My name is James
Crawford. I was born in Dayton, Ohio in
1972. When I turned 3, my family moved
to Southern California, where I grew up.
My parents were married in the Los Angeles temple, but divorced when I
was 7. My mom married my step-dad,
divorced him and remarried my father just before I turned 9. At this point, my mom, two older brothers and
I were the only members of the church in our family.
I scored above average
in school and ended up being accepted at a college prep middle school. I was in honors in my freshman year of high
school. When I turned 14, I was ordained
a teacher. It wasn’t long before I made
some choices that led me away from the straight and narrow path. I got my first job the summer after my
sophomore year at Dominos pizza. I
bought my first car and paid insurance on my own. A year later, I changed jobs to Little
Caesars Pizza. I learned the ropes and
was promoted to store manager by the time I turned 17, finishing high school in
alternative home study.
I switched jobs when I was almost 21,
supervising a cleaning crew at a FHP Hospital and that lasted six months before
I was laid off. Following 6 months of unemployment, I was blessed with a job
working for a contractor at the BNSF Railway.
I started as a gate inspector, checking trailers and containers in and
out of the facility. I was thirsty; I
wanted to learn all I could possibly learn.
Within 2 years, I advanced to an operations manager where I was in
charge of loading and unloading the trailers and containers I used to check in
and out of the gate. I continued to veer
further from the narrow way, getting wrapped up in worldly things and
rationalizing my iniquities.
After I wandered in my
desert for 15 years, I started dating and got engaged to a non-member. I knew I wanted to marry in the temple and I
knew I had to change the direction of my life to accomplish it. I made a choice and I was fully
committed. I read the Book of Mormon for
the first time ever; I now knew for myself that it was true. Though born in the covenant, I was finally
converted at the age of 29. I started
paying a full tithe and attend church every week with my fiancé. She began missionary discussions. I was soon ordained a priest and baptized my
fiancé. It turned out she had only been
baptized because she thought it was what I wanted and she broke off our
engagement shortly after.
I pressed forward with
great resolve to live the commandments and was called into the young men’s
presidency. I began temple-prep classes
and was able to go through the Los Angeles temple. It must have been the following Sunday that I
was asked to see the stake president and was called to be elders quorum
president.
Three years back into
the fold, I went on a blind date. I knew
she was one described in my patriarchal blessing. We dated for a few months and I proposed to
her on May 24, 2005 at 6:50pm. My sweet
Stephanie said yes and made me the happiest man ever. I courted her and we married on September 9,
2006 in the San Diego temple. We tried
to have children, but soon found that Stephanie could not take a baby to term
due to health challenges. We chose
adoption to grow our eternal family and started a long process. We were blessed with our Liam in August 2011,
our Grayson in April 2013 and our Topanga Ann in August 2013.
I was literally scared
to relocate when my wife and I first talked about the possibility of relocating
7 years earlier. I was faithful and obedient in my calling in my ward and
my wife and I had been talking more seriously about leaving California September
2013, but we felt stuck in a slightly upside down mortgage. In March 2014,
I was inspired to ask my boss about our company’s start-up in Seattle that we had
just acquired two weeks previous. I hadn’t been considered or shown any
real interest in helping with the start-up, but suddenly inspired, I told him I
may be interested in relocating. He indicated he would pass my interest
on to our regional manager. The regional
manager called me the next morning and three days later I was on a plane to
Seattle to train people. Within a week
was offered a promotion and transfer.
I accepted their offer
and continued to work away from home.
Stephanie stayed behind to finalize the pending adoptions of our two
youngest children and put our house up for sale. Our house sold 2 months later, breaking even
on what we owed. It was not easy to be away from my wife and
children. It took much prayer and
supplication for me to make it through.
As a result of my prayers, my fears had been dispelled and I was
comforted through the whole process. My
family and I were reunited in August after the adoptions being finalized and being
sealed in the Redlands temple. I grew spiritually, learning so much about
myself and my capabilities. I am now in
a better position to continue my education and have started BYU-I Pathway. My wife and I are still amazed at this huge
blessing in our lives.
"...by the power and word of God, they had been converted unto the Lord."
Alma 53:10
