I never really thought about it, but I suppose I got so caught up in my zeal of preaching the word of Celestia, I forgot to mention my personal experience with her.

 

Wait... how do you become an ordained minister of Celestia? ( who's will must not be questioned or you shall be sent to the moon... or turned to stone if she feels like redecorating. )

You know, I'm glad you asked that.

 

I got so caught up in spreading the glory of Celestia, that I never even shared my testimonial. Silly me.

 

It was back when I first moved in with my Aunt. I was feeling pretty down and I had to walk back and forth between home and work, because I didn't have a car back then. (I have one now, but it broke down, so I still have to walk.)

 

I suppose it was around 3 am, as I was walking on the road, in the dead of night. I got this creepy sensation that I was being followed and started to walk a bit faster. As I did so, I was alarmed by the sudden sound of claws clicking on the pavement behind me.

 

I turned around and beheld something horrible. A rabid dog that had a peculiar tumor growing out of the side of its head. The thing must have stood at least 4 1/2 ft tall to the shoulder and appeared to be some mix breed between Rottweiler and Pegomastax. It frothed at the mouth and stunk like milk that had been left in the fridge back when "rock n roll" was just a fun game Maud would have liked.

 

Despite all this, I couldn't help but be drawn to its tumor.

 

 

It's growth had a startling resemblance to Gary Busey.

 

Now, at this point and time, I should have had the sense to run, but I was tired and not thinking clearly, so I walked up to the dog's tumor to ask for an autograph. (It really was an uncanny resemblance) However, I came to regret this enormous lapse in judgement. When the mongrel snapped at me, I realized that this was how it must have drew in his prey. Not unlike an angler fish, it set out the bait and I suckered right into it. The spell of surreality was lifted from me, and with a burst of adrenaline, I ran.

 

And then I tripped. (Leg cramped.)

 

The rabid dog with the fetching growth pounced upon me and I held it at bay the best I could. I took out a pen I had on me to get his tumor's autograph and jabbed it into the creature's eye, which promptly bled asparagus for some reason.

 

The creature was unfazed and began to torment me by quoting Ayn Rand.

 

 

Just as I thought I was doomed, something unbelievable happened.

 

The sun began to rise.

 

I would have been concerned about the astronomical consequences of such a phenomena, however at the time I was in the middle of shitting myself.

 

Not because of the demon dog above me that was busy trying to tear my throat out.

 

But because SHE descended from the heavens.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When I saw her,

I wept.

 

(also completely forgot that I soiled myself)

The air cleared the dust from beneath her hooves, and with each step I swore I could hear the earth moan in ecstasy, as she approached the foul demon. Her beauty was incomprehensible, and I could not help but feel as if I was too dirty a thing to look upon her. The warmth I felt from her presence filled my mind with forgotten sunny days of a bygone era before roads of men cut through the forests and when dryads sang by the river banks to drunken Buddhist aliens that used to come to Earth, before the industrial revolution killed the tourist vibe.

 

I didn't know what to make of any of it. It was too amazing. Too fantastical. But it was happening.

 

That foul demon cowered before her and attempted to flee, but to no avail. It was lifted up with her magic as easily as one might pull the plug from their great grandmother's life support when she needs that extra push, and the creature was promptly turned into a banana.

 

I was too stunned to say anything. She approached and I turned away, curling into a fetal position, praying that she might have mercy on my unworthy soul.

 

Then I heard her speak.

 

"Rise, Kel Grym, you have nothing to fear," she said.

 

"I-I cannot," I replied back.

 

"Oh? Why not?" she asked.

 

And then I said, "I think I shit my britches."

 

There was an awkward pause.

 

Finally she said, "Ew..."

 

Even the way she crinkled up her nose was a glorious act, full of enough beauty to fill an entire library of poetry.

 

"Well, I suppose I should make this quick then. I've chosen you to spread my glory amongst the people of your world. You'll begin a ministry in my name, and I shall reward you in the afterlife with 37 pony virgins."

 

I was foolish and asked, "Only 37? Why not 72?"

 

She reproached me with a glower that blistered my soul and said, "Don't get greedy."

 

I groveled my apologies.

 

"Ok, ok that's enough, I have to get going. There's a diplomatic meeting on Cybertron I can't be late too. Spread word of my glory, for I shall be coming soon to rid the world of evil and other not-so-very-nice things. Ta-Ta!"

 

And as suddenly as she came, she left.

 

Around this point and time I woke up in my bed.

 

It had appeared, that everything that transpired was a dream, and I was greatly disappointed at first. What a vivid dream it was! And it wasn't real? I felt sad, and alone. The glory of the dream only accentuated the empty existential crisis of my life. I lost my will to go on...

 

But then I noticed something!

 

There was a banana on my chest! And not just any banana, but the very same banana that the demon dog was transformed into! How do I know this? Simple. The brown spots on the banana formed an image of Gary Busey.

 

It was a miracle! Not a dream, but a vision! I knew what my purpose in life was, and quickly made my plans to register as a minister with the ULC, to further the glory of Celestia.

 

I kept the banana in a lockbox as a memento, to remind me that I'm not crazy Celestia will always be there watching over me. Unfortunately, I didn't have a camera at the time, so I couldn't take a photo of said banana, and by now it's been rotting in the lock box for a few months. I have to perfume it and light incense around it to keep the smell in check.

 

And that, my dear friend, is how I became an Ordained Minister of Celestia.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source: Minister KelGrym's Religious Services