At a conference for youth that my church hosts annually, we were given the opportunity to share our testimonies with each other. The theme of this year's Youth Conference was derived from the Book of Romans in the New Testament of the Bible and, in short, stated how we should not be ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The conference had been really nice and influential and was now coming to a close. One by one, several young men and young women reverently walked to the podium to share their feelings of pride about their beliefs. The testimony that touched me the most came from a 14-year-old boy who was attending the conference for the first time.

He walked down the long aisle in the chapel while the room was quiet. This was his third attempt to go up, since every time he would try, someone else in front of him would stand up and walk toward the front. As he walked toward the podium, his anxiety was obvious. He stumbled clumsily and patted his head dry of perspiration, earning him a few chuckles from the congregation.

He got up there and began telling an experience he had in his first week at his new school. He said he attended a school sponsored by another church and that he felt like an outcast, being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Kids picked on him, called him names and threatened him. He had no friends and fell victim to middle school bullies. Kids would torment him, saying he had seven moms and didn't believe in God but worshipped the devil.

All of his pain he held within him until one day, he couldn't hold it in any longer. After several battering words from another boy, he stood up. He wanted so badly to hit the other boy and could've easily injured his classmate, being of a much larger stature and filled with adrenaline. But he did something else instead.

Staring into the eyes of the other boy, he firmly said “;I love my church”; and then, with tears falling from his eyes, continued “;with all my heart ... and there is nothing that you can say to change that.”;

The congregation was touched at the self-discipline and courage that this boy had. He refrained from hitting his tormentor and his fearless attitude showed how stable this boy was and how great a testimony he had in his faith.

I endured many insults throughout my school years but never once did I have the courage to do what he did. I would laugh it off like it was nothing. I realized that I was slightly ashamed at times. I cared so much about what other people thought about me that I was afraid to show what I truly felt.

The testimonies that were shared at the conference, especially the testimony of that young man, helped me to be proud about my gospel. I have learned to be confident in all aspects in my life. Life is so much easier to live when you stop worrying so much about what other people want you to be and start being who you are.

  As for me, I am a Christian. I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I am an artist. I am a water baby. I am goofy. I am confident. I am Rachel. And I am happy.