LDS Podcast "Latter-Day Lights" - Inspirational LDS Stories

Embracing Rebirth in Midlife - From Breakdown to Belief: Aisha Jermy's Story - Latter-Day Lights

• Scott Brandley and Alisha Coakley

Share episode

Is it ever too late to come home to Heavenly Father?

When life’s pressures nearly consumed her, Aisha Jermy reached a breaking point that affected her emotionally, physically, financially, and, most importantly, spiritually. But through one unexpected encounter on an airplane, she discovered the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. And from that moment on, everything changed. In this week's episode of Latter-Day Lights, Aisha shares how joining the Church in her 50s helped her find peace, healing, and a renewed purpose.

Now an author and coach, her story teaches us that it is never too late to find Christ, and that we are welcome into His arms at any stage of life. Because of this belief, Aisha was baptized well into mid-life, and would then go on to use her books and testimony to help others on the path of faith. Aisha also opens up about her darkest seasons of loneliness, relational struggles, grief, and the tender mercies God sent to reshape both her heart and mind.

Tune in for a story of vulnerability, endurance, and divine grace. Whether you’re walking through trials or simply seeking a deeper spiritual connection, Aisha’s testimony will uplift you and remind you that it’s never too late to start over.

*** Please SHARE Aisha's story and help us spread hope and light to others. ***

To WATCH this episode on YouTube, visit: https://youtu.be/-oOfv1EytlY

-----

To READ Aisha's trilogy, "Tutankhamun," visit: https://amzn.eu/d/imOnsCc, https://amzn.eu/d/8uWhM6d, and https://amzn.eu/d/j8aPnU1

To READ Aisha's book, "Tales for Twilight," visit: https://amzn.eu/d/81wmMCV

To READ more of Aisha's books, visit: https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/A.D.P-Sorisi/author/B078NWNBTW?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true

To READ Scott's book, "Faith To Stay," visit: faithtostay.com

-----

Keep updated with us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/latter.day.lights/
Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/latterdaylights

Also, if you have a faith-promoting or inspiring story, or know someone who does, please let us know by going to https://www.latterdaylights.com and reaching out to us.

Scott Brandley:

Hey there, as a Latter Day Lights listener, I want to give you a very special gift today. My brand new book, Faith to Stay. This book is filled with inspiring stories, powerful discoveries, and even fresh insights to help strengthen your faith during the storms of life. So, if you're looking to be inspired, uplifted, and spiritually recharged, just visit FaithToStay.com. Now, let's get back to the show. Hey everyone, I'm Scott Brandley.

Alisha Coakley:

And I'm Alisha Coakley. Every member of the church has a story to share, one that can instill faith, invite growth, and inspire others.

Scott Brandley:

On today's episode, we're going to hear how a woman struggling to overcome a nervous breakdown found peace and purpose in finding and joining the church and helping to coach others looking for God in their lives. Welcome to Latter Day Lights.

Alisha Coakley:

Scott and I are, you know, stateside. And you being overseas and in the UK, you're you're probably tired right now.

Aisha Jermy:

Well, no, I had a little rest beforehand. I had uh I couldn't sleep, but I did rest for a while. Yeah.

Alisha Coakley:

Okay. Well, good. Good. Well, Aisha, tell us tell us a little bit more about yourself and about the other side of the world. What's going on right now?

Aisha Jermy:

Oh, you don't want to know the politics here stinks. We won't go into it. It's all over the world, it's happening. But but um generally about myself, I uh I'm retired. I used to be a solicitor, and uh and then I had to do about four years when when the banking crisis occurred uh in 2008. Um I had to fold my business because I was a sole practitioner in 2010. Um and then I had to find another job because I still had two children. I've got two older ones and 20 years between my first two and my second two, so I still needed to work. And the only job I could get in because I'd moved from London, I'm in East Anglia on the on the coast, um, was care work. So I did four years of that, um, which really sort of finished me off physically. I just ended up being a bit of a wreck, and that took about four years to get over. Um but in the meantime, I was writing my books, so that that's been my life for the last 20 odd years. So what an interesting time, yes.

Alisha Coakley:

Yeah. So how many books have you written, Aisha?

Aisha Jermy:

I have written, I'll tell you very quickly, I've done because as you you probably can't read it the right way around, but I was just I felt compelled by Heavenly Father to write these books about Lord Jesus, finding the light of Lord Jesus Christ. And like you, Scott, I got really upset. The 16 years I've been in the church, I've seen children that have been in the church all their lives leave. And I can understand they have their choice, um, but I'm concerned as to why, if they've been in that environment, they would want to leave. And I tried to raise the issue, but it wasn't well received. It was taken as a personal assault on parents, and that wasn't my intention. So I thought, well, yeah, I will write, especially new people as well. That was the other side of that coin. They would stay for a while, maybe get um uh baptized, and then before you know it, they'd gone. And I know I found it very, very difficult being in the world and of the world, and then finding the church uh and having to be in the world but not of the world. Trying to understand that concept took time. Right. And and everybody who's been in the church a long time, they can't think back to when they didn't know anything. So they weren't very not from choice, they just couldn't help the feeling of isolation and loneliness. So I thought if I write these books, then people who are coming to the church, I could give it to them. That's all I've been doing is giving them away at the moment. Um, give it to them, and it gives you the first book, gives you all the basics, it tells you the basic rules and how to to to um what the the Book of Mormon, why it's important and what it teaches, uh, and some of the base, I mean it's it's only a taster, it's just to start you off. And that's the hardest thing about writing these, is not overwhelming the individual with the with information. This one is the second book, which is more practical. It's I tell about the lessons I learned and how uh what I learned of the gospel told taught me how to deal with the problems in my life. It's only my view, and this has not been um the church. I wrote the church and told them what I was doing, but I didn't, they haven't um sanctioned it, obviously, so I made that clear. But all the the monies from these books, if and when the Lord lifts them out of obscurity, will go to the continual education fund of the church. Uh and and um and to help people that the church you know helps to to to um that can't afford to send their children to school and stuff like that. Now, this is the manuscript for book three. This is fine, this is all about Lord Jesus Christ, and um, and um and really the hardest thing has been to find a thread that will guide somebody who doesn't know anything about Lord Jesus to understand, just to get them interested in finding out more about him. Um, but it's quite difficult. Anyway, that's that. That's one of my my work in progress at the minute. Awesome.

Alisha Coakley:

Well, I love that, and I I'm sure we're gonna hear more about how you got into that, right? Yeah, do you wanna do you want to actually uh share with us like in like in like the beginning, like before you join the church where your story starts? Yeah, yeah.

Aisha Jermy:

Yeah, great, we would love to hear it. Okay, um, I didn't know that the church existed for a very long time. I mean, I was 50s in my mid-50s, and I tell you how it happened. Uh, it was 2008, as I said, the banking crisis, and I was having such a difficult time that my number two son, Omar, he was uh he hired a property in um St. Clemente. He was he and his wife were looking for where they could um move to before their daughters started school, uh, and because they could work from home. And um he said to me, Mother, uh I I bumped you up to business class uh for going back to England, and um it so happened that the the chap I sat next to, um it turns out, was a Latter-day Saint. And he started chatting to me. My wife should have been on this trip, and I had her seat. So I thought, uh oh, I'm in for trouble. Where's this wife? But he he said, No, um, he explained to me that um that was 2009, um, 2008, sorry. Uh, she she had cancer, and um they have six kids, and he told me the whole story of how they met and how they lived, as to how what they decided about children. They had six children, three girls, three boys. And the youngest girl was a Down syndrome, so she didn't feel she wanted to leave her and go on business with him to London, and he was a bit upset about that. Bless him. His name was uh I I hope he doesn't mind. I I'm not in touch with him at the moment. His name is David Rogers, and lovely, lovely man. And he gave me these booklets to read, and and and I believed every word uh that he said and and all that I read. And he said to me, You're ready for the gospel. So um I didn't have one of my business cards with me, but he had his, so he gave it to me, and he said, When you go back home, just send me your email, I will look up the nearest um chapel to you, and I'll let you know. So that was um we I landed on a Friday here. I drove back, that's why my son got me into that, um, upgraded me, because I had to drive from London back to Loistoft, which is a good three hours, depending on traffic, it could be four hours. So um, as soon as I got home, uh I I emailed him. I I sorry, I'd given him my email address. He had sent me an email and all the information was there, and he said it was the it was the bishop's, I thought it was the bishop's house. So I went out Saturday morning, this really, really hot weather, looking for a a house, and I couldn't find the number that he'd given me. So I parked the car and went walking, and then I thought, oh course, it's got to be the church, because that's the only one that fitted the number he gave me. So I went in there, and fortunately for a Saturday morning, there were people in there, there were children uh doing activities, there are quite a few men uh milling around, and so I asked for the bishop, and they said, Well, the bishop's not here, but an older brother Bobby's here. So I um I went in and saw him, and I said, I've met somebody and they've told me about the church. I want to know, um, I want to have a copy of a Book of Mormon, I want to have the phone number of the uh missionaries, and I want you to tell me what time you meet on a Sunday, and the rest is history.

Alisha Coakley:

So um Wow, just like that, from one plain conversation.

Aisha Jermy:

Yes, wow, you were ready. Honestly, I was so unhappy, Alisha. I don't like to admit it so, but but I was. I was really, everything was going wrong, and I'd worked so hard to keep everything going right, but it wasn't working. And and I I was at my wit's end. I I had had this nervous breakdown. I moved away, be by the sea, to try and build myself up. Um, but it got worse and worse, and I had to go and see the doctor, and uh he put me, he said, you've got to stop working. Um, and and you've got to allow yourself time to grieve and to get better. So that's where quite a lot of money, because I was it took me about two or three years um between get coming here from Oxford and starting my business. It was there was that space of time because I I wasn't fit. I really wasn't fit. And two young children, and I'm lying there like you know, doing a dying swan act. It was really, and and the husband that I had then, that was my second husband, he had no idea. I mean, he was just a boy, 35-year-old boy, uh, and he had no idea how to help me um to cope. So, so that's my bad. But anyway, I survived, got through it. As the money was getting less and less, then I had to start my practice. And I'd done commercial laws, so I had to learn um the practicalities. I'd learnt the paper, the book work, but I had to learn the practicalities of doing domestic conveyancing, for example, and wills and probates and things. So, and then that that was in 2009 when I actually started doing, sorry, it was 2000 when I did that. So, yeah, but joining the church was the best thing I could have done. But I made a mistake. I got chased by an old friend, uh neighbor. He was very, very kind, and I never thought anything otherwise than that. But then his partner died, and he started coming after me and telling me, you know, how lonely he was and how I'm such a silly girl that I took him, you know, I thought. So I broke my covenant, you know which one, I'm sure. Um so but before that I had got in 20, 2009, I had um I had been baptized, and I was absolutely adamant I wasn't going to break my vows. But it happened. I had to go and confess. No, I had to, I had to to for myself. I couldn't, I couldn't not tell them because I knew what I did was completely wrong. And it's all right to break your promise to men, but not to God. And and it it didn't hit me until after I didn't it. I put it down to loneliness, I think. We do stupid things when when we feel lonely and we feel afraid. But anyway, that was no excuse. So I told them, and um and they said to me, Can you promise not to have that kind of relationship with him? And I said, No. I thought he was genuine. But anyway, but I still went to church. Everybody was gossiping about me. I could feel it, but maybe it's my imagination, but I don't think so. But anyway, I I went to church, and I tell you, Alisha, I read everything there was to read. What's it called? Oh god, it's gone up my head. Uh about that's it. Oh, and then enduring to the end, and I I studied it and studied it and till it was sort of written on my heart, you know, and and I made that promise to myself that that would not happen. So, anyway, we got married in 2018. So I got rebaptized in 2020, and that sort of allowed me then to go um to take my temple um ordinances, and I'd really wanted to do some work for my mum because she was following the Christian faith towards the end of her life. So I managed only recently, but a couple of years back now, I managed to to um get my mother baptized and my grandparents on both sides, my mother and my father's, and um and then they've been sealed. My mum and my dad have been sealed to their respective parents. So now, after I finish writing this book and getting that out, and I will um I'm starting to get information about my other family. It's up to them whether they accept it or not, but I consider it my job, because I'm the only one in the family that belongs to the church, to give them the opportunity. Because I've been, um, when I first went started, uh, joined the church, I used to go with the youngsters and do baptisms, and I assure you, I could see the people waiting on the other side to be to have to have their work done.

Alisha Coakley:

So, um sorry, I was just gonna ask, so um uh so when you told your bishop that you weren't ready to give it for that relationship, you you were just fellowships or excommunicated from the church? Because you said something about being rebaptized. Yes, I was, and it was shocking.

Aisha Jermy:

How long was it? Yeah, four years, I think. But I still went to church, I didn't take, do you know? It's so painful not being able to take sacraments, but I wasn't going to, I wasn't going to to turn my back. I knew it was in the right place, and you know, I had my patriarchal blessing done, and it said to me, in there, be careful, you're so important to the church. He said, be careful, think before you act, sort of. And it's it went right out of my head, but I think it was meant to be because by doing that, I have had to learn so much about the the how amazing um the atonement is and how forgiving the Lord is in this time, in so many ways. Our Lord Jesus has has made it clear to me that He's forgiven me and He knows and understands how I fell into those things. It was just the most amazing thing. And it's helped me to write these books as well because we all make mistakes, no one is is above it. And if we can help each other, I wish people wouldn't feel so bad. Yes, feel bad, but don't give up the place where you know you're you're at, that it's the right place to be. I I can't understand how anybody could leave the church at all. I mean, I I've listened to the book that um Scott, yeah. I I I listened to that's amazing, all that that work, and I appreciate how much work it took to get all that information and to put it into a way that you know it's understandable and and and digestible and it's amazing. And I hope a lot of people will listen, would have listened to it. But sometimes, you know, the thing you need most is the thing you run away from. That seems to be the way, yeah.

Alisha Coakley:

Um that's I like that that's pretty powerful, it's very it's very accurate too sometimes.

Aisha Jermy:

Well, my I myself has done have done it, you know. When you should listen, you don't want to hear, you you want to do what you want to do, and then when you have to bear the consequences of that, uh I I I mean, I'm one of those people where I say, Well, you've caused it to yourself. I I don't like anyone saying to me, Well, you've made your bed lie in it, but I I can acknowledge that that was my fault when it, you know, and I and I have to put it right. You know, don't hide. I don't try and hide. If I make a mistake, I face it. And that's the only thing that's kept me sane and alive, really. I I danced to the the music of the Lord's drum, nobody else's. I made that decision a long time ago. I've read so many self-help books. I'm my own actor, director, and producer of my life.

Scott Brandley:

So, what what started you on this path or this idea of writing books about about the church?

Aisha Jermy:

Well, I think I had a revelation because I was working on another book. I was working on my um on my uh autobiography, and that was depressing me. I thought, I'm not gonna write a book that I'm not can't be truthful, and I can't be truthful because it's gonna hurt a lot of people, because that's my perception of my life, it's not necessarily their perception. So I got this revelation, and um, and it was because I was worried as to why so many people, uh old and new, were leaving the church. And and I sat down one day and I worked out all the things that I think may be the problem, and then I sent it away. I said I showed it to my my my um bishop, and then uh they said they couldn't tell me what you know anything about it, so I sent it off to Utah, and then they wrote back and said, Thank you very much, but we're working on these things. So I thought, fine, you do your bit, and then I'll do my bit. So I started drafting you know the outline I had. I started filling it out with the kind of information that I thought would be useful. Um and that and it went on from there, but it was such a compulsion. I it's very difficult to explain to anybody else because they don't seem to be as compelled as I am with things, or maybe it's just my nature, but I couldn't leave it. I couldn't sleep when I can't sleep at night, I come and work on it, you know. So I've got the first one. There wasn't too difficult, the first one, because I'd got to grips with that, with all that the work I had to do when I was a naughty girl. Um, but the second book was harder because I put in some things about how hard I found it after the my first divorce, uh, because my children were there when their father attacked me. And that had a terrible, terrible detrimental effect on their health. So and and my ability to cope as well. Um, we went through a terrible time, the children, the boys and I. Um, they wanted to talk and I couldn't talk. Um, so that was a tough time. Well, it it's I've put some bits of it in there, uh, that the difficulties, because I'm sure I'm not the only woman that's had that sort of thing. And how do you cope? How do you deal with the children and yourself and and the difficulties? I don't know if anybody will find it of any use. I I um I'm dyslexic anyway. It's a hard job. The older I get, the harder it is to handle that. Um, so sometimes I I I don't use the right tense, or I I get so excited about writing, I don't think about the other things that goes into getting making the writing good writing. But now I've got hold of myself and I will not let anything go until I'm at least two-thirds comfortable with it. Not 100%, you can never be 100%, I don't believe. But yeah, so I do I do that. I have put some of that in there. Um and I hope it helps somebody. Uh, and the third book as well, it's the same thing. You know, why do you put yourself under so much stress, Aisha? Why do you but the Lord wants me to? Why does he want me to? Because he wants me to grow, he wants me to understand, he wants to use me. I feel 100% he wants to use me to help other women who haven't had the opportunities I perhaps had over here. Well, you said about wanting to teach people, and that is correct. Um, but I had to think how to do it. You know, it's it's an organic thing. I'm taking coaching, I'm having a uh I've got a wonderful coach. She is a Christ-centered, you know, uh faith-filled coach, and and everybody in that group are faith-filled people. So I found my tribe, if you like. I can I can thrive and I can learn. It's taken quite some time to find, because I'm not motivated by money. You tell me how to earn money, it's not going to motivate me to learn. I learned, I studied law because I was left alone with two children and I didn't want to be hand to mouth. I wanted them to have the best that I could give them. And that's why I put myself through that for them. And they have come, they've learned, they've watched me work and study and get a good job. And so they learned from that, and they both went out into the world and did that for themselves. So now that my older boy can actually help me, because you don't want to know what they're doing here with our pensions. The one thing I didn't like about having a business is you've got to charge people. And by the time I realized if you don't charge people, you can't stay in business. It was getting a bit difficult. But but I did my, I saw my clients coming to me as God sending these people to me. I had a duty to them to do the best for them. And some people are they they shoot themselves in the foot because they're not listening to what you say, and they want you to use you as a weapon, and that's not what I'm there for. So anybody like that, I said, I'm sorry, I can't take your job. You know, so so I wasn't after money or anything, I just wanted to be able to keep my family together. Um, I didn't want a flash car. People said, one woman said to me, Well, you can't be a proper solicitor. I said, Why? She said, Look at the car you drive. I said, I drive that kind of car, madam, because I don't want to charge people exorbitant sums of money. Uh I wanted to say to you though, that I heard some, I listened to quite a few of your um podcasts, and I loved the young man. You might remember him, Grant Johnson. He was only 24, and he'd come out, yeah, he'd got through addiction, and I fell in love with that young man. I wish they were more like him, and maybe they are in the church. I mean, he talked about, I've got here what a wise young man. He talked about mindfulness. At 24, I have two kids and a basket for a husband, but nobody ever talked to me. I didn't know anything about my mindfulness. And being aware of your body and your senses, and giving yourself time to find out what's going on. You know, don't just jump from one thing to another. Well, I certainly didn't. There was eight years between my first marriage and my second marriage when I got my law degree and my solicitor's finals and found myself a job. But anyway, this young man, um this thing about, you know, you've got to process your emotions. My God, I wasn't even allowed to have emotions. My dad used to whack me if I showed any emotion. So you can you can understand why I'm a bit crazy. So um, you know, but he you know, process your emotions. I'm 74 in two months' time, and I'm just learning to be kind to myself and process my emotions and find out whether they're real or not. You know, where are they leading me? Don't just act on the emotions, find out what's going on inside yourself. And so I was really happy to to to hear him. And there was a there was a nice woman sitting on the settee, and she said something, I I don't didn't catch her name, but she said something that I really, really loved and I would never forget. And and I don't know if anybody else, I hope other people picked it up. And what she said was Heavenly Father wants us, hopes that we want to go back to him. Now, if you're gonna live in one of his mansions, then surely you need to get to know him, to find out what he likes and what he doesn't like, what he appreciates and what He doesn't appreciate. You know, you can't expect to go to the celestial kingdom to a place where you know nothing about the the the father and the son that live there. I thought that was fabulous, what she said. And that Jesus spoke to her all the time. I mean, my goodness, she is blessed to have Jesus speak to her. You know, I I talk to him all the time, and I have a go, you know, occasionally, you know, where are you? Why are you quiet? But I've discovered why. When the Lord is moving mountains and oceans to get the get the universe in alignment with what you want and what he wants to give you, how is he going to have time to stand around and chick-chat with you? He's going to be quiet because he's busy. But I've seen that in my own life. And and I thought, you crazy woman, why are you expecting him to be wanting to talk to you all the time? He hasn't got time. He's got so many things he's got to do to make things happen for you. Yeah.

Scott Brandley:

All right. So looking back on your life, what you know, like what are some of your thoughts, like seeing where where your life has gone and and now where it is, and and finding the church and the gospel, like, tell us a little bit about reflecting on your life.

Aisha Jermy:

Right. Um, I did uh uh because my second husband passed away uh uh just over a year ago. Um I made up with him, you know, I wasn't angry with him anymore. I was just sad before him. Uh but I realized that if I had to do it all over again, I probably wouldn't do anything different. Because I made a promise to myself early on in my life that whatever happens, I'm gonna handle it and I'm going to enjoy what I can of it and and um learn from the rest. And with the first marriage, um I really could see us doing really, really well, but he was mentally ill. But fortunately, the boys aren't. The boys are so clever, and I would not change being with him because I have two amazing sons, incredible sons, and they loved me to death. So mind you, they keep me at arm's length because I can go on a bit and I can stick my nose in where it shouldn't be. But that's all mothers for you. I'm learning. I mean, he told me off the other day, the older one, and I didn't argue with him. He said, Mother, stop telling me I don't look well. So I thought, okay, sorry. So I apologized and I think he felt bad. But anyway, yeah. So I I I've got two beautiful boys, and then with the second one, I mean, he was a nutcase with money, but then I got a beautiful daughter. She is drop dead gorgeous, clever. She went to Rada, the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, and um, and she's done some acting work, and now she's um she's married, and uh she's got um a really, really good job. She's got two beautiful little girls, and my son, my last one, he is uh 30 now, and he's now in a job that he's really enjoying because it allows him to be uh creative and um and his own boss to quite a great extent. Uh, I have done, I realized in hindsight that I wasn't such, I wasn't so awful as I was made to feel or I felt. You know, yeah, we had trouble with the father, but the sons and the kids are really amazing. You know, I couldn't want for better. So I'm happy that I had the men I had. Even Eric, you know, I I've really enjoyed the first few months of being married to Eric. But he kept trying to tie me, tie me down with him. And I said, Eric, I'm 10 years younger, darling. No, come with me, stay at home, you your choice. But I'm gonna have my life. I don't think that's unfair. Yeah. I really don't. But if anybody needs anything and they call on me, I'm there. If he wanted, he could call on me, I'll be there. But I'm not pushing myself in a situation where I'm going to be unknowingly be unhappy. What's the point? I haven't come this far to be unhappy. Right.

Scott Brandley:

Um and and then what about the what about finding the church later on in life? What are your thoughts on that?

Aisha Jermy:

I am so grateful. I'm glad you asked that question. Alex, I'm so grateful to have found the church. I thank God every day I say my prayers, I say thank you, Lord, for leading me to your church. I don't understand why you waited till I was in my mid-50s, but then somebody said to me, I said, This is something, and they said to me, Well, he wanted you to have the experiences that you've had so you would have tolerance and understanding when you're teaching the lessons that he wants you to teach. And I think that's right. If you don't have these experiences, you go around with your nose in the air thinking you're better than everybody else, and it's not true. We're all fallible, and I'm happy to to to embrace my fallibility because I think that makes me human and it makes me a better friend and a better mother and a better sister and um a better person.

Scott Brandley:

You know, like everybody has their own struggles in life. Your your struggles are unique to you, yeah. But they they're also what help us to become who we are, they refine us, right? And turn us into what we who we are and what we need to be.

Alisha Coakley:

Absolutely. And um and and now you've done you've written a few books too, which is great. And so now you have all of that knowledge that you can put to your books. And so tell us, is you the third book? Is that like the the final book, or do you have plans for other ones in the future after this third one?

Aisha Jermy:

Well, the third one is uh that's what that's as far as I thought. But then I read the acts, but I think I've put some of them in there. I think the Lord put me, got me to do those books so I could know his word. I could you can't talk uh to anybody else unless you know the words that Lord Jesus taught. And you know, Alisha, what I've discovered, our Lord Jesus Christ has got a wicked sense of humor. He really has. Oh my gosh, I can't believe it. Oh, yeah. Because he's got he's got. Um and if you're reading it with a straight face and a straight mind in the sense of, you know, you're reading it because you've got to read it, not reading it with your brain engaged, you think, well, that's a bit strange. Well, because I that's how I started doing it. I thought, well, I'm sure he doesn't mean what he's saying like that. You know, there must be something more behind it. And then you find he's being sarcastic in a way, you know, maybe it's just the way my mind works, but I'm thinking, he's having a little dig. And sometimes I'll tell you something else I found. He says things, and if you take it at face value, you're gonna go barking up the wrong tree and you're gonna make mistakes. Uh and I've thought about this quite a lot, that people do wrong things, not even realizing it's wrong. For example, just if you give them change in a shop, and the shop the person gives you too much, a lot of people walk away thinking, Oh, I've got one over on them. I'm I'm going, you know, I've got to be extra. I can't do that. I say, look, are you sure you've given me the right amount back? Shouldn't it be less? And they think that's really funny.

unknown:

You know.

Aisha Jermy:

But that's called honesty. God does He doesn't miss a thing. Not a thing. Somebody else, you know, two things. Something didn't come and they said it didn't come, and then they sent another one and they didn't send the first one back or check. Because at least you ring and say, Look, oh, it's come. Do you want me to send it back? And they could say yes or no. But if you keep it without asking that, that's dishonest, is it not? You know, so many tiny little ways you can blot your copy book. It's a it's just amazing. Absolutely amazing. Most people don't even think about it. And I didn't always, I mean, with the with the money thing, yes, because I was always worried the person that's working there would have to make up the difference or something if if their till was short. But there are other things I did that now I would not do. But but the church, why I love the church so much. People are people. You don't go to the church for the people. If they're nice people, you're lucky. But we're people. Sometimes we feel in the mood to talk, sometimes we don't. Sometimes we feel friendly, sometimes we don't. I go to church and I'm smiling all the time because I'm so grateful that the Lord has brought me there, you know. Um, but you go to church for the Lord, and you know, when you and and uh you discussed uh about why people left, you know, those two people that left when Scott uh took uh became um the the bishop. Yeah yeah, you know, why would anybody look for something to find fault with with the church? We don't understand so much of what is in the gospel, what's in the what's in the Bible, and and we don't live in that time. It's not for us. If you're looking for something to get upset about and to leave, you will find it. Three marriages, I tell you, it's easy to find it because you want out, and it's the same with with our Lord Jesus. If you want to find a way out, you will find it. But why? Why would you want to find a way out when you know you're in the right place?

Scott Brandley:

You don't you don't Yeah, what what what does the world have to offer you outside of the blessings of the gospel? I mean, there's nothing you're never gonna find something that's gonna fill that fullness.

Aisha Jermy:

No, no, and and when I come out of church, you see this face? I think it's like this at this age, because everybody tells me they don't believe me, because I believe. I trust you've got to show me you're I can't trust you, but I will trust you until you show me you can't I can't trust you. Most people are, I'm not gonna trust you until you show me I can trust you. So if I take knocks because of my way of looking at it, that's fine. The Lord has made me strong enough to handle that, and and and it doesn't, yes, it might knock me down, but I'll get up again. So I don't know whether I'm right or not, but I think I am because I'll tell you why. Last year, when What's his face passed my number two, and then I had to sell off my properties for next to nothing because he was you, you know, he didn't know how to look after them, but he wanted to be in charge of them. He he actually said to me, he pushed me out of the house, my own house, my house, and um and and and turned my kids against me when I joined the church. Because he was so angry that I joined the church. He just wouldn't let me sleep, he wouldn't let me eat, he wouldn't let me rest in the house. So he I had to find somewhere to live. Now, not not many people can do that. But I was working, so I was able to do it. And I've always said I'd rather be a bag lady or live in a caravan than live in a home where I am not happy, where I cry every night. That is not life, and I'm not having it anymore. So being in the church has given me such courage, such, I mean, my strength was waning. As I said in 2008, uh, I was really low, and that's why I think the Lord, I was honestly thinking of walking into the North Sea and not walking out again. And that's a wicked thing to think. So wrong. And that I think is why the Lord sent David Rogers to me, you know, or put me to sit next to him. Because I got to know, you know, I went and saw the family I stayed with his because his wife, she and I got very, very friendly on, you know, so messaging each other back and forth. And then the cancer came back, and I asked her if I can come and see her, because I could fear she was gonna go. So um, so she said yes, and we had a mate, it was like we were sisters forever, you know. We just jailed. And she took me around all over the place and showed me things and told me, you know, they had to sell so much of what they had to pay for the uh chemo and all this business. And she passed away in 2013, which was really, really sad. But I had that time with her and I've got lovely memories with her. So it opened up my world being in the church. And now, when I thought that I had used up all my money with the with the second lot of children and him not working, that um I could not I could no longer keep the promise to myself to go to go um traveling. And what happens? I sent a note to my son to say that I was having difficulty because they stopped, they kept my my private pension, I couldn't pay my rent. And he phoned me up and asked me some questions, and he said, Well, mother, I will pay your rent. I I'd never I'd never thought that, you know, would never think to ask him. And I said, Well, how long for? He said, As long as you live. And I then I said to him, I said to him, I mean, I've never asked him for anything, any of my children, ever. I'm the breadwinner. And then he said to me, Mother, I don't like you having to be there in the winter time. I'm going to arrange for you. I know that I have this lady that does my uh travel arrangements for me, but I don't use her now. But I will get her involved and you tell her where you want to go, and she will book it all for you. And I've been able to travel wherever that's God, that's not me. That is amazing, absolutely incredible. So every day I wake up, I'm so happy to wake up. I say thank you for giving me another day, you know, and and thank you for watching over me. And it's just phenomenal. And I look for every little blessing because they're there. If you look for them, you can't feel sorry for yourself like I used to. I used to think I was so hard done by, and I was, but I'm not anymore. Changed my whole mindset. That's awesome.

Alisha Coakley:

Well, I love that you have that perspective where it's like you're gonna find exactly what you're looking for. And so if you're looking for the negative and you're looking for the the reasons why you're a victim and why things are going wrong for you, you're absolutely gonna find evidence for that, and vice versa. Um, Aisha, we have just really enjoyed having you on today and and having you share your story with us. Is there anything that you'd like to kind of wrap up and and leave with our guests who are who are listening right now?

Aisha Jermy:

Well, I just want to one thing uh about my books, and then I would like to say a little thing about um quickly. Yes, I know. Um I've written these two Tankamun books, and that I I researched, that's the first, second, and third. It's a it's a trilogy, and it's because you know I married an Egyptian, my second one was an Egyptian, and I got into um Egyptology and and and then I had my son, and and I wanted I I went to the Cairo Museum and and saw the the um the exhibition there of what they found uh in his tomb, and it just took hold of me, and that was it. It took me 12 years of researching while I was working, and then the minute I retired I started writing. I mean, I've never I've always wanted to write, but I never had the chance, you know, because you're working. And I've done I've done this little one, it's a collection of short stories, Tales for Twilight. You know, it they are ghost stories, well, they call it ghost stories, but I actually, these are things I actually experienced, and uh, and poetry for the mature. Yeah, and and I've done a couple of little children's books, The Seven Voyages of Sinbad the Sailor, which I thought would really help children that's had to go live through um COVID and being fear being big so fearful. And this is and and Sinbad is not all swashbuckling, it's a how he thinks outside the box and how he deals with difficulties that I think would help children enormously, whether it does or not. And I've done the children's one of Tutankhamun. Um and yeah, that that one has got questions and answers um after each chapter. But anyway, yes. So what I would really, really Can you find it on Amazon? Yes, Amazon, and I've got a pen name. My pen name is ADP Serisi S-O-R-I-S-I, which is an anagram of the god Osiris, the ancient god of Egypt. So um very cool. Thank you. Uh, what I would say is is this business of one thing that Julie, the wife who's passed away of the man who told me about the place, her great-great-grandfather was Pali P. Pratt. And the one thing that Julie said, yeah, really the one thing that Julie said to me when we met is Aisha, never ever leave the church. Whatever happens, you do not leave the church. And I've held on to that because there's nothing outside, as you said, Scott, that could make up and help you to cope with life like the scriptures, like the gospel, and like the Holy Ghost. If you're listening, and the Holy Ghost, they don't repeat themselves. She doesn't, it doesn't repeat itself. If you don't listen and you don't act, it's gone. And I say, Don't under it, don't worry about whether you understand it or not. If it tells you to do something, go and do it, and don't expect anything back from the person you're doing it for, because your your gift will come and your thanks will come from God, not from the person you've done it for. So that's my last take on that. And I'm I'm I'm glad you enjoyed it, but I hope I didn't babble on too much.

Alisha Coakley:

No, it was it was wonderful.

Aisha Jermy:

Thank you. You might have me on again some other time.

Alisha Coakley:

We love it, yes. We'll have to have you back for more adventures. Thank you again for coming. We you are just such a sweet delight, and we're so glad that that you were able to reach out to us and that you have these books available for everyone to kind of purchase and to learn from. Um, we will definitely share links to those in the description if anyone's interested. And um, you know, we would just love to encourage our listeners to do their five-second missionary work. Hit that share button and comment and just let us know one of the favorite parts of Aisha's story that you guys resonated with us today.

Aisha Jermy:

Thank you. And I want to say thank you, sorry, just very quickly to to Maureen Heel because she's not very well, but I went to visit her and she's one of um, she's been in the church a long time, and she introduced me to your your your she was listening to your podcast and uh and she and and and she listens every time she says and she said to me, Why don't you get in touch, Aisha? I said, Well, it's probably going to be difficult. She said, No, no, no, just try, just try. I might see you on here sometime. So when will I be when will I be on, you know, so I can tell her. You let me know.

Alisha Coakley:

Yes, we'll let you know.

Aisha Jermy:

Okay, because I'd like to go see it with her.

Scott Brandley:

Yeah. And thanks, Maureen, for telling us about Aisha. So thanks everybody for tuning in. Um, and come in and watch us next week for another episode of Latter Day Lights. Till then, take care. Bye-bye.

Aisha Jermy:

I'm glad. Scott, I'm terrible, Scott, for this. Oh, I think.

Scott Brandley:

Well, no, I I can cut to you.

Alisha Coakley:

I I just love you. I said, I just love you. Like you're you're cracking me up. I love it.

Scott Brandley:

Yeah, we love your energy.

Aisha Jermy:

You'll probably cut it all off. No.

Alisha Coakley:

What I wanted to say.

People on this episode

Head Shot

Scott Brandley

Host
Head Shot

Alisha Coakley

Co-host