I have been lurking on this for quite a while, and am somewhat hesitant
in stating my testimony, but I know that it has to be done. The reason
I am hesitant is because there was a heated debate about Conyers. I saw
that there were many hardened hearts, and many who chose to believe. For
those who don't, they won't believe, no matter how hard anyone tries to
convince them. When something holy and spiritual happens to me, I get attacked
to argue or prove my testimony. The last time I tried to post this testimony,
my modem blew. Satan was trying very hard to prevent me from posting this.
I, my family, and friends, have all experienced a spiritual renewal
due to Our Lord, the intercession of the Blessed Mother, and our trip to
Conyers, Georgia.
In 1996, as I was leaving my Church one day, I picked up a book called
"The Secrets of the Rosary" by St Louis de Montefort. I had always wondered
what the "big deal" was about praying the Rosary. I am a cradle Catholic,
who at the time, rarely practiced my Faith. I had received all my Sacraments,
even Confirmation. We rarely attended Mass, except for maybe on Easter
or Christmas. After reading the book, I had a strong desire to learn how
to pray the Rosary. I searched for a way. I found EWTN, and followed along
with them. (At that time, I didn't even know that a Catholic channel existed).
My husband would get angry with me and would even argue with me because
I was praying. Some time later, I met a lady who told me about the apparitions
of the Blessed Mother at Conyers. I immediately wanted to go. I told my
husband that I wanted to take a "vacation" to Conyers. He was reluctant,
but after some persuasion and prayer, we decided to go.
We went on Oct 13, 1996. We experienced an unexplained scent of roses,
felt a heartbeat on a statute of Our Lady, and saw Polaroids of many miraculous
things such as: images of our Lady, Eucharistic shape around the sun, a
huge hand over the crowd (taken during a blessing), and many more miracles.
My husband and family were so excited and overwhelmed with these experiences
that we found it very hard to pull ourselves away from the Conyers farm.
We didn't want to leave. On our trip back, my husband stated that we WOULD
be going to Church EVERY Sunday without fail, and he wanted us to pray
the Rosary as a family, daily. I was so excited and overjoyed that I cried.
On our return home we started immediately. That is ONE miracle, but that's
not all.
Two weeks later, my son was very sick. I had to carry him home from
school because he was so sick. My son was eight years old, and hyperactive.
I hadn't carried him in over six years. My daughter and I prayed a Rosary
asking for the intercession of Our Blessed Mother for the healing of my
son. I had placed my son on our loveseat. As we were praying the Rosary,
I looked up. On the ceiling, above my son, I saw an image of Our Lord's
face with the crown of thorns. I couldn't believe my eyes. I almost started
to cry. My daughter saw the expression on my face, looked up, and saw the
same thing. We didn't know what to do, so we finished praying the Rosary.
I called a Christian non-denominational friend, who lives down the block,
to come see the miracle. She came and saw it. I called my family. (At the
time, I didn't know what to do.) I went to Church the following day and
reported it to our priest. I called my family. A couple of days later,
the media was informed of the image. I didn't want them to come, but I
asked the Lord while opening the Bible, and received this message from
Scripture. It stated something like this:"If you don't witness for me,
I will not witness before the Father, for you." The Church hasn't really
said much about it other than in our newspaper. Father George stated that
in these times, the Lord is trying to reach as many people as he can to
come back to Him. Some priests have blessed my home; the image and the
priests return. They have brought their families over to see the image.
Needless to say, my son was healed. My friend, who first came over, also
received a miracle. She had prayed for over fifteen years for the conversion
of her husband. He converted, and is now active in her Church. To date,
the image is still on the ceiling. Many other manifestations of images
of Our Lord, Blessed Mother, angels, archangels, lamb and lion have appeared
in the room and outside. We have been greatly attacked. Some of the attacks
we have received were: a fire in our home ( with only smoke damage--NO
damage to the room with the image, even though it was in the room right
next to where the fire began.), a fire on a riding lawnmower, my husband
has had a collapsed lung, my daughter has been attacked and myself. There
were many more attacks, too numerous to mention. We both lost our jobs,
due to civil service lay-offs, but the Lord has blessed us with ways of
paying our bills!
Our metal Rosaries have turned gold. We had never before heard of Rosaries
turning gold. We went to Conyers for the second time the week of Oct 13,
1998. This time, we also experienced the "miracle of the sun". My mother-in-law
accompanied us and went to confession for the first time in over twenty-one
years. We now try to go to Confession weekly, daily Mass, pray the Rosary,
and go to adoration EVERY day!
If Conyers is "not of God", as I have heard some people say, then satan
sure is doing a great job of returning people back to their Sacraments
and Faith. If Nancy Fowler is not receiving messages from Our Lord and
the Blessed Mother, then she is being used as an instrument of Their will.
No one is perfect in the things they say and do. Maybe Nancy has been misquoted
on several occasions. While we were there this time, she stated that the
media had said she was moving to Florida. She wanted everyone to know that
this wasn't true. Catalina, the stigmatist from Bolivia, was present and
spoke for a few minutes. She stated that she became a stigmatist AFTER
her pilgrimage to Conyers. Catalina has been approved by the Church.
I'm sorry that I made this testimony quite lengthy. I guess, if people
don't want to believe, they won't, and NOTHING will change their mind.
As for us, our belief in Our Lord and Blessed Mother are stronger now.
THANK YOU BLESSED MOTHER AND OUR LORD, JESUS. ALL GLORY AND HONOR ARE YOURS,
NOW AND FOREVER. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, I love you. SAVE SOULS!
Your Sister in Christ,
Desiree
November 19, 1998