17 different women, 36 crazy children, 0 babies in utero
Adventures, Advice and Questions from a group of Mormon women who met in Queens, NY and have now scattered all over the place.
 

Wednesday, December 20, 2006

Four score and 16 years ago...

I have been a member of the church now as long as I haven't. Weird. I can remember my baptism day like it was yesterday. And I hold on to it as though it was yesterday! I have had a roller coaster time as a member, but through it all I have never once stopped believing.

I know without a doubt that all of the blessings in my life, and they are countless, all stem from my choices that I made many years ago to follow Christs teachings. I was 15 and could have gone a million different ways, but I chose to be friends with the group of girls that were different from the rest. I chose to go to church and seminary and all the stake dances I could! I chose to forge ahead even after graduation when we all separated and I was a working girl, in an industry that could have torn me apart. I chose to go to the singles ward even though there was NO ONE there I wanted to date. I chose to get up, get dressed and be there the fateful Sunday that my man walked into Sunday school. At which time I took one look at him and said, I will marry him! I chose to be married in the temple for time and all eternity, when after 2 years of dating it could have gone a wry. I chose to stay in there after we had ROUGH patches about 3 years into our marriage and all hope seemed to be lost! I chose to start a family with my DH which has so far been the best decision of my entire life! The greatest blessing of all. These blessings and the many more that will come would have never been given to me if I wasn't living the way I should. I know that, and I believe that! I chose to do these things because the Spirit whispered in my ear the way to go. I believe in the church with all my being. I believe that missionary work is the greatest work of all

Any converts out there? Please share with us your story.

P.S. To my missionaries, the foxy five, I am forever grateful to you for your courage to share the gospel with me. Without you, where would I be?
"I'll find you there my friend".

posted by Kelly @ 12/20/2006 07:10:00 AM   add to kirtsy


18 Comments:

  • I was a convert at 41 years of age. I was baptized in May of 2005. It's been the most amazing experience of my life and also the most difficult.

    I've spent half of my life "looking" for something I couldn't remember. (darn that veil) And now that I have found it, there is no turning back.

    My only regret was that I did not find the church sooner. My life would have been so very different. But, for whatever the reason, it was not meant to be.

    I love the teachings of Christ and the blessings I have received since taking upon myself his name. But it's also been so hard.

    My husband hates the church. It is a terrible strain in my marriage. I strive for every blessing that is available to me but some, because of my situation, will never be available to me in this life.

    I would do anything to kneel with my husband and pray. I would do anything to not feel so alone. I know that I will be sealed to someone else who is worthy (and that makes me sad). I wish I had the power of the priesthood in my home.

    So, I feel kind of stuck. I can't go back to who I used to be (which is what my husband would like). It isn't possible. I can't pretend the things I've learned and felt and the whisperings of the spirit never happened.

    So I live in limbo trying to mesh two worlds that don't mesh.

    But I never regret my decision to be baptized. I never knew God existed before my sweet missionaries shared the gospel with me. This knowledge has filled an emptiness that I've always felt. For the first time, I am whole.
    posted by Anonymous Anonymous at 12/20/2006 09:21:00 AM  



  • You were baptized 96 years ago? ;)

    I have been a member now for 19 years, baptized when I was 12, turning on 13. It was quite a tumultuous time in my life, as my parents had just divorced, and we got away from a very abusive father. Since then, many other bad things have happened, as that is life, but they have been outweighed by the positives, including going on a mission back to Romania (where I was born), and marrying a beautiful, wonderful woman. I think that if I never joined the church, I probably would not be alive today.
    posted by Anonymous Anonymous at 12/20/2006 10:01:00 AM  



  • congrats Z. We are grateful for the foxy 5 too, b/c otherwise we might not have metcha
    posted by Blogger Kage at 12/20/2006 10:15:00 AM  



  • Thanks for posting Z. I'm also glad that you met the foxy five and that you moved to NYC - I'd be sad without Z in my life!
    posted by Blogger chloe at 12/20/2006 10:57:00 AM  



  • I'm a convert, too, and I've posted my story at least two places, so I don't want to bore everyone to tears. Suffice it to say, Hear Hear! Glad beyond measure to be here.
    posted by Blogger tracy m at 12/20/2006 12:48:00 PM  



  • So I got the chills reading Z's experiences and testimony. She touched on all the reason I admire her most! It is true how many different directions our life can go by the choices we make and it is amazing how much good can come from one person willing to take the path less traveled. I told my husband that one of the things I am most grateful for is that I was born into the gospel because I'm not sure I would have the courage or strength I've seen in the many great converts I've seen come into the church. They each seem to posses qualities I'm continuely striving for in my own life. I know they are special children of our Heavenly Father that He knows once touched by the Spirit and reminded of who they are, can come out and reach people (both in and out of the church) in a way noone else can or will. I have a deep appreciation and admiration for those valient Spirits. Thanks for sharing. Love, One of the Foxy Five
    posted by Anonymous Anonymous at 12/20/2006 01:40:00 PM  



  • I am forever grateful to you for your choice to become baptized and your willingness to share. You re-introduced my husband to the gospel and he came back to church beacuse of your sharing! And now we are a family sealed in the temple with 3 beautiful children. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

    Merry Christmas!
    posted by Anonymous Anonymous at 12/20/2006 01:50:00 PM  



  • Hey... this is awesome! First of all Anon 1, thank you for your post, I can't imagine how difficult it must be to have such a strong belief and not have a husband who shares in those beliefs. All you can do is pray that his heart will one day soften and love him always!

    Thanks tales girls... I can't imagine if I had not met you and not having you in my life. One of the many choices I made, against my will was to move here and it led me to you, my saviors here!

    Wow Dan! Great testimony. Thanks for sharing...

    Foxy five anon, I love you~

    J, I had no idea you got on here, I am soooo happy you posted. That is one of my greatest missionary moments bringing your DH to church and having him meet you! You guys are the best! Love you!

    Keep posting stories, I love them!
    posted by Blogger Kelly at 12/20/2006 03:26:00 PM  



  • Z, Z, Z..... do you have any idea how warm my heart is reading what you just wrote?! Man, you amaze me. I don't really have anything else to say.

    But you know me, I can always find words! ha ha. I can't imagine my life without you in it! And I know it would likely not be how it is today without the gospel. That is the tie that binds us all. I am so proud of you and the decisions you have made and continue to make. Your strength, endurance, attitude, and ability to understand and love anyone are absolutely some of your best qualities... Ya'll need to come on down to Texas now so we can raise these kids of our's together and create the next generation of fab fives! Love you, Love you, Love you!
    posted by Blogger Jules at 12/20/2006 05:01:00 PM  



  • Wow, sixteen years Z! Thanks for sharing these thoughts and I am so glad that your choices led you along a path the crossed mine.

    Anon,

    Thanks for sharing your experience. Your struggles and strength are far beyond my scope of true understanding. Just know that you're not alone. I know there are a load of women from all over thinking about you and praying for you tonight.
    posted by Blogger This is Carrie at 12/20/2006 08:30:00 PM  



  • Thanks for your story Zinone. It's my four year anniversary in January. Sometimes I feel like I've been a member my whole life, other times it feels like the strangest thing... that I'm a member of a religion, and own scriptures with my name on them, pray before my meals, go to church every sunday. Now that I've moved all of my friends are LDS and even THAT feels weird sometimes. I never would've guessed that this would be my life. I really do believe. Like you said, my time as a member has had up and downs but I have never once stopped believing. Thank goodness.

    One of the weird things was moving away from the ward that I was baptized in (Astoria). There, everyone knew I was a new member and I felt like I got a lot of help. Then I move across the country and I get thrown in with everyone else and sometimes I want to say, "hey - I'm still learning here people... I have no idea what you're talking about" (usually in gospel doctrine or something). But I guess that is part of Heavenly Father's plan... just throwing us in and challenging us to learn & grow. Giving us callings that feel way over our heads. Keeping us out of our comfort zone.

    I'm grateful for all the of friends I've meet thru the church all over the country that have helped strengthened my testimony.
    posted by Blogger Beth at 12/20/2006 08:58:00 PM  



  • Just reading about your conversion is heartwarming and reiterates the reasons why I feel glad that my parents converted over 30 years ago.

    One neat little tidbit is that when my parents (both lutherans at the time) were newlyweds, and at a very young age, my mother began to "pray"(the first truly heartfelt prayer of her life)to be able to find a church that they would really feel "fit" them.

    They lived in an apartment complex on a higher floor, so whenever "knock-on-door" sales people came by she always knew in advance, becasue she could hear them on the other doors as they worked their way up.

    Well, one evening, as their last stop of the night, the elders decided to tract one more time, and they did not go to any other door, they marched straight to my parents door, knocked, and long-story-short, both my parents were baptised 3 weeks later. And they were Sealed a year later. And never looked back.

    My testimony of their decision has been solidified so much by growing up and seeing the huge difference tween OUR family and the REST of our non member extended family. I am SO proud that at 17 and 18 yrs old, they were brave enough to go against their parents threats and wishes and join that "crazy" church that has nothing but blessed all of our lives.
    posted by Anonymous Anonymous at 12/20/2006 09:49:00 PM  



  • BE-tween.
    posted by Anonymous Anonymous at 12/20/2006 09:51:00 PM  



  • Zinone,

    Thank you for having the courage to share such personal and meaningful details. The Lord has blessed you with a wonderful support group. I hear good things from your Young Women too. We each have struggles and the blessings that are available to us if we go on faith for a little while. Thanks for sharing.
    posted by Blogger Unknown at 12/21/2006 02:56:00 AM  



  • Beth,

    Try not to feel overwhelmed, I have grown up in the church and I still often don't know what they're talking about in Gospel Doctrine class and I usually feel overwhelmed by my callings :-)

    Zinone,

    I had never really heard your conversion story, so thanks for sharing it. I admire your strength, your honesty and your compassion. I'm always in awe of converts and the sacrifices they make for the gospel. I often feel like a spoiled child because it was just all handed to me.

    I love my grandma's (my father's mother) conversion story: She grew up a Methodist, married my grandpa out of high school. When my grandparents bought their first house, she didn't drive and wanted a church to attend. There was a Mormon church around the corner, so that is what she became.
    My grandfather converted when my dad and his sister were teenagers. They were sealed four years ago, soon after my dad's death. They both looked angelic in their temple clothing during the sealing....I will never forget it.
    posted by Blogger Jen at 12/21/2006 06:18:00 AM  



  • What a great post this is. I always appreciate hearing people's conversion stories. I am also comforted to learn most everyone has their ups and downs in the gospel.
    Z - I love how you see that your choice to get up and get ready to be at church that ONE morning you met your dh put you on the path you have been on. My dad always tells me to "always be where I am supposed to be". I love to think about all of the blessings I have received due to being in the "right place" - such a simple decision really can change your life!

    Beth - I rarely understand what is going on in gospel doctrine. I have been in primary for a while now and at first was SO scared (I have never been good with kids) but now I realize more and more that the gospel is simple. People can make it really deep and doctrinal, but really, it's simple. It's the best thing I have learned from my kids.
    posted by Blogger Melissa at 12/22/2006 11:21:00 PM  



  • Well, I was born and raised in the Church, but I am still a convert. I was baptized at 8, but did not truly have a testimony until I was 15.

    We were studying the New Testament in seminary. For the Atonement, my wonderful teacher did the best thing. He turned off the lights, put on a slide that was the picture of Christ kneeling in the Garden and played an instrumental version of I Stand All Amazed. That was it. After that, I was hooked.

    I attended many, many classes while in institute and I can honestly say that was the best time of my life. When I was constantly happy, everything was great. I don't take nearly as much time to study the scriptures now - what a difference.

    I have decided that I owe it to myself and my family to be that happy again. So, scriptures - here I come!
    posted by Anonymous Anonymous at 12/24/2006 05:45:00 PM  



  • Z - your passion for everything you do in life is contagious. Thanks for sharing your roller coaster ride of the gospel - I think we all ride one of our own in some form or another whether born into the Church or not. May your next 16 be full of memorable missionary moments as well.
    posted by Anonymous Anonymous at 12/28/2006 08:51:00 PM  



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