In reply to both questions. I think it started earlier. I did the whole well if it's not J Smith it's the other side of the coin Peter's successor. I started speaking to priests when i was 17 and almost was received into the church but stopped after pressure from my father. However i resisted going on my mission until finsihing university and spent the next three years hanging out in the Catholic chaplaincy when free.
I served a mission after years of talks with my bishops, stake presidents and other members as well as family. I know I shouldn't have gone, anyway in Montreal I struggled with gaining a testimony. I also was exposed to a lot of Catholic bashing from other missionaries in terms of the nature of the area we were serving. A lot of people were quite disrespectful of religious sites of the church now I'm not blaming them at all I mean it was mainly horseplay but it made me think. It made me curious but I worked hard and put it to the back of my mind.
I returned home troubled. I'd had depression and was tired. I served in the church event taught seminary for one year. I was still struggling. Life was put on hold. I still wanted what everybody else wanted, a family but something was missing.
I went to university to do a masters in my hometown of Manchester. I was feeling despondent and lost. I had no peace. Anyway I went to the chaplaincy of the Catholic church and asked ot speak to somebody. I spoke to a nun and it straetd from there. I began atteding mass whilst even helping missionaries (incredibly confusing but i was working on the principal you learn by doing).
I read the catechism and started praying the rosary. I even read books on the trinity and felt that I understood it as best as a human could. I also began to feel the presence in the eucharist, although I couldn't take it. I began to make friends with a girl who was catholic and I really lliked her but at the same time I stopped learning because I didn't want to join a church because of someone else. Anyway the next school year I was doing a PGCE (teacher training) and I moved out into a student house. During that time I had an epiphany I felt very low and confused almost wanting to end everything and I walked endlessly all day in Manchester in the rain, feeling quite stupid and hopeless anyway I foud myself going past the chaplaincy again and I immediatley walked inside. I talked with priest for about 2 hours and just laid everything out. It helped me.
I started going back to Catechism classes and I began to feel very strongly a need to join it. I understood the nature of saints for me it made sense. Especially Marianne devotion which was something which helped me. Anyway I was received on May 27th 2007 day of Pentecost. I was married in March 2008 and now we're expecting our first child.