Brother Mike Torre used to love hunting deer in the jungles of Guam. He would sit in the quiet of the forest thinking about his life and talking to God. “Sometimes I would see maybe 10 deer, and not shoot one,” he says. The solitude of the lush forests became his refuge from the storms of life.
And life had indeed presented Brother Torre with difficult challenges.
His first wife had passed away after a lengthy battle with cancer. Mike stayed by her side throughout the ordeal, comforting and caring for her until the end. “I took her death really hard,” he explains, “but I learned to treasure life and not take anything for granted.”
A second marriage blessed him with three children, two girls and a boy. A new challenge arose when he unexpectedly became a single parent with full custody of the children. The kids became the top priority in his life as he dedicated himself to loving and supporting them.
As he navigated his way through his ongoing challenges, he continued to seek help from God. He was humble and open to listening to others. As a native Chamorro he had grown up on Guam in the Catholic faith, and for a time he had studied with the Jehovah’s Witnesses. Most importantly, he was seeking strength from God to sustain him in his trials.
When his youngest son, Mike, started kindergarten, Brother Torre was able to seek a steady, full-time job. Eventually, he was hired as a security officer for the new Yigo Temple grounds, which include the Yigo and Dededo Ward building. “I believe that God led me to this job,” he says.
The new job on the temple grounds allowed Brother Torre the flexibility to care for his children while earning a steady income. More importantly, it brought him in contact with members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who frequented the church and the temple grounds. He was about to receive a flood of light in his life, the light which comes from the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
As he spent time at the church building and on the temple grounds, Brother Torre began getting to know the members of the church. They would greet him, visit with him and often invite him to come into their various meetings and activities.
“Of course,” said Brother Torre when the full-time missionaries asked him if they could come to his home for discussions about the Restored Gospel. “I’m a very open person,” he explains.
The family enjoyed their learning time with the missionaries. The Torre children began attending church meetings and activities. “Dad, we like this one,” they said. The fact that his children reacted so positively to the Gospel and the Church had “a huge impact” on him, explained Brother Torre.
The Torre family continued to learn about Jesus Christ and His Church. Brother Torre asked a lot of questions and enjoyed learning about the Savior and His gospel. But above all else, he explains, the missionaries and members that he interacted with had the biggest impact on his growing faith.
“I was always so impressed when I would see the missionaries out walking or riding their bides on hot Guam days,” he said. He would often stop and offer them a ride or a drink of water. “No, we’re okay!” they would say cheerfully. Their positive spirits especially impressed him.
“During Sunday meetings when I hear members of the Church bear their testimonies, it’s really personal and sincere,” he continued. “I haven’t seen that anywhere else in any other churches.”
Touched by the Spirit, Brother Torre decided that “this is the Church I would like to be a part of. I have found my home,” he said.
On April 9, 2024 he led the way for his family by being baptized, surrounded and supported by his many new friends. His daughters, Mikisha and Mikayla followed and were baptized on May 27th, followed by their brother Michael on July 27th. It was a new beginning for the Torre family.
These days when Brother Torre comes to Church he feels like he is coming home. He loves the support that the gospel and the church provides his children. “That’s been the number one thing I’ve valued,” he explained.
“My life has changed a lot, and it’s still changing for the better. I’m making better decisions. Basically, people are helping me, and I help them in return.”
His extended family, who have had some challenges understanding why he would join a different church, have noticed positive changes in Brother Torre. “My brother sees a change from how I was before I joined the Church to now,” he explains. “You’re a lot calmer now. You don’t get as angry as you used to,” says his brother.
Brother Torre’s hope for the future and his family is that they can “live under the light of God.” He believes that the key to this is helping and serving others in the Church. He also has high hopes that his children can become great missionaries and that soon the family can be sealed for time and all eternity in the House of the Lord.