Leroy "Tony" Albiston

Dear Harv,

You ask me for a bio on my finding and coming to Christ.
I will try to tell you how it happened to me.

After all the years of entertaining and trying to make the big time, I found myself in Houston Texas.
I was doing stand-up comedy in a comedy shop. I was doing well, but I hated it. By this time I was on drugs real bad. You know the old saying, "The only reason I wasn't an alcoholic, is because I don't go the meetings." I was in real bad shape.

When I turned 50 years old, I told myself, "Self, you got to get a job." My brother-in-law in Boise always told me when I got through wasting my life, he would get me a job.

So I called him in Boise. He was a manager with Morrison Knudsen Construction Co. He told me he would get me employment. He called me back and told me he had a job for me.

In 1987, I came to Fallon, Nevada and took a job at the Naval Air Station, in the warehouse.
That's where the company had a civilian contract.

I found myself helplessly hung up on booze and pills. The only reason I kept the job was because my brother-in-law was a big man with the company.

I was drinking heavily,  like every night at Stockman's Casino. I was such a good customer they started calling me "Norm", like the guy from "Cheers."

I went from bad to worse. I could blame a lot of it on Yolanda (a former girlfriend), whom you know. She wouldn't leave me alone. Finally, I took her back to Colorado, and left her there.

I was still drinking very heavily. One particular night,  when I finally got home, I couldn't get into my bachelors apartment. I  was lying on the grass outside my front door. I had accepted the fact I wanted to commit suicide. I was at the end of the road.

For some reason, I said  "Help me Jesus". At the time, I thought he could help me kill myself. All I said was, "Help me Jesus".

I made it through the weekend, and by Monday morning, I was able to make it to work.

A friend whom I had met, called me that week, and said the phone company needed some entertainment. At the time, I was doing a "one man" band act. I agreed to play a little music for them.

A week later, I played for the telephone company. They paid me $250.00 for the job. When the night was over, my friend came up to me and introduced me to the women who had my check, and she handed it to me.

He said,"  Would you join us downstairs for a drink". Naturally, I said "I would love to."

Setting at the bar, in this very crowded lounge, I told the bartender, "A double scotch on the rocks."
I heard this little voice along side of me say,  "I'll have the same".
I said, "You're the lady that gave me the check". She said she was.

I said," You drink Scotch?" She replied, " Yes. I like to camp too." "So do I. I'm a cancer," I said.
"So am I," she replied. It went like that, on and on. That was at 11:00 PM.

The next time I looked at my watch, it was 4:00 AM,  and we were still talking, with the same drink. The bar was empty except for the both of us, and the bartender.

We thought we had better leave. To make a long story short, we started dating and later I don't know why but I ask her to marry me, but she said yes. I was so stupid! It took me two weeks to realize the Jesus had done what I had asked!

When we get together I will tell you all about it.

We were married on June 6th, 1990. I had quit drinking. I quit smoking. I was off boozed and drugs without any withdrawals. At first I couldn't understand it. I was probably happier than I had been in years. I was sober. I had dreams.

Kathy ask me one day to go to church. I thought about it. I told myself, "She does a lot for me I guess I can give her an hour a week." So I started going to church.

A few months later, our Pastor asked if we would like to go to a Christian retreat in Alameda, California. The men went the first week, Thursday through Sunday. I told myself, "Four days in a church? " She really wanted to go. So I got to thinking. She does a lot for me, so I guess I'll go and even act like I want to go. It was called "The Walk to Emmaus Christian Renewal."

I went. And during those four days, I found what had always been missing in my life. I had found my God, and Jesus. I know in my heart that I reached out and touched the face of God.

I have never been the same since that weekend. On the way home we stopped to have dinner, and I called Kathy. We cried for 30 minutes over a long distance phone call.

Since then, I have applied myself to loving Jesus and God. I have been to all the schools for Lay speaking. And now I am a certified, registered Lay Speaker fro the United Methodist Church. I attended all the Visitation Ministry courses. My main ministry is "Visitation" in our Church.

I preach in our Church when the Pastor requests it. My last sermon was in Alameda, California, where I went to "The Walk to Emmaus." I have performed the Worship Service at the Naval Air Service several times. All they have to do is call and I will be there.

I am going to the United Methodist Church at Lake Tahoe this weekend to preach and teach on Lay Speaking. My latest thrill is when the Northern Nevada and California Lay Speaking Committee asked me to join the group, in planning the classes coming up for 2007 and 2008.

I could never tell you, or make you understand, in an E-Mail letter, what my God had done for me , or what I would do for him.  I tell you, and I tell the World,  "I Love my God."

I have one other cute story I would like to tell you.

As you know my family is mostly Mormon. I started going to the family reunion again years back.
Of course, some of the relatives really looked down their noses at me.

After a couple of years, one of the older Aunts,  asked the Bishop if he would ask me to pray over the meal. I did. They were surprised when I told them I had given my live to the Father.

The next year they ask me if I would conduct the Worship Service. Of course,  I said "Yes." Everyone in the family was excited for me. I have been doing the Worship service every year since.
I am not claiming any glory for it,  but I have noticed that some of the family is now Methodist, and other denominations too. Isn't God good?

I feel God had all this planned from the start. God has plans for me as we speak. And as I tell my friends, "Don't Get me Started."

I have so much to tell you. The glorious things that has happened to me. Kathy and I have been married now for 17 years and we are yet to have our first fight.

Harvey God Bless you my brother. I'll see you this summer.
(Excuse the spelling and the Grammar. God is still working on me)
T.A.