The following is the testimony of Pastor Terry Laughlin.

            I was mostly un-churched until after my conversion.  In June of 1979, Rev. Randy Hunt shared with me the plan of salvation during premarital counseling.  I said the sinner’s prayer with him to “please him” and so that he would perform my marriage ceremony to Bonnie, however, I did not truly get saved because the sinner’s prayer was offered for the work reasons.

            My mother-in-law was a good fruit inspector and, not seeing any good fruit from that prayer, continued to pray for my salvation.  After eight years of her fervent intercessory prayers lifted up to heaven on my behalf, those seeds that had been planted by Rev. Randy Hunt were watered by the Holy Spirit and bore the good fruit of repentance.

            Fifteen days after the unexpected death of my father, I was driving home on I-70, just west of Salina, KS after a day of horseshoeing.  My traveling companion, a Siberian Husky dog named “Spur” was lying down on the seat of my pickup.  When I “sensed” the Holy Spirit come into my pickup, Spur got up and moved over to the passenger side of the pickup, I truly believe in recognition and response to her Creator.  All that day, the Holy Spirit had been doing His job, convicting me of my sin and unrighteousness.  While in His presence at that moment, I realized that the life I had lived to that point had been in sin against God and my wife.  With tears and a broken heart, I felt the Holy Spirit speak to my heart, “Ask Me to forgive you.”  I remember my response clearly.  I said, “Jesus, forgive me of my sins and make me the husband to my wife that she deserves.”  At that moment, I felt the weight of sin lifted off me.  I felt Jesus touch me.  My heart of stone became soft and responsive to the Holy Spirit and, with all that was within me, I wanted to please God.  The old had gone and the new had come.  I was a new creation.