18):
And I think that often times at church, we don't talk about the
those moments in our lives. We tend to put on the I'm the
perfect person and, and it's it's good to it's good to hear,
(32:38):
but it doesn't sound right. It's good to hear that you
failed but but that that you learned from it and you learned
you. You relied on your husband, you
relied on the Savior and you work through things and you
still don't have the perfect life, but you know where to go
when you need the help. Yes, so true.
I never prayed so hard. I, I don't think when I was
(33:01):
going through that CPA process, I prayed everyday multiple times
a day because every time that I went to study or to look at
anything, I asked for help. I asked for that help and I
just, it was, it was a really good lesson because I, and it
(33:21):
was a good reminder of where where my help lies and who I can
rely on and I, I'm thankful for that.
It was tough. I don't want to do it again, but
it was, I'm thankful for it, yes, so.
Wonderful. So is there a more recent
experience besides this test that was a few years ago, Yes.
(33:43):
A more recent experience that has helped bring you closer to
Christ. Like to share with us?
I will share. I remember I think it was Elder
Kerr when Elder Kerr was coming to visit.
I remember that President Chandler was talking about
proper prayer language. And this was very important.
(34:04):
We had to have proper prayer language and the person that was
selected to say prayer, we needed to remind them of that.
And I had never heard this phrase so much.
And so I was like, what is proper prayer language?
And I just, it stayed in my head.
I don't know why. And I kept thinking about it.
And then I was like, it was on my mind so much.
I went to my husband. I was like, hey, So what do you
(34:27):
think about this proper prayer language?
And we talked about it and he's like, it's not that complicated.
And I was like, I don't know that I've heard that so much.
And it just kept coming to my mind.
And I remember as I was driving to work, I have about a 30
minute drive and I would, it would come into my mind and I
(34:48):
would think, how would I do proper prayer language?
And I was like practicing this proper prayer language every
morning, like to work home. Sometimes I'd just be sitting
around thinking about it. It was just in my mind.
And I thought this is crazy. And so, and I kept thinking I
was like Heavenly Father, I am so glad that they chose someone
(35:11):
else to do this proper prayer language.
And I just remember thinking that and just, oh man, I
couldn't stop thinking about it.And I remember when Elder Kerr
came, we had training and then we left to go to lunch or
dinner, and my husband and I came back.
And I remember as we're walking into the State Building, Brother
(35:34):
Arrington's coming out and he looks so relieved to see me.
And I thought, that's weird, youknow, but whatever.
I'm happy to see you too. We go to the same ward, maybe,
you know, whatever. And then he says to me, Sister
Conrad, can you please say the closing prayer?
And I thought, no, no, I cannot.I really did.
(35:58):
And I and I think I even said no.
And President Chandler walked upand I was like, let's ask
President Chandler what he wants, right?
I was like, President Chandler, he's asking me to say a prayer.
I don't think, did you want me to say that?
And he's like, yes, you should say this prayer.
And I thought, no, you know why?I don't know.
(36:19):
And I was like, but OK, I guess I'm saying this prayer.
And I was so nervous sitting down in the fuse thinking I how
am I going to say this prayer? And I, I got up there and
honestly, Brother Kitchen, I have no idea what I said, but
(36:40):
that was the spirit. And I am so thankful to Heavenly
Father for that and for giving me that opportunity to see that
when we are willing, He will make us who He needs us to be.
And all we have to do is the primary answers.
(37:01):
We just need to pray. We need to read our scriptures
and come to church and serve. And he does the rest.
And it's so, and it's in these just these random little things.
I can't stop thinking about this.
Maybe I'll just try it and and then maybe I can do it.
And he showed me that I can, that I really can.
(37:25):
And I, I think about that all the time because I remember my
husband had, well, we go in together, but I'm going to call
it his interview because they were talking to him and they
were looking for a Bishop. And I was asked the question, do
you see yourself as a Bishop's wife?
(37:47):
And in my head, I thought, no, Idon't, I, I sadly and, and I
tell people not to think this way, but I am just as imperfect
and I think, I don't know that I'm worthy of that, that I could
be that person that, that peoplewould need me to be to serve
(38:11):
them. And so I worry about that a lot.
And I and I thought, but what I said was I hope that a Heavenly
Father would make me the perfecthelp me for my husband.
And I think from that time, Heavenly Father has taken the
(38:33):
time to let me know that I am important to him and that he
will, if I allow him, make me who he needs me to be.
And I am so thankful to Him for that because I know that I am so
very flawed and I am one of His complaining, pouty children.
(38:55):
And He still comes and gets me and says, OK, I need you to do
these things and we're going to do it together.
I don't do it alone because the Savior's with us and He makes up
for all that we lack. And I am just so I I can't
express how thankful I am for that and my gratitude to Him for
(39:19):
that and to my grandmother for opening my eyes to what that is,
because it is truly a gift beyond measure.
Thank you. Reminds me of President Nelson's
invitation at General Conferencethat we need to become the
(39:39):
people that God needs us to become.
And relying on God to do that right, Doing the, the, the
primary things, like you said, those are important, but they're
not important because we're justdoing those things.
They're important because they're helping us become who he
needs us to become. And we do, we really do, and we
(40:03):
give that take that opportunity.Thank you.
I've really enjoyed this time together when you end our
episode with your your testimonyof Jesus Christ and of his
restored church. Yes.
Well, I'm, I'm going to start with the primary testimony that
I know this church is true. And I know that this is the
(40:30):
Lord's church restored on earth.And I know that that when we
take the time to read our scriptures and to pray that the
Spirit will speak to us and it speaks to our heart.
And we can all have that surety that this is His church and that
(40:50):
He is there for us and that He will take care of us because
this life is all about all the trials that we will go through.
And it is a learning. It is a real learning time for
us. And so as we take the time to do
those things, we will learn whatHe will have us learn, and He
will allow us to feel the joy that it is that He wants us to
(41:13):
have that. And I think, because I think
that's what really brought me tothe church, is, you know, second
Nephi to 25, where he says men are that they might have joy.
And I know that he wants us to be happy.
And it is just by living the gospel that we will and
(41:34):
following those commandments that we find that joy.
And I know that. I know that deep inside that He
is there for us and that He willprovide.
And I share that with you in thename of Jesus Christ, Amen.
I hope that this episode of The Witch Tookie is a Stick podcast
(41:55):
helped bring you closer to Christ.
I invite you to take some time today to write about or record
one of your own faith promoting experiences.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com