Catholic To Mormon Conversion

[Blossom76]

Hi everyone!  I am hoping there are some people on here who have converted to Mormonism from Catholicism.

I would love to hear your testimony of the LDS Church and the steps that lead up to your conversion.

Looking forward to hearing your stories, please share them with me  

[Sunday21]

@anatess2? ....Former atheist calling for anatess....

[dahlia]

I was Catholic and converted. You might be interested in, Catholic Roots Mormon Harvest, by Eric Shuster. Check it out on amazon.

My conversion history is here on lds.net. To keep it brief, I'd say some of the most attractive aspects of Mormonism for me is that there is no need for a priestly class to intervene for the regular lay person, priesthood holders (usually dads) can baptize their own children (there's so much power in that), and there's no Original Sin. You are responsible for your own transgressions. 

On the downside, I miss an ornate church and the need to make the sign of the cross can be overwhelming at times. 

[anatess2]

2 hours ago, Sunday21 said:

@anatess2? ....Former atheist calling for anatess....

I'm right here...

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the true church.  Joseph Smith is a prophet of God ordained an apostle by Peter and this authority has been passed down through the generations to the current Apostles.  The Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ who is one God with the Heavenly Father.

How do I know this?  By diligent, honest, and humble searching of truth as the Holy Spirit testifies to me.

I love the Catholic Church as it helped me build my Christian foundation.  I became LDS, not because I think the Catholic Church is bad.  Rather, I simply believe the Catholic Church did the best it can with the knowledge it had after the death of the Apostles.  It preserved as much truth as it can until the restoration of lost revelations through the prophet Joseph Smith.  The LDS Church has all truth as far as it has been revealed to Man.

My husband and I got married with the agreement that we will resolve our religious differences before our first child is born.  We didn't require conversion, but we did expect the child will be taught under one religion and therefore, we will live that religion at home.  I went into the marriage secure in the knowledge that my husband will become Catholic.  Unfortunately, we couldn't get pregnant and I was starting to worry that we won't have children.

I was active in the Catholic Church and he attended all activities with me in addition to his callings at the LDS Church.  One day, I asked him, are you ready to be baptized Catholic?  My husband looked me in the eye with this very serious look on his face that is rare in our marriage and he told me that he respects the Catholic church but he believes that the LDS Church is true.  This bothered me so I asked him, "do you believe I'm going to hell"?  He answered, "No, the way it's going, I'm going to hell before you do."  This answer surprised me so I started asking questions.

Things I knew were true before I learned about the LDS Church but not taught in the Catholic Church - I knew that Families and Marriages can be Eternal.  My family are all very devout Catholics who are very active in the Catholic Church.  My grandfather died in World War II when my grandmother was only 24 years old.  My grandmother never remarried because she did not want to die and have to explain to her husband why she has another husband.  My family comforts themselves upon the death of a family member with the knowledge that those family members who has passed on is there to meet them and guide them home.  Yet, the Catholic Church do not teach that families and marriages continue past death.  This was the first restored revelation missing from the Catholic Church that I studied which led to years of study, contemplation, and prayer.  My conversion story is a very long, painful, and complex story.  Looking back, I can see the pattern of my entire Catholic life that has led me to my husband and to the LDS Church.

Even as I started to gain strong testimonies of teachings not found in the Catholic Church, I couldn't get myself to embrace the LDS Church.  I was scared of it.  Scared of being ostracized by my close knit family, scared of losing all my friends, scared of going to hell.  Then one day, this missionary who I had a great relationship with when he just started his mission came back to our ward almost 2 years later at the end of his mission.  We passed by each other in the hallway and I told him I want to be baptized.  Right then and there.  He was shocked, everybody was shocked, my husband was shocked, I was shocked.  The missionary said I have to wait to get things in order and I told him no, I want to be baptized right now.  Anyway, it took 6 days before I can get baptized and it seemed like it was 6 years.

Interestingly, I got pregnant a few months later without any medical intervention.  I got sealed to my husband at the Temple 3 weeks before I delivered my first child.

[Blossom76]

Thank you for sharing! I'll definitely get that book @dahlia and what a beautiful story @anatess2

[Guest]

I am not a convert from Catholicism to LDS, but I have to hand it to the Catholic Church - it seems to have done a very good job in preparing a lot of people I know to become LDS, perhaps moreso than any other religion.  I have a lot of respect for Catholicism, and I think the Catholic church is moving in a very good direction and has been for some time.

Edited November 2, 2017 by DoctorLemon

[anatess2]

4 minutes ago, DoctorLemon said:

I am not a convert from Catholicism to LDS, but I have to hand it to the Catholic Church - it seems to have done a very good job in preparing a lot of people I know to become LDS, perhaps moreso than any other religion.  I have a lot of respect for Catholicism, and I think the Catholic church is moving in a very good direction and has been for some time.

Errrrmmm... can I just say I want Pope Benedict back in his rightful chair?

[seashmore]

My dad converted as an adult after being raised Catholic, and he often tells me that the LDS church answered questions he had as a boy about prophets being on the earth. We believe God speaks to men today, same as was done in the times of Moses and Noah.