The news emerged after this message was posted to her Facebook page last night:
“It is with deep sadness to inform you today that we lost a true icon, a real life superhero. Joanie Laurer aka Chyna, the 9th Wonder of the World has passed away. She will live forever in the memories of her millions of fans and all of us that loved her.”
She was baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Toyoko, Japan on April 6th, 2014 while she was teaching English there.
While she did have her struggles in life, she also accomplished a lot and was a top student at the University of Tampa. As it described on her bio:
“She broke all gender barriers everywhere she went and continued her love of fitness throughout her college days. Chyna graduated from the University of Tampa with a 3.9 GPA and a double major in Spanish Literature in under two years. She also studied foreign languages and can speak English, Spanish, German and French. Chyna is a true humanitarian and has served in the US Army ROTC (Reserve Officer Training Corps) and the Peace Corps, helping to teach illiterate third-world children to read. She is a strong supporter of the National Animal Rescue charity, which helps domesticated animals find good, loving homes.”
On the Facebook posting announcing her death, one fan writes:
“Chyna was a very important part of my childhood, somehow part of life… I’ve been following her career and she was important to me. She was kind and awesome, she was a very gentle and smart. I can’t stop crying because her loss hurts me the most …. I’ve been waiting for her big comeback to the WWE and her entry to the Hall of Fame because she deserve to be there…Sleep well 9th wonder.”
From those who were part of her baptism.
Our Dear Friend, Chyna passed away today. This is the Chyna we came to know and love while she was with us in Tokyo. She was (and is) a sweet, kind person. We will miss her so much. We love you Chyna, and we will see you again.
This was my sweet girl and this was one of the most beautiful days. I saw the evolution of a soul when it comes in contact with the divine-and for a moment realizes the beautiful, powerful truth of who she is. She takes that with her. At rest, finally, with the One who knew and loved you best. Til we meet again, my dear friend, Chyna. I love you forever!
From what I can tell, It seems she was baptized just a year or two ago while teaching English in Japan -and trying to clean up her life.
It’s very sad to see anyone lose the battle with their demons, but we all can find hope in the fact that our battles were won and our demons will ultimitely be defeated by our Savior.
“The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose
I will not, I cannot, desert to his foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no never, I’ll never, no never,
I’ll never, no never, no never forsake!”
Somehow you left out the part where she had a career as a porn star.
I know Marilyn. But it’s okay now. She’s a “Mormon”. That solves all the world’s problems. Even Porno movies, drugs, playboy centerfolds, etc. So two years before you die get baptized in the Mormon church so you can go to Heaven after killing somebody or whatever.
That’s the amazing thing about the atonement of Jesus Christ. He made it possible so that EVERYONE who has repented and turned away from sin can be made clean through Him. I don’t know her personally or how she chose to live her life after baptism/repentance, but I know that the healing and cleansing powers of the atonement is powerful enough to cleanse a drug-addict, porn star. To dismiss that transformative power, based on her life prior to her repentance or that it had enough reach for even her, denies the life and purpose of Christ.
Jesus taught that even the prostitutes that repent will go into heaven before the hypocrites. “Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.” Matthew 21:31
Bringing killing into the matter is an unfair comparison.
I was Chyna’s bishop and friend. Unlike with most of us, the regrets from her past and ongoing challenges were public. I will only say that the gift of repentance and power of the atonement are very real. Her ward family love her deeply and were blessed to have her with us for a short time. We are grateful that she will be judged by someone who knows and loves her perfectly.
Thanks Bishop
Yes Bishop Martini! Thank you for reminding us that it is definitely not our place to judge others. May God speed Joanie Laurer on her eternal journey.
Thanks for sharing your kind words here, Brian.
Thank you for sharing that amazing insight and perspective Bishop.
I followed the WWE a lot when I was a kid and obviously I understand her lifestyle in the various industries she was a part of when we wrote this piece up.
However, whenever someone passes away, I think we should focus on the good that they did regardless of the choices that were made or even those that were still being made.
She’s a daughter of God period.
And thank God that’s true. (By the way, that’s a Christian tenet, not just an LDS one.)
I just wish she had turned to God. I’m not sure the LDS church is aware of the true God.
Take your obvious bigotry against the LDS church somewhere else. Maybe an anti-Mormon website, there are plenty of those out there.
Whatever you do, deciding to spend your day trolling on a nice piece aboue a woman who has recently passed away and showing disrespect towards the deceased and her religion is not a very productive way to use your time
If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all, Gail.
Wow! Obviously you don’t listen to the talks in General Conference. One of the speeches was about using your beliefs as an example to your neighbors and non members. I can say what I wish to show how I feel about this. Oh by the way I am a member of the false Joseph Smith church.
You know you can leave anytime you want, staying is a choice.
If you think that Joseph Smith is a false prophet, you are not a member in good standing. He is the prophet that was chosen to restore the church, and if you don’t think he did that- you don’t really believe in anything the LDS church has to offer.
You can say what you want to about the LDS church- but by describing Joseph Smith as a ‘false’ prophet- I can call you a liar, deceiver, a wolf in sheep’s clothing, someone who uses their ‘membership’ to hold them up as learned in the church, when you really haven’t got a clue. You are no better than the Kate Kelly’s and John Dehlin’s of the world- staying in to maintain some form of credibility, making it easier for you to lead others astray.
Don’t tell me I don’t listen to conference- I do, I listen to ALL OF IT- and if you really did, you would know that ALL the church leaders constantly bear testimony about Joseph Smith. He has never been called a false prophet by them. So don’t tell me that they said use your beliefs as an example, then deny their testimonies in Joseph Smith. You don’t get to pick and choose bits and pieces to justify yourself, Gail.
Just read my post please! I have something to say about Chyna~
Are you kidding right now? That’s a disgusting abd vile thing to say
Who the hell do you think you are judging others’ faith in God?
The bitterness is strong in you. What a terrible place to be, hope you find peace.
If you let go of the hate you have in your heart, your life will be better.
Marilyn, have you asked your next of kin to include your sins in your Obit?
I haven’t seen anything about Chyna being LDS but I do know that it was recently stated that they wouldn’t let her in the WWF Hall of Fame because they were concerned about the links children would see if they Googled her. Just for kicks and giggles I googled her and it was almost all porn related from her various sex tapes…
The Atonement is infinite and applies to all kinds of sins. “Of you it is required to forgive.”
I want to say something about Chyna.
I remember when I was in my early teens watching WWF. I enjoyed a lot but I stopped watching after I came to the Lord cos I know that WWE is not only Holy but a show full of violence and even filth.
Few days before her death, I suddenly had a strong desire to watch her latest videos on her YouTube Channel, and I found out that she was doing Yoga. Yoga is satanic worship that is rooted in occult and satanic rituals. Most people are deceived into thinking that yoga is just a sequence of exercises that promote health, relaxation and well-being. Far from it, it is demonic worship and an open door for satanic attacks on people that practice them. Most people don’t know is that you are actually being yoked to Hindu false god demons! Yoga was created by Hindus that worship literally thousands of false gods otherwise known as demons.
Anyway, so I had a strong urge to send her an email, which was mentioned on her YouTube Channel. I kept postponing and then thought to myself; well she may NOT read it. She’s a superstar. She will ignore if I talk about Jesus.
Btw, it wasn’t her email. It was her manager’s email, Anthony Anzaldo at [email protected]. I thought, if the manager reads the word “JESUS”, he’s gonna immediately delete my email and I said to myself, “why am I addicted to her?” So I stopped watching her videos and didn’t bother to send her an email.
Then after two days (which is TODAY), I see this news “Chyna, WWE wrestler and entertainer, dead at 45”. I was really feeling bad that I didn’t do my job. She was so addicted to fame. She badly wants attention. I felt in my heart to send her an email to forget the fame, WWE and everything and just surrender your life to Jesus and live in Holiness.
wut…
I do yoga & am definitely not satanic. It’s good health
Are you SURE??!?!?! You are probably being deceived by the Hindu false god demons and that “good health” you supposedly feel is actually SATAN possessing your body. The “relaxation” and “strengthening” is CLEARLY evil demon god Satan feels. Its hard to tell the difference because anytime you do ANYTHING that feels good or makes you happier, you are actually worshiping Satan by accident. It happens a lot actually; just the other day i was riding my bike up a hill and I really had to push myself to make it to the top and when I finally made it to the top I felt so accomplished and relieved. But then I looked behind me and realized that I had accidentally summoned the demon angel god human serpent Gary of the underworld and had to douse myself in urine to dispel his evil, exercise induced existent. It made for quite the eventful Tuesday.
Yoga is not satanic worship!! That is silly. You have been misled by someone about this. Yoga is a great way to strengthen your body and relax your mind.
The idea that yoga is satanic worship seems to stem from a fundamentalist Christian mindset rather than a typical LDS mindset. My guess is Miriam Joseph would say Latter-day Saints worship Satan, too. Agree to disagree, I guess. If Mormons are interested in learning more about yoga they might begin with BYU’s Maxwell Institute Podcast, which has a great episode on this. Google “Maxwell Institute Podcast Yoga Sutra.”
You just went full retard
Don’t worry about it. She found her Heavenly Father way before your premonition. And though she wasn’t perfect, she was trying. But Miriam, by all means being perfect, you have cast the first stone (which is truly the best example, as Chyna’s Savior said to her as she was changing her life around, “Neither do I condemn thee.”
Miriam, Jehovah will not hold us accountable for what we do not know. We’ll be judged on the basis of whether we turned away from the opportunity to have proper knowledge, or if we had divine knowledge and chose not to apply it to our lives. From what brother Brian shared, Chyna was relatively new to the faith. The process of refinement every Christian goes through is never immediate, but a lifelong process. The apostle Paul compared it to a race, where each runner (believer) chases after the prize. As each of us become convicted of our own undesirable thoughts and actions (sin), our process of spiritual growth happens as we hand each of those things over to God. Chyna dealt with much more trauma in her life than most of us will in our lifetimes, trauma that had roots very early in her childhood that continued after her departure from wrestling. God is the only one who can judge Chyna properly, and even then–unlike us, he will do it from a place of love.
I am not judging Chyna but she chose fame and WWE. She was hanging around with the wrong crowd who do not know Jesus. It’s been 15 years that she left WWE, she could have gone to Jesus, and had Godly friends and study the Truth, which is the WORD OF GOD and definitely by now she would have been healed from depression. God would have removed her worldly desire but WE HAVE TO RUN TO JESUS.
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. James 4:8
Look at Lex Luger, Shawn Michaels, Mr. T, Sting and other Born Again WWE Superstars…God is changing them and they are getting better and better…
God can change anyone but we must run to Him. That’s why Jesus said in Deuteronomy 30:19, “This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life.”
The reason why it was getting worse and worse for Chyna cos she didn’t choose LIFE while some of her colleagues did and now they are HAPPY by God’s Grace.
Very sad to see comment’s that form a opinion of another negative or Postive Joanie Laurer Marie Laurer did seek out heavenly fathers word., We should not judge any.,but uplift one another in life.
James 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availed much.
Let him know, that he which converter the sinner from error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.
James 1:5-1:22 If any of you lack wisdom let him ask God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not and it shall be given him.
But be ye doers of the word not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
James 5:9 Grudge not one against another brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.
2 Peter2:9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished.
I actually would like to believe that Heavenly Father had a plan for Joanie and brought her to his, word..in all reality Heavenly Father may have taken her from this, world to save her from temptations or errors of the past only Heavenly Father has that answer may been before her as she returned to USA. She was I’ll with flu..but she always, was keeping postive towards making a change towards better life.
Maybe people should be thinking about what things could be done further to assist in her death..
such as the fact her grandmother has past away in 2014 and her father..Instead of feeding negative in her lifes issues..just maybe someone might think of starting sealing these members together as one.
I think she would have liked it to happen.
Just a thought it’s obvious at whatever point she did reach out and believed and was a member of the church.
Grace be with you, mercy and peace from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ in Truth and Love.
I don’t see the name GOD in front of all those who keep bringing up she was a porn star. Are we not suppose love all of our brothers and sisters. Isn’t GOD the one to make the final decision? Are there not members that have a different background them we have. Are we here to judge others,
I was shocked to read this NEWS~
Chyna planned to do more adult films before death | Fox News
Holiness is the key word as a believer in Christ. You need gate-pass to enter Heaven. What kind of gate pass? Gate pass to Heaven is Holiness. Holiness is the gate pass you need.
Holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. (Hebrews 12:14)
Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him.” (John 14:5-7)
You cannot have one foot in the LIGHT and one foot in DARKNESS and think you will go to Heaven. Jesus don’t shake hands with Satan.
I am not judging her but let’s see what the Bible has to say…
You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. (James 4:3-4)
My wife and I spoke with Chyna 2 weeks before she passed away. She said that she had been asked to do adult films and that she would not. I am not a Fox news reporter and do cannot judge the accuracy of the reporting. All I can do is report what she told us. She respects my wife too much to lie to her.
Thanks for the simple Testimony Sister Gates. that is so great to hear that Chyna was baptized I remember watching her on Raw and Wrestlemania 17. She truly inspired a generation. The people that know Chyna sorry for the loss. As an LDS member and being a WWE fan currently I never thought I would see the name Chyna on an LDS sight. I always say after Meeting Hulk Hogan at Comic con Never say Never Chyna baptized is awesome to hear that story.
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