My long way into the Church

[friedmann]

Hello,

although I have blogged about my conversion process for so long, and although I've talked to so many people about it, it still seems difficult for me to write on this topic because no matter how I put it, my words just seem to be unable to reveal my true feelings for the Church and for what I've experienced. I'll start out with a brief version of my biography:

I am 18 years old and I live in a rural area of Germany. Although my parents both are quite convinced atheists, I attended a roman-catholic elementary school (simply because it was the only school in town so that I wouldn't need to commute) and for lack of alternatives, I attend catholic theology classes in school until today. I actually found my love for our Savior Jesus Christ at this early stage of my life, but the more I thought about it, the more questions hit me. I just thought the doctrine I knew was incomplete. Essentially, there were two events that lead my out of my roman-catholic mindset and made me look around for something else, something more true...Firstly, I remember asking myself why, if God was the Father of all of us, he would have "abadonned" us more than 1500 years ago, after almost three millenia of tight interaction with humanity. The answers I got never satisfied me. Secondly, I remember how, one day, my catholic theology teacher openly said that attending church was boring and no one would really do this each sunday, and that you wouldn't need to take the Sacrament regularly in order to be a good Christan. In fact, this is really the attitude of the vast majority of "mainstream-Christians" in Germany: "Faith is like going to a self-service restaurant - We pick whatever doctrine suits our current situation best and ignore everything else." It's not what I wanted to be for the rest of my life. If there was truth somewhere, it had to be lived...

Now this is a conclusion that I came to about five years ago. At this point of time, and for a couple more years, I knew nothing about the LDS Church. Nothing even of the bad and widespread prejudice even, plain and simple nothing. Then, there came my year as an exchange student in Utah, with a Methodist family, in one of the most densely LDS-dominated regions in the world. The family I stayed with actually seemed to share most values of my original family back in Germany: Not going to Sacrament Meeting (any more, my host father used to be a Methodist preacher) and a life far apart from any type of religion. But the outside influences of the Church just kept coming in, and in order to show respect, and I'll admit mostly for curiousity, I started researching. And reading the online version of The Book of Mormon. And then Doctrine and Covenants. And then the Price of Great Pearl. Yeah, it almost became like an inofficial start to reading the Scriptures every night - And back in the day, I read even more than I do now. I did then not learn that it was the truth, but I learned how to find out. I knew that our Heavenly Father would answer in his ways, if I asked him in a prayer. But I waited. The organization of my exchange year did not allow me to make so-called "life changing decisions" during my stay in the U.S., including religious conversion. The time this waiting gave me, I used to do more research and, after all, to learn from the members that surrounded me. I learned that, obviously, a strong Faith in the Gospel, made them people of such high moral standards, that spending time with them just seemed to be the greatest thing I could ever experience. Especially, I talked a lot to two of my friends I made in high school, who have both started serving Missions this year - Although I've never been officially taught about the Gospel in any of the six typical units of teaching for potential converts, talking to them really "clinched" my decision: Within the next few months, I wanted to be ready to ask our Heavenly Father if the Church was true, just the way Joseph Smith did it prior to his First Vision, and how so many other converts did it in the past.

I had returned to Germany and it was last fall, October 26, 2010. For the second time, I had just finished reading the Book of Alma, when I decided that my time had come. Courageously I started praying, but within a very short time, I fell asleep on the spot, not dreaming, not having a real vision, but with a tremendously strong feeling of peace - So strong, "strong" by itself seems inappropriate to describe it. When I woke up the next day, I knew it was true.

First, I told my parents, and I was ready for some kind of beating. Fortunately, this didn't happen and they even seemed to be accepting my conversion, with one condition to it: I would have to be baptized in the U.S., preferably when I attend college there (which I planned to do anyway). If you would like to know why, despite my mental conversion, I am not a baptized Member of the Church until today, this is why, but in not too long time, I will be. I know I need to be patient for at least another year, but I will never leave the path I have just started walking. I am also glad to have wonderful friends, both members and gentiles, who supported me during my decision-making and who have always accepted me and my values at all times. Without them, my conversion would have been impossible to complete in this often hostile environment.

I am grateful to be able to become a member in this forum, and I am looking forward to inspirational and constructive discussions on my (and mostly our) Faith. Although I have lived in an English-speaking environment for a while, my language skills are probably far from perfect since I'm not a native speaker. I hope this is okay for you. Also, I hope my decision to wait does not offend you, but it's the only reasonable choice my life situation offers me.

Sincerely :)

[LittleWyvern]

Awesome story! Thanks for sharing, and welcome to lds.net! :)

And btw, your English is very good.

Edited July 8, 2011 by LittleWyvern

[Truegrits]

Hello friedmann :) WELCOME!

Thanks for sharing this journey you are on, with us.

I look forward to hearing more. And, your English is just fine...

[HiJolly]

Welcome. Thanks for that wonderful introduction.

HiJolly

[noelledawn]

that is an awesome story and your english is better than mine. i had sort of the same experience with the holy ghost. mine was so powerful though that it changed my from athiest to believer in just under a minute. i was filled so much so with the spirit that i began to weep tears of joy. and i am not one to cry. and what lead me to the church my self was an experience i had when i was 8 years old. i saw a cloud that looked exactly like jesus christ. i know that u probably think why i didn't believe in him from that point on. i ask my self the same question, but then come to realize that i wasn't supposed to until after being baptised into the church. the place where i saw the cloud was where my old branch used to be. i used to live near the lds church and didnt know that until after i was baptised. and that was a full 13 years. i do have to say the only reason why i did believe was because of some family members. but growing up with only my frineds answers to the spiritual questions i had, at 12 i rejected God and Jesus Christ. i am so glad and happy for you. you are so strong and it has to be hard living with people who don't fully support you and your wishes. stay strong and that day that you will be baptised will be the single most sweetest day of the rest of your life. congratulations!!!

[friedmann]

Thanks for all the wonderful warm welcomes! :)

Noelledawn, thanks especially for this wonderful conversion story. When I was younger, I also happened to live less than a mile from the Bonn ward without realizing it. I can't believe how I didn't because it is just a beautiful building, like an oasis in the middle of the poorest and perhaps most "ugly" part of the city. I would have wished to be there frequently back then but it's just too far to drive from where I live now, especially since I don't have a car...

But I have never regrettet going the steps I went and I still think joining the true Church of our Savior might become the best decision in my life.

I will try to be active in the forum, but school (I'm going to graduate next spring) and work already take a lot out of me right now, so it might be not the huge quantity of posts. I will just try to write my few in the best way I'm capable of :)

[Still_Small_Voice]

Thank you for sharing your conversion story. Since you shared yours, I shall share some of mine.

My conversion to the Lord started when I was around eight years old. I would read a child's version of the Book of Mormon and feel the Holy Ghost tell me what I was reading was good and true. At my baptism the Spirit of the Lord again gave me a witness that the promises I made with Heavenly Father were pleasing to Him.

I attended a good ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and had many good examples of men and women who loved Heavenly Father. My parents also taught me the gospel of Jesus Christ. I cannot recall when the desire to serve a full time mission began in my life, but by the time I turned nineteen years old, I really had a desire to go.

Before I left to serve a mission, I read the entire Book of Mormon again and had a few very powerful spiritual witnesses that I was doing what was pleasing to the Lord.

It was serving a full time mission that I really began to start understanding the teachings of Jesus Christ. You really learn by doing. “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.” (John 7:17) After having the blessed opportunity of serving a mission, I came home to California.

When I was around twenty-four years in age, I went to a sacrament meeting I will never forget. During that sacrament meeting (which was a testimony meeting) I had a vision. The vision the Lord gave me has helped me thru the doubts Satan pushes at me.

The Lord is good to me. He loves to bless those who love and serve Him in righteousness.