Buddhists, Mormons & Jesus: A Journey of Overcoming

By Jonnathan Zin Truong and Larry Taylor

Buddhists, Mormons & Jesus is the autobiography of Jonnathan Zin Truong. He shares about his early life growing up Buddhist while enduring terrible physical, emotional, and psychological abuse at the hands of his parents. Also, he shares about his radical conversion from a suicidal, Buddhist college student to a passionate follower of Jesus

• Language: English
• Publisher: God Manifest Publishing
• Release date: Sep 21, 2019
• ISBN: 9781734055610

Jonnathan Zin Truong

Born in Newark, New Jersey and raised in Houston, Texas, Jonnathan never imagined he would become a successful author and pastor. In his youth, Jonnathan struggled in school with reading and writing, as well as suffering with a severe stutter. However, while in college, Jonnathan experienced a radical encounter with God, minutes before attempting to take his own life. After he converted from a devout Buddhist to Christianity, he discovered that he was suddenly able to read, write, and speak without the issues which plagued him in his youth. With his new abilities, he began writing blogs and articles fervently and eventually authored his first book in 2019. Also, Jonnathan and his wife Olivia were ordained in 2015 and launched God Manifest, a small Christian church in Houston, Texas. "Without God, I would be dead," said Jonnathan. "All that I am today is evidence of God's amazing goodness. Without Him, there is no me."

Book preview

Foreword

Jonnathan Truong is a remarkable young man with a remarkable story. This book is the dynamic and compelling account of Jonnathan’s journey of overcoming an abusive childhood and the deepest spiritual darkness to find healing and wholeness through Jesus Christ.

This is a testimony to the goodness of God. On every page, the events of Jonnathan’s life are filled with sovereign supernatural acts of God, angelic visitations, and miracles unfolding. No matter your life experience, his spiritual journey will give you encouragement to face the greatest challenges with faith and confidence in God’s love and ability to work in any circumstance.

Jonnathan and his wife, Olivia, are leading a dynamic church plant in Houston with a powerful prophetic foundation. They are the real deal—people of transparency, integrity, and the love of God.

One warning: once you start reading their story, you will not be able to put it down.

Sincerely,

Larry Taylor

Author, Latter House Glory

Available on Amazon.com

Introduction

I refuse to be ashamed of sharing the wonderful message of God’s liberating power unleashed in us through Christ! For I am thrilled to preach that everyone who believes is saved—the Jew first, and then people everywhere!

~ROMANS 1:16, TPT~

If this book found its way into your hands, chances are either someone gave it to you or you picked it up wondering how Buddhists, Mormons, and Jesus Christ are related.

Before I start my life story, I want to clarify some important facts about me. First and foremost, I am a Christian. In fact, I am a pastor of a small home church located in Houston, Texas. I am not Mormon; however, Mormons played a significant role in my salvation, as you will see in the beginning of my story. In addition, I am no longer a Buddhist. However, similar to the Mormons’ role, Buddhists played a significant role in my early life from birth to my salvation in 2003.

I was encouraged to write this book by my wife and many friends as a therapeutic way to release my childhood scars from abuse and as a way to share the source of strength I found through my faith in Jesus Christ. I hope that within these pages you will find hope, joy, laughs, strength, and faith.

I believe that we are more spirit than flesh because after our flesh no longer exists, our spirit will live for eternity. The conflict between our spirit and flesh has created within our lives a separation of the two, which causes us to lose the truth behind our true identities.

As you follow along in my journey and learn about my struggles, share in my pains, and celebrate in my triumphs, I hope that you are compelled to share your own journey and start believing for the impossible.

Disclaimer: Some of the names within this book were changed to protect the identity of each individual. Names that have been changed are captured in capital letters.

Also, please note that this book is not in chronological order; rather, the order of the book was inspired through the Holy Spirit.

Chapter 1: From Buddha to Christ

Jesus explained, I am the Way, I am the Truth, and I am the Life. No one comes next to the Father except through union with me. To know me is to know my Father too. And from now on you will realize that you have seen him and experienced him.

~JOHN 14:6-7, TPT~

At the start of 2003, the last semester of my senior year in college, I was studying graphic communications (graphic designing), and I had completely lost my way in life. However, no one in my life could tell because I was so skilled at projecting strength, control, and friendliness while hiding my unbearable pain and loneliness behind a big smile. In addition to surrounding myself with people, I buried myself in a life consumed by alcohol, drugs, and parties to hide my debilitating depression.

One morning in late February 2003, while getting ready for school, I followed my regular routine, drank eight ounces of cheap vodka, and hopped into the shower. Suddenly my father burst into the bathroom and interrupted my shower, Zin (my middle name and my Chinese name), when are you going to graduate? Your family needs you to start making money and helping out with the bills. You need to drop out of school and get a full-time job somewhere, even at a fast food restaurant.

Screaming was the normal volume of communication in my family. So, following my father’s lead, I screamed back, What the hell is your problem? I’m graduating this August, and I will be working full time as a graphic designer soon.

You’re a loser, my father responded. You have been in college forever and you still have not graduated? He slammed the door (slamming doors was also a standard thing in my family) and exited my bathroom. Up to this point, I had paid for my own college education with the help of financial aid and working multiple jobs each semester. My father contributed nothing to my education.

After my father slammed the door, I was so fired up from my interaction with him that I started to become consumed with rage. I finished my shower, changed, and barged out into the living room to find my mother sitting on the couch watching Chinese soap operas.

Mom, Dad is crazy, I screamed. He barged into my bathroom and demanded that I quit school and get a job at a fast food restaurant to help with his bills. Also, he called me a loser!

Dad is right, my mother responded. You have been in college forever and it is time you gave up your dream of a college education and got a normal job, like your brother.

Confused and extremely upset, I grabbed my art supplies and my school projects and rushed out the front door, got into my truck, and drove to school. As I drove, thoughts of suicide filled my mind as anger filled my heart. I considered driving off the highway, showing up to class and slitting my wrist, and even a murder/suicide scenario where I killed my father then myself. As I drove, the feelings of hopelessness and rage grew.

I arrived at my school, unloaded my truck, and walked into our school’s design studio with my supplies and projects in hand. My heart was beating out of my chest; however, I kept on a big smile, trying to hide my despair. I sat down at my desk, closed my eyes, and breathed slowly, trying to clear my mind and calm my emotions about how my morning started.

While I sat at my desk, all three of my design professors approached me. Jonnathan, we’re so glad you’re early. May we see you in our office for a moment? one of the professors asked.

Sure, I responded, hesitantly getting up out of my seat and following them into their office.

So, we’ve been talking in great lengths about your class, one professor started. We discussed you a few times and felt that it was time to talk to you.

Another professor chimed in and said, We are not sure graphic communications is the right major for you and wanted to ask if you have considered changing majors?

My first thought was, Hell no. Are you kidding me? I’m six months from graduation.

However, I calmly replied, You know what, I have considered a few changes in my life and will consider this one, too. May I take today off to think about my future? At that time, my classes were held every Tuesday and Thursday for nine straight hours each day. Each student in the senior block graphic communications program was only allotted three absences before being dropped from the program.

The three professors quickly glanced at each other and nodded, followed by one of them saying, We are so glad this conversation went so well. Let us know on Tuesday what you decide.

What the professors did not know was that when I stated that I was contemplating my future, I was actually contemplating my suicide and even envisioned jumping off the fourth floor of my building into the courtyard to end the pain.

Suicide

My forty-five-minute drive home was the longest ride of my life. As I drove, I pictured myself speeding into eighteen-wheelers, driving into oncoming traffic, and even driving off an unfinished section of the highway to plunge to my death. Exiting the highway and nearing my home, I contemplated other ways to end my pain: overdosing on my mother’s prescription medication, slitting my wrists and bleeding out, taking my father’s pistol to rob a store so I could die by the police, and lastly settling on shooting myself.

As I walked into my house, I found my mother sitting on the couch where I left her about two hours previously. She was sobbing while watching a martial-arts soap opera (yes, those exist) and looked surprised that I was home so early. My mother paused her movie and asked me to sit down because she wanted to talk to me about something. I shook my head and refused to sit, stating that I would rather stand to hear what she had to say, expecting another blatant attack on me. She agreed to let me stand and informed me that a family friend, whom I called Uncle, had just passed away from his bout with cancer. Although he was not someone that I knew too well, the news of his death hit me like a ton of bricks, and it was exactly the last thing I needed; it shattered me. I thanked my mother for letting me know and retreated to my home office.

I sat for a few minutes in front of my computer before pressing the power button. The familiar and calming chime of the computer rang out in my room. Suddenly, I broke down crying, laying my forehead down onto the black keys of the keyboard as tears began to stream, dripping off my cheek and nose into my keyboard. I was completely heartbroken. I cried deeper than I ever had before. Then the oddest thing came out of my mouth. I cried out, God, why are you doing this to me?

That question surprised me because at that time in my life, I thought that I did not believe in God.

After pausing for a few seconds, I continued, Is it because I’ve ignored your voice all my life? The truth was that I had always heard a calming voice: sometimes it was audible, sometimes it came through thoughts, and other times filled me as a knowing.

I continued crying out, I need you. I have questions that need answers.

After my first plea to God, I stared blankly at my computer as it completed its boot up. I was sincerely hoping for a Matrix-type moment. The Matrix was a science-fiction action film that came out in 1999 that was widely popular. Early in the movie, when the main character’s computer was hacked, the hacker sent him a simple message, Follow the white rabbit. Yes, it sounds crazy, but I was expecting God to crash into my computer and reveal Himself in some way. The computer finished booting up, as all the remaining hope drained out of me. I said to God, Of course you would turn your back on me, too, as my head dropped, and I stood up to start making my way toward my father’s gun, which was under his desk in the next room. I continued to weep and thought to myself, I guess this is it.

As I opened my office door in pursuit of my father’s gun, my plan was interrupted by the doorbell. I paused to hear who it was, as my mother answered.

Zin, it’s two young, pretty girls, my mom’s voice rang through the house. They’re probably your friends.

I thought to myself, What better way to lift the spirits of a single, twenty-something-year-old man than two pretty girls?

I responded, Tell them to wait; I need to wash my face. I needed to wash my face with cold water to try to hide the fact that I had been crying. I was very skilled at hiding emotional pain. After washing my face, I walked to the front door and opened it with my face still puffy and red. To my surprise, there were two young Mormon girls, missionaries, standing at my front doorstep.

I remember thinking, God is Mormon?

Then, after the initial shock wore off, I noticed that both young women had fear in their eyes. I surveyed their surroundings and noticed a red sedan parked in the middle of the street in front of my house, engine running and the front doors wide open. At that time, I lived in a neighborhood in Houston called Alief, which was known to have a very high crime rate, particularly with robberies, carjackings, and stolen cars, so instantly I assumed that these two must have been carjacking victims.

Is everything okay? I asked the two ladies. What happened?

The lady who was closest to me responded, shaking her head and turning away from me, Forget it. You won’t believe us.

I grabbed her right arm by her bicep and responded, If you tell me what happened, I can help!

The lady replied, Well, we just left a Bible study down the street. As we drove past your house, there was a voice inside our car, which said, ‘Stop the car and get out!’

Upon hearing that, I instantly assumed my suspicions were correct. They were carjacked!

I urged them to continue by asking, What did you do?

They looked at each other and said together, We got out!

Then what happened? I asked.

Then the voice was outside of the car, the woman said. It said, ‘To your right is a brown house, and in that house is a little boy who has questions and needs answers. Go tell him that all the answers are in here,’ she lifted a large book, ‘the Holy Bible and only in here.’ While lifting the Bible with her right hand, she tucked a small black book under her left arm.

I was at a complete loss for words as I stared at them.

The woman who was speaking broke the silence, saying, Never mind, this is crazy. I knew you wouldn’t believe us.

I grabbed her arm again and asked, Who is in my house?

The women looked at me, and one responded, "I don’t understand what you are