Hello there!

[RickBulow1974]

I am a returning investigator (if there is such a thing) to the Church. I had studied with the Missionaries in 2002 and 2003 and was about to be baptized. However, there was a setback at the baptismal interview so it was put on hold. Then life took over and I had stopped going to church. At the time I had a pretty solid testimony that the Book of Mormon is true and that there is need for a prophet today, but over time it had faded to the background of my life.

In 2014 I had located the LDS.org website and had started rereading the Scriptures when I can, but life about the house was not conducive for other spiritual things. I had a family move into my house in 2013, and for the first couple of years or so things were semi-decent. Then things took a turn for the worst and got to the point that it was infested with evil thoughts, language, and even attitudes. I tried to rise above it, but kept getting dragged down into the mire and muck.

In 2016 I had watched a couple of sessions of General Conference, and then in 2017 I had watched all of the April General Conference as well as the Music and the Spoken Word Easter Concert by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Then I fell back into life because of the emotional and physical abuse from the family.

In September 2017, Hurricane Irma threatened Florida, and my mom and stepdad had told me I was hunkering down with them. A week later, they invited me to move in with them, and I accepted. Mom and stepdad are spiritual, and I felt the Holy Spirit tell me that it is time to get back into the Bible. I watched the October General Conference from beginning to end, and downloaded the Gospel Library app to my cell phone. I started reading the Book of Mormon on the app, and on Sundays watched the Music and the Spoken Word presentation. During that time, I felt the testimony which had been buried in the background of my life start to free itself from the weeds of life. When the April, 2018 session of General Conference came around, and I had seen President Nelson be sustained and then heard the talks about him and also his own words, I felt that another step needed to be taken. In July I had visited the mormon.org website and spoke to the missionaries who then referred me to a couple of missionaries in the Fort Myers area.

On July 17, the Elder Missionaries visited me at home, and I had picked right up with the lessons and since then I had lessons with the Elders at my home (when situations warrant) as well as on Skype, Google Hangouts, and once on the Free Conference Call app. On August 5, the Elders had arranged for someone to pick me up and take me to church. It was the Fast and Testimony meeting, and I felt the Spirit in the testimonies which were shared.

Since then, I had attended more services, and even bore my own testimony at the Fast and Testimony meeting yesterday. The Elders had initially wanted me to be baptized on September 15, but I felt it was not a good day. After praying to God, it was impressed on my heart to be baptized on October 14, a week after  General Conference.

 

Edited September 3, 2018 by RickBulow1974

[Jane_Doe]

AWESOME!!!!!!   Welcome, welcome!  And thank you for sharing your journey.

[Sunday21]

Very pleased that you are here! Welcome! Look forward to your posts. 

[zil]

Welcome, @RickBulow1974!

[RickBulow1974]

UPDATE: I just got baptized on October 14, an hour before Sacrament meeting. Was confirmed during Sacrament. And am going to ask the new Bishop (as there had been a leadership change where the prior Bishop was elevated to Stake President during the Stake Conference presided by Elder Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve September 23) to schedule an interview for the Priesthood. Also, in looking about to see where and how I might fit in (if God wills) I had put interest into working in the Materials Center.

 

My Baptismal Program

[zil]

Congrats, @RickBulow1974!  Glad you've joined us, and neat to see you pursuing priesthood blessings and a calling.