I was born into the LDS Church. Mom and Dad were as active as humanly possible, my siblings, too. We even had giant glass decorative grapes on our living room table, and Mom put shredded carrots in the Jello – proof positive that we were stalwart. There was never a time in my childhood that living an active LDS lifestyle was not just part of my normal existence.
Fifty years later, I am still rock-solid in the Church, my wife is as active as humanly possible, all the kids are active too. (Fortunately we have abandoned the traditions of giant glass grapes and shredded carrot Jello. (Score one for my generation.)
I have never had a time in my life where I have not been a regularly attending member of the Church. It is all I have ever known. It is part of my DNA, part of who I am – part of who I have always been.
I don’t know why.
I don’t know why Heavenly Father sent me to the home He did. An LDS home, with righteous parents, where I was immediately set on the correct path. I mean what are the odds for that? (Rough calculation of active LDS members to world population: A million to one.) Why me? I figure I will just put that on the list I have of questions to ask God when I see Him. Although I don’t know, I have thought through a couple of possibilities:
1) I was just so incredibly awesome in the pre-mortal life that being born into these privileged circumstances was a well-deserved blessing. That’s me, “Mr. Extra-Valiant Spirit Man.” Or…
2) God knows me well enough that He felt that if He left it up to me, I would never have found the Gospel. (Yeah, a bit sobering.)
I tend to lean towards the the second. By nature, I am a questioning, often cynical guy. The kind of guy that some a pair of fresh-faced missionaries would dread. I fear I would also be prone to many different addictions and distractions that might discourage or prevent me from embracing such a demanding faith. And I am stubborn.
Either way, it was not required of me to find and embrace the truthfulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It was nicely arranged on the buffet table of my life – and I partook. And it is great. I know someone will comment and say “But at some point you had to be converted and find your own testimony.” True. And I did. But it was not hard. It was a natural progression through a life filled with constant exposure to the love of God, the Spirit, the truthfulness of the Gospel, and the miracles that come with it. Yes, I was converted, but it was really, really easy.
Because I have had it so easy, I have this sense of awe towards those who came to the Gospel and joined the Church as converts. You could say that I am a bit star-struck. Partially because I question if would have ever made that choice, and partially because I know the struggles some go through to make the conversion.
To any of you readers out there that are converts to the Church: You are amazing.
Over the years I have been deeply involved as people have joined the church, as a full-time missionary, a friend, and a priesthood leader. I know that sometimes the decision to convert can have a devastating impact on one’s life. Some are disowned, some are shunned, some lose their jobs, friends, families – all in exchange for the opportunity to enter into the Lord’s KIngdom on the earth. A Kingdom that is highly demanding, wrapped in a confusing culture, and different than any other religion on the earth.
Like I said before: Converts are amazing. I hope you understand how much I love and respect you for finding and embracing the truth. I’m not trying to embarrass anyone, but I think you are deserving of our thanks and praise.
Converts to the Church bring an excitement and a vibrancy, with them. They serve as a reminder to those of us who have been at this a long time that it is more than just a way of life. It is a wonderful decision that rains blessings down on us every day of our lives. Sometimes we just forget.
Everyday, my FB friend Barbara reminds us what day it is. For example, yesterday was “Heimlich Manuever Day”, and “Doughnut Day.” Now I don’t know who comes up with these ideas – many of which are stupid, but some are good reminders of really important things – like “Doughnut Day.”
So, I have taken it upon myself to make the following declaration:
The first Sunday in June will hereafter be known as:
It is a world-wide Church, after all. Now I’m not just being silly. I am going to celebrate this day – and I invite you to join me. I intend on honoring the day by doing several things:
1) I am going to seek out the people at church who I know are converts, hug them, and thank them.
2) I have had the privilege of being involved as some people have joined the church. I am going to write a letter to one, or more, of them to see how they are doing, and to express my support.
3) I am going to look at our family history with my kids and try and pinpoint who the convert was in each of our lines that made the choices that resulted in the blessings that we enjoy.
4) I’ll do this one right now… A “digital hug” to all my awesome readers who are converts.
My heartfelt thanks to those of you who found the truth, made the sacrifices to embrace the Gospel, and joined the Church. I am grateful for your faith, your example, and your testimonies.
I am in awe.
———
A couple of housekeeping things:
• I would LOVE to hear comments from those of you who converted to the gospel. Share as much as you are willing.
• Please don’t make comments that aren’t supportive or instructive today. I don’t want to debate this. But I will delete.
• Feel free to pin, share, or steal any or all of this. I would like to see it circulate.
• Sorry I didn’t announce this earlier…
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It has been 5 yrs since you wrote this blog, but what a wonderful idea! I will post this to my FB page on June 1st. I am a convert. My family did not attend any church. WWII and the Korean War caused my father to doubt most churches (though he did believe in God). He wanted us to be able to make up our own minds about what church to attend. At 16 I announced at the dinner table that I was going to look into some churches (I had always believed in God but had no understanding of Jesus Christ). I named 5 or 6 churches and the Mormon Church was one of them. 2 weeks later the missionaries were at our door!
I didn’t have a hard time believing what the missionaries taught. It was like hearing something I had known but had forgotten. It was tougher for Dad, but God intervened and when we fasted with the missionaries about getting baptized, Dad received a vision of his last interview with the Savior before coming to earth and he learned that he was to be baptized. So my parents, my 2 younger sisters and I were baptized.
We lived in Bennington, VT, and there were only a couple of other LDS kids in the high school. When I graduated, my parents returned to Syracuse, NY, I went off to BYU. I went on a mission to Japan and afterwards returned to Provo (there weren’t any LDS guys in Syracuse, NY at the time). I met my husband there and we have lived a life in the church. We thought we were moving from western WA to southern UT to prepare for our mission…well, I am now the RS president in our ward and my husband is the 1st assistant to the HPG Leader. We work in the temple and manage to keep busy. A mission is in our future, but for the moment, we are serving where the Lord has called us.
Has it been hard? Sometimes. Why was I born into the family I came to? Why has my life been as easy as it has? Why has faith come as easily as it has? I don’t know. But I do know this…we are each given the experiences we need to develop as Father knows we can. Our roads are all so different. I have wondered about this quite a bit. All I can say is to repeat what Nephi said in 2 Nephi 4… “Nevertheless, I know in whom I have trusted.” I am so grateful to my Father who set me on a path to find the gospel and the true church and to learn of my Savior and His atoning grace. I’m grateful for my parents and siblings, for awesome teachers, friends, guides and for heavenly intervention when I have needed it. I’m grateful for blogs like this one where people share their faith. I’m grateful for the growing understanding I have of what we need to do to become a Zion people. I love this gospel and the chance to learn and serve. It has been an incredible ride. I expect it to continue to be so.
Rusty! Thanks for your comment. I am playing with the idea of moving the celebration to August – many people are on vacations as summer has set in. It might be better if we wait… I’ll let you know!
My whole life geared me up to meeting the missionaries. My parents were spiritual people, but we switched churches a lot. My mom loved her Angels and we had angel items all over our house growing up. When I was in high achool my family joined the Catholic Church. It was nice to finally belong somewhere but I never felt that “burning desire” to be there each week.
I love to run, weird statement. But true. I met my first love in high school in the track team. Half way through our senior year we started seriously dating. I spent a lit of time with his wonderful family, never realizing they were Lds. Boy was I in for a shock. I was going to Uconn I the fall, he was going to BYU. Utah?? What, where, why??
After spending the rest if the school year running and being with his family the summer before I headed to UCONN I took the discussions and made a promise to join the church. That Christmas I was baptized, that summer I transferred to BYU and ended up running for their track and cross country team. Amazing!!
I graduated from BYU, got a 6th grade teaching job in provo and met my husband where I worked. People are always shocked when I tell them I am a convert. There have been people who are supportive and those who are not. But either way, simple conversion story but one with so much faith in the power of prayer and guidance from others. I have been given so many wonderful people in my life path that have helped me convert and stay strong in the gospel.
I was thought I was raised in an LDS home, but … glass grapes? Not only did we never have them, but I don’t even know what you are talking about. Shredded carrots, I saw at ward functions, but never on my own kitchen table. Excuse me while I go and re-evaluate my life.
I’m back.
On a more serious note, as I struggle through this current time of trials for our family I am sometimes tempted to think, “Why me?” I usually am reminded fairly quickly, “Indeed, why me? Why did I receive all the wonderful blessings that I did? Why was I raised in a loving home by two of the most wonderful parents I could have hoped for? Why did my lovely, kind wife decide to settle on me as a seat mate for this eternal journey? Why was I blessed with five wonderful children who try to do what’s right and are truly good kids inside (sometimes a little deep inside, not so much on the exterior, but nevertheless, good kids)?”
What wonderful, powerful stories. I feel humble as I add my own. Apologies in advance for the length.
I was 14 years old when my mother met the missionaries in the street as she was walking to her mother’s house. She felt sorry for them because she knew that people were often rude to them and shut doors in their face. She said they were welcome to come and talk to us and gave them our address. We were already commited Christians and attended the local Church of England church (I sang in the choir and served at the altar). My mother had already realised that something was missing from her spirituality though and we had attended other churches as she looked for it.
The missionaries came to our house. From the very start of the discussions, I felt that everything just made so much sense, I felt that I already knew and believed the things we were being taught. Each night as my mother came up to say goodnight to me she would sit on my bed and we would talk about the things we had learned and said over and over again “it just makes so much sense!”. The missionaries invited our family to attend church, but I had responsibilities in our previous church which I was unwilling to abandon. My family all went without me for the first couple of weeks.
At last, I was not on the rota to do anything special at my old church so I went with my family for the first time to the LDS church. I had prayed so hard that if this was the right church that I would know and feel it when I went. As soon as I entered the building I felt a warm sense of peace and I knew that I was “home”. They had a baptism that day after the normal three hour block and we stayed on for that. I remember in the weeks that followed that I walked around school in a daze unable to believe the wonderful things I’d found. I wanted to climb on the tower of the old school building and yell it to everyone.
The missionaries insisted on teaching us all together as a family although my father was a little reluctant. He read and prayed and came to church with us, but although we waited and waited for him, eventually me, my mother and two of my siblings (the third was too young at the time) were baptised without him. I was 15 by then.
I will turn 30 soon and in November I will have spent half my life in the church. My mother and my sisters and brother all stopped coming to church a few years after our baptism. I still hope and pray they will return, I ache to be sealed to them in the temple. I am now married for time and all eternity to another wonderful convert (and his conversion story is fabulous!) and we have two boys born in the covenant.
Even those born into LDS families are converts. You weren’t born LDS, you were converted at age 8 (or in my case much older) when you decided to make the gospel your own.
So hug yourself too! 🙂
My conversion to the Gospel didn’t come without it’s struggles, but I feel blessed beyond measure. To say that my family hated my decision to join the Church would be an understatement. I had to move across the country just to get a new start. I am a modern-day pioneer…instead of pulling a handcart I drove a car through tear-filled eyes across the plains. I met the man who would become my EC when I had been a member for 5 months. We waited 7 more months before getting married so we could get married in the Temple (we wanted to do it right the first time!). I’m so glad we did because 10 months later our daughter was born and I feel so blessed that she was a part of our eternal family from the start.
I often felt the need to please my family (by getting married civily so they could attend, being in my brother’s wedding which would’ve required me to wear an immodest dress, not go to Church when I was visiting because it makes them uncomfortable, etc.) but I knew someday I would have children that I would need to be an example for…I just didn’t realize it would be so soon!
The Lord truly blesses us when we are faithful. Sometimes I wonder if the magnitude of the trials we are called to go through have any comparison to the blessings we receive. The adversity I faced before and immediately after joining the Church was quite high…but I have been blessed with the most amazing husband and children. I truly feel they are my reward for being faithful.
Amen!
You know you’ve made it when you are able to declare not just national but INTERNATIONAL official holidays. Way to go!
I didn’t want my readers from England and Australia to pitch a fit. Besides, you are the one with the British url: http://beinglds.blogspot.co.uk
Well, I am almost purely of British descent, so I’m not surprised they are claiming me as their own! 🙂
Am just now seeing this. Interesting timing as we had a post featuring several conversion stories on International Hug a Convert Day.
Will be linking back to this (with the same note you began the post with).
Thanks, MMM.
As a convert all I ever wanted to do was forget that I was a convert. That doesn’t mean forgetting the circumstances that have shaped me into the person I needed to be so I could find and accept the Gospel, but to leave my stupidity and ignorance in the past and move forward.
I wanted to belong, I wanted to be “normal” like everyone who was born into the church seemed to be. For the first time in my whole life, the church made me feel at home, I didn’t want to be “different” and lose that feeling. I never wanted the title of “convert” (in the traditional sense)to be attributed to me. All I wanted is to revel in the blessings and the sheer amazement that Heavenly Father thought I deserved this wonderful chance to start again, and truly know what it means to live a Kingdom-building life. Now I get to lift others as I have been lifted, forgive others who have hurt me in my life because I have been forgiven.
I never wanted to be a convert. Yet here I am, humbled, grateful and…converted. Sometimes we become the very thing we tried not to become, and sometimes, it’s the best thing that could have ever happened to us.
Thank you for this post!
Thank you so much for your post and for all of the comments. Being married to a wonderful man who joined the church while we were dating shortly after high school, I can attest to the blessings that come from conversions. 45 years later, he has been a bishop and served so steadfastly in so many callings, I cannot believe how blessed I have been.
Comment emailed from Diana about her husband’s conversion. (Thanks Diana!)
Thank you for asking me to email you. My husband likes me to tell the story cause he is afraid he will get too teary eyed. Only since he joined the church has he found out that real men can tear up and not be embarrassed. Every time we are in a fast and testimony meeting, he will nudge me if a man gets emotional and says, “see someone else gets like me”. I am trying to convince him that this is part of a testimony and how the Holy Ghost talks though us in this way some times.
I tell this story to you as I am have tears falling down my face thinking about it. He came from Indiana to Salt Lake City, UT in 1973 to visit his brother after a going through a hard divorce. The only thing he had heard about Mormons was that they had horns. So he kept asking people where all these people were and they thought he was crazy. Anyway, we were living about 2 streets from each other for several years, but never met even though we shopped in the same grocery stores etc. We finally met in 1977 at a party and I knew there was something special about him. He was not a member, but I was always the type to see the good in others and thought maybe I could change him. In the meantime we fell in love and got married in 1979.
He was always supportive of me going to any church meeting or activity that I wanted, but he said he didn’t want our children blessed or baptized until he knew if my church was brainwashing us or not. I had a 4 year old daughter when we married, so he didn’t say much about her going to church. Anytime anyone in my family had anything at church, he would go and just tease my family that they better wear a hard hat or the roof might fall in. When our son was born 3 years later, he wanted him to be blessed. Home teachers were allowed in our home, but he asked them not to talk about religion. However, I could discuss anything I wanted to about what I had learned and he would even come and chat with visiting teachers. Of course, our Bishop being the wise man he was, sent Converts and people he knew had lots in common. And low and behold, one visiting teacher was from Indiana and a convert. She would sit and spend lots of time conversing with him during my visits.
I had a few health problems back then, and he marveled at the support and meals that the ward rendered. My mom always teased him, that we would convert him one way or another, but she hoped it was while he was living. Anyway, in 2005, he became very ill and ended up in the LDS Hospital with a collapsed lung. After being there for 30 days and having lots of support from ward members at home, he was talking a lot about how the church always came through for us when we needed them the most. One night he got a high fever and could not stop shivering, so they took an xray and said his other lung was collapsing. I asked him if he would like my brother-in-law and nephew to give him a blessing and he consented. They rushed up and before taking him into surgery, they allowed the blessing. He says that before they started the blessing, he remembers everyone being in the room and as soon as they laid their hands on his head, the room went dark and he felt a warm rush go from head to foot. He said that he felt like the Spirit of Jesus or something else was entering his body. Then as soon as the blessing ended, he saw everyone in the room together again. He was rushed into surgery and when he awoke in Intensive care, he asked me if I thought they might have a Book of Mormon that he could read. I told him I was sure I could round one up, but probably not until he got back in a regular room. (Part 2 will follow next)
( Part 2)
As soon as he was released to go home, he started wanting all kinds of questions answered. I got hold of my visiting teacher and her husband was the stake president and we asked him if he wanted missionary discussions. They invited the missionaries to their home and we came too.
After dinner, when, the Sisters asked us we knew anyone who might want the discussions, he piped up and said “As a matter of fact…”. They almost fell off their chairs cause no one said anything to give a hint during dinner that he was not a member. Anyway, the stake president and his wife came to all the discussions at our home and within about one month, we had a baptism. There must have been about 100 people from our ward there and everyone just stepped up and planned the whole thing for me. Unfortunately my mother had died a year before, but we could feel her and my fathers spirit there.
Two months later, he was asked to say the prayer in Stake Conference. Our stake broadcast to about seven other wards. Of course, I didn’t let him know this until the day before as he had never ever prayed publicly before. His prayer was one of the best and most sincere prayers I have ever heard.
Two years later, we were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple and my dream finally came true. At the marriage and sealing about 20 people from our new ward attended. To this day he just tells everyone that the Lord just has to get through to stubborn people in different ways to get them to listen.
I can attest to the effect that lifetime members have on converts. But we need to be extra vigilant to let them know how much we love all of them and make sure they always feel welcome. This need to include those who have fallen away. They definitely need our attention. Our present ward is having a great success with members being reactivated in this last year and I personally feel, they need our hugs too. I never did lose my testimony or stop believing anything through all these years. However, I certainly wasn’t always as active as I wanted to be. However, lots hugs, notes and vigilant members pulled me through too.
I don’t know if this makes any sense. But I thought you might want to hear his experience.
Late to the party here, but thanks, MMM, for introducing this topic. I was raised in a large, practicing, Catholic family. We had wonderful active, involved, loving parents, and we siblings have remained close all our lives. No dysfunction to speak of, thank the Lord! As a professional, I had two bosses who were LDS. Later, when our children were in elementary school, I was asked by two different women in two different cities to join them at Relief Society events. Unfortunately, I couldn’t attend either time. I had no idea either woman was LDS until both families had moved away. And it came to pass that a long time passed away. I happened upon a high school classmate who had joined the church just after high school. That got me interested in reading about the church. And then I discovered BLOGS. I learned as much as I thought I could without meeting a, you know, actual Mormon. So I called. Six weeks later I was baptized, and three years later I haven’t looked back. I’ve always been happy, but I didn’t know I could be this kind of happy. With a lot of life experience behind me, I can see through the messy things that we do because we’re only human and concentrate on the essence of living the gospel. Things fit into a framework now. There is cause and effect now. There is measurable progression now. I came home.
A blog conversion story! How cool! (I’d better be more careful about what I write!)
But I WANTED to see what real Mormons said without their knowing they were speaking to outsiders. Bloggers, and their commenters, can say anything on a blog, and their writings don’t necessarily bear any resemblance to how they live their real lives. But in those who write specifically about religion and related matters, I saw honesty and sincerity. And in those who don’t hide their religion but write mostly about their daily experiences, I saw … honesty and sincerity.
As an outsider looking in, it was easy to see the goodness. I’m not sure that most LDS understand how different they are, at least where we live, 1,500 hundred miles from Utah County.
My husband is the convert in our family. He was converted by his girlfriend, who later became his wife. She was inactive at the time, and when they started dating, she went back to church and he started taking the missionary discussions. He joined, served a mission and they married when he came home. He baptized his parents and sister, either right before his mission or right after.
After twenty-three years of marriage and five kids, she died of cancer. That’s where I come in. A couple of years after that we were married. He had talked of the missionaries who had taught him, so one time when we were in Utah, I did an internet search for the one who had a unique name. I found a phone number and asked him if he had served a mission in the Seattle area and if he remembered teaching a long-haired hippie kid the gospel.
I arranged for him and his wife to join us for dinner. I didn’t tell Thom who we were having dinner with, just that he would enjoy himself. He isn’t really very social, so he went along reluctantly. I’ll never forget the look on his face when the guy put out his hand and told him his name. It is by far the best surprise I have ever done for my husband.
And that missionary got to see that Thom’s parents and sister joined the church and that Thom sent four out of five kids on missions as well and served as bishop.
Love this Story Susan!!! Thank you. I am a mom to a return missionary, a current missionary,and one preparing. This just gives me the goosebumps to see the ripple effects of missionary work….even if the missionaries don’t see those ripples themselves.
I was baptized as a Latter-day Saint on Fenruary 25th, 2012. Life was hard, I was struggling, I was using substances to make me feel better, I grew up in an abusive home, I sought out things that I thought would help change me, but didn’t. Wasn’t until I drove by an LDS church one night where I felt the most comforting feeling, a feeling I’ve been searching to find my whole life. I was prompted for a week to contact the church until I finally did it. Best decision I’ve ever made. I’ve never felt so alive, so happy, so comfortable in my own skin, and so blessed.
What a great post today, and what wonderful comments in response! Earlier this week while looking through boxes which contained family photos and family histories, I came across my mother’s Baptism and Confirmation certificate. She was a convert to the Church when I was 4 years old. I’ve often wondered about the missionaries who taught my mom and baptized her. Here was the name of the Elder right on this certificate. Elder John Lyman Sadlier. Thanks to the miracle of the Internet, I found his name and phone number and called him. He was out of town, but I talked to his wife and confirmed that he was the same John Sadlier that served a mission to Honolulu Hawaii in the mid 60’s. I wanted him to know that his service made a profound difference in my life, as I am waiting to receive my own mission call 48 years later. I hope I can do for someones family, what Elder Sadlier did for mine.
Great story! Recently I had a man contact me on Facebook that married a young lady that I baptized 30 years ago. It felt great to hear they were active, and all their kids were too.
Hugged me some converts today. When I told one how much I appreciated his courage in joining the church, he told me he appreciated families like mine who are sending out missionaries to find people like him. Blessings all around.
The first time I heard about Mormons was in the 7th grade. I was walking home with a friend who said that she was a Mormon. I got to the dinner table and asked my family, “What is a moron? This girl said that she was a moron.” After a moment of silence, they said that is was Mormon and that was the end for a couple of years.
I learned to pray to Heavenly Father from the Presbyterian Church. I took it to heart and developed a relationship with Him when I was emotionally abused by my sister for a period of probably 3-4 years. I had a period of clinical depression before entering high school. I was invited to an activity and Mutual by a girl I was walking home with from high school. The friendship of the small branch and the Holy Ghost pulled me from depression. I had to wait a year to be baptized but I was determined to live the gospel until I could be baptized.
When I later went inactive, the habit of following the Word of Wisdom kept with me. It kept me from drinking alcohol and doing drugs which I probably would have done to deal with the clinical depression.
My father and mother and siblings were never interested, so I was on my own. I have ups and downs. I served a mission, not necessarily well, but that is another story. I married in the temple to a EC who is of pioneer stock but most of his family are inactive. 2 of my children are married in the temple and my youngest is on a mission in Germany. But more importantly, they seem to be truly converted to the gospel and living by its precepts.
I marvel often of the decisions I made that have influenced the lives of my children. It used to be said that “I can do what I want because it only affects me and my life” but that’s not true. Our decisions affect others.
So true. No one lives in a vacuum.
I call my husband “Mormon Royalty” When I met him, he had an uncle that was a patriarch and a sealer in the Mesa Temple. Another Uncle that was a 70. I grew up with in a non-active family, not having a clue who I was. There was one girl who woudl invite me to church with their family, and would have family prayer before they would leave. That is how I decided I wanted that.That girl has no idea the influence her family had on me.
When Joel and I decided to get married, and I had a famiy member pull me aside and say “Do yourealize who is family is? Are you sure you want to do this?” I asked Joel why he didnt tell me that our sealer would be his uncle, and how he personally knew several apostles and had met two prophets who stayed at his house. Joel said “Becauce, it means nothing compared to who I am marrying. You have no idea what I see.” Now- the work I do- finding out my own pioneer ancestory, fidning that I am a Smith family member. I get why it was all hidden from me. The work I do wih the family is so fought against. Satan hates us all. So I was not active until I was out of high school, and not converted until I met my sweet, humble husband who could see who I really was, when I could not.
Just so you dont go thinking Joel is all super righteous guy- I met him when he was making a puppet face out of a picture of Robert D. Hales and making the mouth move along with the speaker in sacrament meeting. He was craking up the entire row- I was appalled. Until I saw him smile. He still does stuff like that.
That is sweet and hilarious. Reminds me of someone I married.
Wow, these comments are better than the “LDS Voices” section of the Ensign. Thank you all for sharing. I would like to also share my respect for those of you who overcame poor examples of Church membership to become converted anyway. The Gospel is perfect, but its believers are not.
I pray for the day my amazing wife will soften her heart to the gospel message and I can hug a convert/EC.
Hang in there. The fact that she’s amazing gives her a head start on half the population out there! ;~}
Well, instead of ending my day with reading these comments, I’m starting my day. What wonderful stories. Thanks so much for sharing them!
I have great-great-grandparents who crossed oceans and plains in the early days of the church, but no resin grapes (although I do know what you’re talking about) and I never did like carrots in my jello. I, too, wonder how I lucked out to be sent to the parents I was. Every day I’m grateful for that blessing. And every day I’m grateful for my testimony, and for the guidance and direction that the gospel provides.
I am also totally in awe of the amazing people who are finding the church now. It takes a lot of courage to change and be the pioneer. Thanks for letting me know about “Hug a Convert Day.” I love your suggestions for honoring it and am looking forward to sending notes and giving hugs, both real and virtual. Have a great day!
What a truly beautiful, touching and inspiring way to end an absolutely amazing couple of days for my family . . .
I, personally, am a ‘lifer’ and I have no idea why I got so lucky, but whatever the reason I AM beyond grateful because I know that it saved me years and years — perhaps even a whole lifetime — of searching for the truth . . . because I KNOW that I would have been searching for it . . .
THANK YOU to every one who shared their conversion stories here . . . and I will add my cyber hugs to everyone else’s . . .
(((((((((((((((((HUGS))))))))))))))))))))
I grew up without a real belief in God. Not even the concept of God made sense to me. My family moved to Vegas and I was introduced to these people called “Mormons”. And although I smoked, cursed and did other things that weren’t according to church standards my friends (that are members) were good examples to me. After HS graduation I joined the Marines. The first Sunday in boot camp the Senior Drill Instructor said “your going to church, I don’t care which one or if you don’t believe but your going”. Now me being devious and seeing that the protestants, catholics and jews were all 1 hour and the LDS group was 3 I knew where I was going. Long story short, I took the discussions and not long after I knew that I wanted to join. A month and half later I was baptized by my fellow recruit in the swimming pool we did our combat swim quals.
I haven’t been the a good member in my (almost) 19 years of membership, but I truly believe in the gospel and the power of redemption. After all isn’t redemption the basis of the entire gospel?
Thanks for your blog, it’s a great read!
You are so welcome. Awesome story about your conversion. So what happens now?
This touches my heart. When I was a missionary, I had a special opportunity to teach at the MCRD in San Diego. I taught the discussions to several Marines, and I remember some of them saying that they picked the LDS Church because it was 3 hours, too. 🙂 And we had baptisms in that pool. I have the same picture in my mind as you do. Sweet, sweet memories. Stay strong. It’s worth it.
JWW
This was a perfect way to end a wonderful day. Thank you to ALL who shared their stories… I, too, have a full heart after reading everyone’s experiences. Thank you, MMM, I’m going to make it a point now to seek out the amazingly faithful and strong converts and give them a giant hug from now on. I was blessed to be adopted with my biological little brother from an orphanage in Korea into a faithful LDS family who knew the importance of eternal truths. My husband is a product of my stalwart and righteous father-in-law who was converted at the age of 23. God bless all of you amazing converts!!!!
PS – we have a mantra at my house.
“The church is true, but PEOPLE suck”
Helps us keep our perspective
Leave it to mCat to write a beautiful NON-boring story of her conversion, then follow-up with a mantra like that.
(Thank you Melissa, for the letting us read your story)
mCat, thank you for sharing your story. I felt the Spirit as I read it. It’s pretty clear to me that the Lord had a specific plan for you. And thanks for all your colorful comments on this blog. I would never use the word boring to describe you or anything you write.
Love this post and even more so the comments. I nice read before I hit the sack and rest up for another Sabbath.
I wish I had such a tender and miraculous story of conversion, but mine is very ordinary. After being raised in a home with an active mother and inactive soon-to-be non member but practicing Catholic father, we were taught the principles, we attended church and props to my mother for doing it all on her own.
After my Dad died when I was 14, I went wild. Buck wild. Not a nice decade in my life. By some small miracle I met my husband when I was 18. He too was raised in a stalwart home but he was not active at the time either. We clicked.
When we got married, no one thought it would work. We were too young, too wild, too irresponsible. Yes, the early years were crazy. I look back now and they were down right cringe worthy (however, I do think I have been allowed a greater measure of empathy and understanding for others who slip and fall from the rod).
Once my second boy was born, I had a terrible back accident and found myself unable to work, or even to take care of my little boys. I was stuck flat in bed with nothing to do.
Bored out of my mind one day, I decided to read the Book of Mormon ( I think I had an old blue copy from seminary). I read it like a novel and was reading it non-stop. To the point that I even dreamed in scripture language.
When I crawled over the side of the bed to knee and take Moroni up on his challenge, the answer was clear “You already know this is true, you just forgot. You knew it was true back on page 1, and page 45 and page 250……”
Since then, I’ve never looked back. Slowly my husband came around and our family was sealed about 15 years ago. There have been ups and downs in our home with our boys, but looking back, all our experiences have been for our good. Even when I was making choices not in harmony with the gospel principles, the lessons learned have enriched my life and the life of others because of the perspective I can offer.
See, totally boring. But a convert none-the-less.
And there is gonna be a heckuvalot of huggin tomorrow. (I was going to use a different word because I am still highly irreverent, but then I remembered you would just delete the whole thing) : )
xoxo
Ya know, after I joined the church I made some stupid decisions that could have ruined my life. But going through a very difficult repentance process helped me REALLY understand the Savior’s sacrifice and feel His love for me personally. I know what I did was wrong, but I’m not sure I would have learned things the same way if I hadn’t had to go through that. Kinda like the fall of Adam – it was not an ideal way to fulfill the plan, but it worked just right! You wouldn’t be who you are without your choices. Lemonade from our lemons.
Our lineage is similar…grapes, carrots, and all.
Today, my husband (a convert of 38 years) and I had the honor of driving 5 women to the Orlando Temple to perform baptisms…all converts.
One of the women was baptized last Sunday and here she was, on the way to the temple.
The Bishop wanted them to ride with us so we could teach and prepare them for the experience ahead while providing support as we answered questions.
As we made the 3 hour drive to the temple, we had each woman share her conversion story. They were sincere, humble, and so sweet.
It was very clear that these amazing women taught us much more than we taught them. Their passion for the gospel makes me want to be a better person.
I didn’t even know it, but I celebrated a day early…at the end of our journey this evening, I had such a love in my heart for each of these women and the journeys that brought them to the gospel…I hugged every one of those dear converts and count myself blessed to call them my new friends.
I’ll hug them again tomorrow,
I don’t know if taking all those women women to the temple and teaching them counts as “service” – it sounds too wonderful.
I spent the day working in the yard and doing other stuff, and I finally took a shower and sat down to see if anyone bothered to look at the post today.
I am overwhelmed. This has been amazing. My heart is so full. I feel so privileged that so many of you would share your sacred conversion stories here with me.
This is probably one of my favorite things I have ever done on this blog. I look forward to more tomorrow. Many thanks, and please know of my personal appreciation for you on International Hug a Convert Day.
And PS. I went to BYU with their help, married in the temple with them at my side, birthed 3 of my 5 babies with Mom’s help, was at both their sides when they moved to heaven, spoke at their funerals and have stayed a member of their family. I sure hope Heavenly Father fixes it somehow so I can be theirs for eternity.
And Joann, the Gospel is true, but sometimes us mortal members aren’t so much. Keep on believing, and be patient with yourself. Hindsight is 20-20 but I believe Heavenly Father wants us to remember the past as a way to understand how important looking forward is. Think Eternally.
Great sharing! Like others who have expressed their opinions, I believe that all of us need to be converted at some time. My mother joined the church for the social aspects, roadshows, bazaars, primary etc. She lived a double life, the active LDS mother (who never entered the temple) and the extremely abusive mother that she really was. At 12 I was removed from her home and thus began an odyssey of foster homes that was a nightmare. At the same time I was removed from my home a wonderful, saintly, 48 year old man started to dream about another daughter coming to their home, his wife wasn’t happy about his dreams! After all, they were in their late 40’s, 3 children married and the last was 13 years old, the thought of a baby was terrifying. He told his dream at a High Council meeting one evening. Four months later his stake president, Tom Stone, called and said “Bud, I have a girl who matched the girl in your dream, she needs a home and I think you are waiting for her.” Two days later I came to them, a very damaged 14 year old with a chip the size of Montana on my shoulder. It was rocky to say the least. They were, in my eyes, the weirdest people I had ever met. They ate wheat mush, knealt on cold floors to pray twice a day, wouldn’t watch TV on Sunday, grew all their fruits and vegetables, sewed their own clothes, loved to visit others,…totally weird and I loved them. They taught me the gospel in action and word. I had been baptized at 8 to maintain our family facade, I really had no idea what it meant other than what I had heard in Primary. But one night at 17 I was at Girl’s Camp, (Mom was the nurse, Dad was a priesthood leader in camp), we sat at the fire circle one night, I was flanked on each side. Dad had his arm around me and Mom was holding my hand, the most overwhelming feeling of warmth and joy came over me, I knew that God had a purpose for me. I knew that though my journey to this point had been hard, everything was meant to happen just as it did. I had an overwhelming feeling of the truth of the Gospel, I was converted. Both of them have passed on, I miss them so.
My legacy to prove that I am a true, blue, dyed to the bone Latter Day Saint is that in addition to a very old set of resin grapes in a box in the garage, I also have a set of dip and drape Wise Men and a choir of Christmas angels made from the Reader’s Digest. Beat that MMM!
You win on the strength of the campfire story alone.
To me my conversion story is awesome. But it doesnt compare to some of these others. I met my husband-to-be at a bowling alley in LA when I was 21. He was an alright guy but talked too much for my liking and I thought no more abt it until a week or so later he called me and asked me to go to a barbeque that his boss was giving. I said yes, he stood me up & my Dad told me to have nothing more to do with a guy like that. 4 days later he showed up at my bowling league and gave me a REDICULOUS excuse for not picking me up. I knew he was lying but accepted another date because I felt sorry for him. Truly, when I look back I KNOW that the whole thing was a script written and directed by a Father in Heaven who loved us both & we simply played along. We dated 5 times in a week & then he told me that he was an inactive Mormon. I was from Ohio & thought that the only Mormons left sang in a choir.
To make a long story short, we married 2months later by a mormon Bishop in my Aunt & Uncle’s home. A few months later we were expecting our first child & lived in an upstairs apt.We were eating dinner and I told him that since we were beginning a family we should have a Church. How abt if we started trying different churches each Sunday? He said OK, can we try mine too? The doorbell rings as we’re getting up from the table, it’s the Stake Missionaries & they ask to use our phone because they have a flat tire and no one else was home. For my first lesson we sat at that table & Elder Stout drew a sketch of the Plan of Salvation. All I can remember is thinking, “Why that’s what I believe.” I was 7 months pregnant with our daughter who turned 51 on May 30th.
I too, have often asked the question, How come me? Why did I draw the golden ticket? Most days Gratitude overwhelms me.
That should have been edited first but at least know that I was 7 months pregnant with our daughter when I was Baptised.
Doesn’t compare? Are you nuts? What a miraculous, wonderful story! Thank you for sharing it with us.
No need to compare! We’re ALL miracles in my book!
This may be my first comment (not entirely sure) although I’ve been reading for about a year. And I gratefully accept your virtual hugs and share more around for the other converts reading and posting 🙂
I am coming up on the third anniversary of my baptism. My older daughter and I joined the church on my birthday in 2009. My younger daughter just finished the lessons and is being interviewed by our bishop tomorrow (she somehow decided she needed to be 15 like her sister).
I lost my job in October 2008. I spent roughly 6 months adrift, depressed, lonely, angry. Suddenly, one day I realized I needed something more than resumes and the Internet to take up my attention, and I got it into my head somehow that I should learn about some world religions. I had absolutely no plan at that time to actually join a church, I just wanted to try and understand why they felt the way they did, etc. THAT VERY DAY, the most adorable pair of 19-year old boys showed up on my doorstep.
Now, I already knew a little bit about the Church as a result of being a fan of Orson Scott Card’s fiction and from joining his web forums. I had friends who had served missions in various distant lands. So I knew who they were when they appeared, and I knew that at a minimum, I wanted to offer them dinner. But they came on a day when I was feeling sick and the apartment was a mes, so I arranged for then to return the next week.
I spent the next month reading as instructed, wanting to throw Laban and Lemuel off the starboard bow for their stupidity, wanting to throw Lehi after them for not disciplining his idiot sons, fending off slings and arrows from my siblings and parents who thought I was an idiot for feeding strange boys instead of spending evenings at my parents’ house watching Blackhawks playoff hockey games, and still clinging to my belief that I had no intention of actually joining a church and that this was a purely academic exercise to keep my mind occupied. HAH! God clearly had other plans for me.
On Fathers Day 2009, the missionaries asked to talk with me briefly after church in addition to our normal weekly discussions and dinners. During that meeting, I knew that I was being a fool for pushing God away as I had been, and that I needed to be baptized. My daughter was not yet ready. The following Saturday was too soon, the second Saturday was the Fourth of July, the third Saturday was my birthday and my town’s summer festival. So I was going to push things off until the fourth Saturday, which would have been July 18. But then I clearly felt the Spirit tell me that I needed to do this on my birthday. And almost as soon as I acknowledged that prompting, I realized that the symbolism of doing so was absolutely perfect.
Members of our ward got together to watch fireworks at a park in my town, and while we were waiting for it to get dark enough, my older daughter asked me to get the attention of the missionaries and the Bishop. She told them that she would also like to be baptized. I asked her, mostly joking, if she wanted to wait for her birthday, which is 3 weeks after mine and also a Saturday that year. She said no, she wanted to enter the waters with me.
I have no idea where we would be without those young men helping us to find our path. I do know that my elder daughter would not be at BYU-Idaho right now. I’m fairly sure she’d be home working full-time, because there’s no way I could have afforded to send her to school otherwise. I would probably still be out of work – it was through Church contacts that I was able to network and find my current employer. Which means that we would probably be homeless and maybe living with my parents.
Gotta love those missionaries! Congrats on your 3 year anniversary coming up n a few weeks. And thanks for FINALLY leaving a comment!
By the way, my younger daughter was baptized about 2 weeks after this post. I never did come in and report that, but this year’s round of hugs prompted me to come back and look for my story. 🙂
I’m a convert of three years. I honestly had never met anyone who was LDS my whole life. That is, until the Sunday I walked into Church. I’ve always believed in God and always knew that Christ was my Savior. I grew up in a Lutheran family.. and I was a VERY active Lutheran. Heck, I even helped teach confirmation classes! But there were some core doctrinal things that just rubbed me the wrong way. That’s when I decided to find a different church. I wasn’t looking for the true church.. Just one that I could stand going to. After checking out a few in the area, I knew there was one in town that I hadn’t even considered. Curiosity got the better of me and I walked in one Sunday.
My family wasn’t exactly supportive, but I was old enough and they let me do what I want. I was baptized about 2 weeks later. Since joining the church, I think they can really see a positive change in me. I know I can! Being fellowshipped by a great ward really helped me. I was investigating the church and being a new member all by myself. But, there was a family that continually had me over to their house and I sat with them every Sunday for probably almost two years. Without them, I don’t know where I’d be.
It can be rough when you sometimes have to leave a lifestyle and even some friends behind. But, it IS worth it! I am so happy that I was baptized and have never regretted that decision! I’m going to school at BYU-Idaho now and am going to be serving a mission pretty soon. There are times when I really wished I could have been born into a family where they were all members of the church, but at the same time I’m very excited to be the “pioneer” in my family! 🙂
As I said in the post – I am in awe. How cool to be the pioneer.
I converted three years ago at the age of 49. As I said in a sacrament meeting talk a few weeks ago, as a middle-aged, divorced, childless woman (and liberal to boot!) the church can be a challenging and often lonely place. There are times I sit in sacrament meetings and think “I am a stranger in a strange land”. Times I listen to General Conference talks and think that there is no place for me in this church. But I know that there is always a place for me in the gospel, and my testimony continues to grow stronger. I received my endowments one year and one day after baptism and know, with all my heart, that I am on the right path, even though it can be difficult at times.
Like you, there are times I wonder why I was born into the family I was, why I made some of the choices I’ve made which made it more difficult to be accepted in the LDS culture. But I have to accept that it was all necessary for me to have come to the gospel. Endure to the end, right?!?
I humbly accept your digital hug with gratitude, and deliver hugs back for your many posts that help me to understand and appreciate what I missed out on all those years. You also help to make me feel a part of the “family”. Thank you.
What a great comment. Yep, it can get rough sometimes, especially in a church that focuses so much on family – but keep plugging. So glad to know you know that you are on the right path.
I’m flattered that my blog helps you feel like part of the family. My sister calls me her “obnoxious little brother”. You can too!
I was one of those kids who started trying to find God when I was small. I remember my first airplane trip at 4 – staring out into the clouds trying to see His face. I don’t know why I was blessed with such an absolute need to be baptized into the ‘right’ church, but I was driven – trying to read and understand a Bible I found on the shelf; talking my parents into letting me walk by myself across town after school when I was 9 so I could go to one church’s activities every week.
My parents and I went to LDS Cottage Meetings when I was a little girl, but they were held at some really fanatical members’ home (they wouldn’t put ice in their kool-aid because it wasn’t moderate!) and we were taught bizarre ‘doctrine.’ When my parents were told that their beloved ancestors wouldn’t go to heaven because they weren’t baptized, that did it. We were done with those weirdos.
When I turned 16 & was about to graduate from high school, I wanted an anchor for my life ahead away from home. I knew that ALL churches couldn’t be right, so I prayed to be led to the church that was closest to what God had intended. When the Holy Ghost said, “Go to the Mormon church” I actually laughed and replied that I already knew they were nuts. But after about three days of the same prompting, I started to ask the LDS kids at school question after question. They were so patient – and smart enough to give little bits at a time!
What finally sealed the deal for me was when I was invited to an activity to a nursing home to sing Christmas carols. First of all, I couldn’t believe that a bunch of teenagers would willingly and happily do that. Then I walked into the Church building for the first time and I was just… home. There’s no other way to describe the feeling.
That was 40 years ago, and nearly every day I marvel that I found THE church with an actual “Moses” alive today. That I’m among those “one in a million.” And I wonder why I was so blessed from such an early age to be led to the way home. I’m so grateful.
Glad you found the truth despite the weirdos. (I know some too) I’m impressed that a young lady could have such great communication with the Holy Ghost at such an early age. Make me think of Joseph Smith.
You inspire me, ma’am.
You made me cry. The screen is all blurry now ’cause of happy tears. Nobody has ever quite thanked me for being a convert in that way. It was easy for me though. I heard the truth, I knew it and I was thinking, “Let’s get going here, the waters of baptism are getting cold!” MY DH took five months longer than me and that was 30 years ago. We still attend the ward in which were baptized. I’ve had a few trials of faith although they didn’t last too long. Now we are preparing to go on a mission. My heart is full and excuse me, now I have to go blubber again.
Thanks MMM, you are smart man and I’m proud to “know” you, even if it’s only through a blog.
I am proud to know you, too. Especially today, because you are one of my favorite converts!
I have often wondered the same as you, why was I so lucky to have the gospel as a part of my life, to have such a strong testimony, to not struggle with my faith, etc. I know I have been very blessed and I’m so grateful.
Though I was raised in the church, no one in our family comes from THE pioneers, instead, we have many of our own modern day pioneers.
My mom’s mom was recovering after a serious accident when the missionaries knocked on the door. Bored out of her mind, she was willing to listen to/read anything they were willing to share. My mom was a baby at the time, so she was raised in the church. She met my father and shared the gospel with him. I was BIC and raised in the church, then met my wonderful EC who was a recent convert. He had been raised Catholic but always had questions, such as, Why did God talk to prophets in ancient days, but not now? When the sister missionaries approached him on the street, he couldn’t say no, and he quickly began discussions. All of his questions were answered, it all made perfect sense to him, it was an easy process. We met 9 months later, were married in the temple, and last fall celebrated our 15th anniversary.
I am lucky, I get to hug a convert every day! 🙂
Thank you for such a great post!
Funny how the Lord put your grandma in what she probably thought was a terrible situation for His own purposes. The result of that accident ended up impacting generations.
Thank you for this, MMM. Because the gospel is always worth the cost, but sometimes it’s very hard.
Thank you. It is hard sometimes, but can you imagine how much harder it would be WITHOUT the gospel?
Not my story, but my grandfather’s…When he was a small boy had had a horrible ear infection that was untreated. It ate away the bone and some of his ear drum. As a result of this, my grandfather could not get water in his ears. There was nothing to stop the water from getting inside his head, and could have caused a life threatening infection. Years later the missionaries taught my grandparents and their children. My grandmother, and several of the kids were baptized. (My own mother included) However, my grandfather opted not to, because you had to be baptized by immersion. He was afraid that choice would literally end his life. Skipping forward many years later, I lost my son to stillbirth and was finally expecting again. My grandfather, who never went to church, but watched BYU TV every Sunday morning, called me from the ICU when I was struggling and scared that I would loose my baby. He told me that I had to have faith that the baby would be OK. I told him that I didn’t think I could. He told me that he would have faith enough for both of us. 4 days before my due date, my grandfather called me. He asked what I was doing in a couple days. I laughed and told him I planned on having a baby. He then asked me if my husband would be willing to drive 2 hours away to baptize him. I decided then and there that the baby would have to wait. I was going to my grandfather’s baptism. The process involved sealing my grandfathers ear with wax by his ENT, and then both his ENT and cardiologist traveled about two hours to be personally on hand as my husband baptized me 72 year old grandfather. I had my baby 7 days late, the same weekend my grandfather was ordained a Deacon. A year later my grandparents we sealed in the temple and my mom was sealed to them, effectively linking four generations of our family together for eternity. My husband and I and our daughter had been sealed first, then I was sealed to my parents, and finally my mom to her parents. My grandfather died six years ago. I wish I could hug him. I am so thankful for the faith of my grandfather.
Traccie, that made me cry. What a wonderful, beautiful story. Thanks for sharing it.
I cried too! What a wonderful blessing that your grandfather figured out a way to be able to be baptized!!
Traccie, thank you for sharing your story. I was hit by a truck while out on my bike two weeks ago. Here I sit in a wheelchair. My active life suddenly coming to a halt! I am facing a lot of stuff this year due to my injuries. I was feeling kind of sorry for myself, until I read your grandfather’s story on faith. Thank you!!! Here is my on-line hug to you, your family and all the converts out there! You are amazing!!
My mom’s dad was a minister who preached one way on Sunday and lived differently, so she thought religion was all baloney. My dad’s mom was Jewish and dad was protestant, so they didn’t worship at all. Then I showed up wanting to read scriptures and attend church…and they would pretty much let me go to whatever church would send a van or bus. (I loved Vacation Bible School in the summers!!) Luckily, we moved next door to a big family who went to church ALL! THE! TIME!! At least twice on Sunday, and a few times during the week. And I was welcome to tag along any time I wanted. I also spent a lot of time at their house and knew what they had was different. And better. A lot better. One day their mom asked my mom if she’d like to learn more about their church and what I had been learning when I attended with them. My mom agreed to take the missionary discussions with me in their home, and it was awesome!! Until my dad refused to give permission for it. The ward fasted for us (another crazy story!) and afterwards my dad miraculously changed his mind. I went on to attend BYU and marry my pioneer-stock EC and we are raising kids blessed with the buffet you mentioned. Twenty years after my mom & I were baptized, my dad joined the church. Two of his siblings have also joined, and one served a mission with her husband. The gospel is true and it changes hearts and blesses families forever. (I might just demand hugs all day long tomorrow. haha) Joey
20 years? So cool. Great example for all those who are hoping that there is a reason to be patient and keep having faith.
I was born and raised in the church. I was baptized at 8 and married in the temple. I do believe in the church and wouldn’t want to live my life any other way. But sometimes when I feel like I’m not as strong in the gospel as I should be, I look to my friends / ward members that are converts. I think they are great and know that if this wasn’t the true church, they wouldn’t have converted. Sometimes I wonder what I would be like if I hadn’t grown up in the church. Whether my testimony might be stronger. So the converts I know help me strengthen my testimony from hearing theirs.
I was born in the church too and I wonder sometimes too what I’d be like if I hadn’t been born in the church, if I’d accept it, etc, etc. But the Lord puts us where we are for a reason, I just don´t know what! My parents are converts, and I was able to serve a mission where I could meet more converts on a more personal level. We don’t know everything when we’re baptized (either as 8-year-olds, adults, or somewhere in between), but if we keep on keepin’ on, our testimonies will be strengthened and we’ll enjoy the spirit. Sometimes it might be harder for us who grew up in it to recognize-we just don’t know any different!
While I was BIC (born in the covenant), I consider myself a convert… but of course not in the traditional sense. My parents divorced when I was about 3 (my mom left 6 kids for my dad to raise). While my dad has always been a rock in the Church, I definitely strayed… along with all 5 of my siblings. I did some dumb things. But I mostly attribute all these dumb things with a lack of testimony that 1. God is my Heavenly Father and I am His child, and 2. He loves me unconditionally. I finally started seeking for the truth when I was 20 and finally in college. I figured I needed to know for myself since now was the time to make some big decisions. So I started doing the things that you’re supposed to do, that all investigators are asked to do. I read the Book of Mormon, and prayed. I started getting rid of the things in my life that I knew were less than savory. I distinctly remember getting my answer and the overwhelming peace and love that filled my heart. I cried… a lot. And almost immediately started working on mission papers. Just under a year later (due to some health concerns) I was called and left on a mission and was able to share the same peace and love I felt. I will never be the same again. My parents, after 16 years, remarried each other. I am approaching my 1st anniversary to the most wonderful, valiant man. We are expecting our first child this month, who will be BIC. The two things that I wish most to instill into her are the two things it took me 20 years to find out. And if I can help all my children understand those two things, I will consider myself a successful mother. I am forever grateful for the wonderful blessing of the Gospel and the Church, and for those who were so patient with me as I was learning and repenting.
-Kayla
So true that when we are really feeling God’s love and our testimonies strengthen, we want to get out there and share it. Thanks!
I grew up in an abusive home; was removed from my home, placed in foster care and separated from my birth siblings at the age of 9; shuffled through more than 10 schools and 20 families, and there I remained until I turned 18 and was on my own. I consider it the greatest and most challenging blessing of my life. During the time of family hopping I was blessed to live with an LDS family and was baptized at the age of 13. It wasn’t easy to remain active while moving from family to family – but the Lord made it possible. I served a full-time mission, married in the temple to a Pioneer stock worthy priesthood holder, and am currently having our second child. I can’t believe the privilege it is to raise our children in the gospel! I didn’t come by the usual path and I just don’t understand how the Lord is choosing what children to send us – but finding the gospel – regardless the age or circumstance – is the greatest honor and privilege in the WORLD! I don’t know why I was chosen – but I’m everyday grateful that I was!
Thank you Heidi. Yet another instance where the comments are better than the post.
One of our daughters & her husband, who happen to live the closest to us,are foster parents. I haven’t kept count of how many of these children they’ve had over the last 6 or 7 years but I can tell you that a goodly number of them have loved the Church, scripture reading & family prayers. Right now they have two brothers & they both love the Church.The oldest wanted to be baptised but since he wasn’t their child “Mom & Dad” told him he would have to wait until he was older.Then a series of miracles happened and they are in the process of adopting the boys. So we were fortunate to attend a very special baptism a couple months ago.
I hug a convert every day. 🙂 My husband joined the Church back in January 1997, after we’d been married a few months. We were sealed on our 4th wedding anniversary. He’s pretty amazing, if I say so myself. 😉
I often wished I was born into an already LDS family, but I’ve got to admit – my own journey has been pretty fantastic thus far!
Thanks for the hug 🙂