Today is a very special Sunday post, with a story I’ve been waiting to share with all of you for a few weeks now. When I started writing Sunday posts, my intention was to share a little bit more about what makes me who I am. Each week I look forward to sharing a new facet of my belief system, and (most of the time) I enjoy responding to your comments and hearing your thoughts on what I share. Several weeks ago, I received an email from a blogger named Kate (she has a lovely little blog about her life in NYC, please head over and say hello!), asking me several questions about the Church. I answered, and a wonderful little e-friendship was born.

After I read this post on her blog, I decided to be really brave and send her an email inviting her to visit the nearest LDS Church. I have never done anything remotely like this before (aside from the two Book’s of Mormon I gave away in middle school), and my email was this awful rambling mess. Somehow she was able to see past my rambling and  decided to accept my offer, so I set her up with the missionaries in her area. And yes, I did this all with me living in Dallas, and her living in NYC.

The rest of the story isn’t mine, it’s Kate’s, and she has agreed to share it with all of you. I hope you will take the time to read it, as it is beautiful, heartfelt, and sincere. I know that many of you are curious about what could make a person convert to the Church, and Kate has very generously offered to answer questions you might have. Thank you Kate, for writing this, and being willing to share your personal conversion story. I hope the two of us are able to meet in person someday soon.

Kate:

When I tell my friends that I’ve decided to join the Church they pretty much all do the same kind of double-take. Yes, I moved to Harlem and became a Mormon. When you say it that way, it doesn’t make much sense. How in the world does someone move from Virginia, to New York City and end up joining a more conservative church? Even I have a good laugh about that.

When I was younger, my mother asked me why I thought we went to church. I told her I had no idea. She told me that she knew that she and my father couldn’t be everything to me so we went to church so my brother and I would know there was somewhere else we could turn when we needed something. I told her that church was the last place I would ever go. I didn’t trust those people who preached one thing in church and acted completely different outside it. My mom said, “I didn’t mean the church, I mean God.”

What my mother did for me in that moment was teach me a very important lesson. She taught me that while our church wasn’t necessarily right that didn’t mean that God wasn’t real.

Through high school and college I had a hard time believing. Most of my friends had been raised in churches that they completely rejected. But every now and then I would make friends who had incredibly strong faith. I wanted to know what that must be like.  Sometimes I looked for churches near my college to go to, but I didn’t want to go without my family.

I started going to our college youth group with a friend. From there I also went to church with her a few times at a non-denominational church. I really enjoyed my experiences there, but I always felt like something was missing. Still, for the first time in my life I really knew that God was there for me.

In August I moved to New York. I missed going to church and really wished I had one to go to. But I never really did much about it. Instead I prayed on my own. I tried to read my bible but seriously lacked the discipline.

Meanwhile, my sorority sisters from college were getting engaged at an alarming rate. At one point I had 17 friends who were engaged. I checked again last night and counted 14. I was (and still am) surrounded by wedding fever. I discovered Wedding Bee and was obsessed. One bride stood out to me. She was the only LDS bride on the site. I was fascinated by the idea of a temple marriage, and wanted to know more. I found her personal blog and became an avid follower. Obviously I’m talking about Jenna!

When I got the e-mail from her offering to help me get to an LDS church I was really hesitant at first. I knew it would be hard for my friends to understand. But part of me also knew from everything I had been learning about the church that this could be a place for me. I agreed to go and handed over my personal information, hoping that she really was the sweet girl she appeared to be in her pictures. But then I didn’t really think about it too much. I went on with my life as I always did.

Then one night I got a phone call. It was Elder Leatham, a missionary from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. We agreed to meet one evening and talk, and then I could come to church on Sunday. The missionaries came and brought me a Book of Mormon. They encouraged me to read it and to pray about it. What they said to me over and over was that I needed to find out for myself if everything they told me was true. They said not to just accept their word, but to really find out for myself.

I wish I could explain the way I felt at the end of that first meeting. I just felt so hopeful, so inspired. Going to church with them was the same way. I felt like I was coming home. As my lessons continued and I learned more about what a future in this Church could hold for me the more hopeful I got. I kept praying to know the truth, to know if this was what God wanted for me. Every time the answer was yes.

Over time the missionaries started talking to me about getting baptized. I knew this was something important to do, but I also knew there would be no turning back. Of course I prayed about it, but I also started talking to my friends and family about it. I knew they would all love me no matter what, but I wanted to explain why this was something I needed to do.

It wasn’t easy. One of my best friends straight up told me not to do it. Others were really confused, but shrugged it off. But I was consistently surprised by the friends who were just supportive. Maybe they didn’t understand, but they never shared that with me. They could see it was important to me and were willing to accept it. My parents still don’t understand. They were never against it, but they couldn’t see why I wanted to leave their church. However, they do understand that it’s important to me and that my decision has made me very happy.

So I set a date to be baptized (ed. note: Feb 22, 2009). There were some important steps I had to take first. One was particularly challenging, and I still struggle with it. Can you guess what it might be? It was giving up coffee. Of course I also had to give up tea and alcohol (and smoking and illegal drugs but those weren’t really my thing anyway). Sometimes I still want to have a sip of wine with my cheese, and I always wonder how much of a problem that would really be. And my coffee, wow. I still drag myself through the mornings without that morning jolt. It’s very hard! But I know even if we don’t understand the reasons, there is a purpose for the rules we were given.

As the time drew closer I began to get more and more excited. When the big day finally came I could barely sleep. Looking back, I don’t really remember the events of that day because I was so focused on what would happen at the end. It was a very moving and wonderful experience that I wouldn’t trade for anything.  I wish I could have shared that day with my friends and family, but most of my friends live out of state so it wasn’t possible for them to be here. I was still surrounded by wonderful, caring people who have also become great friends.

Many of my friends have asked me what will change now that I am considered a “member” of the Church. For the most part, nothing will. The big changes in my life have already happened. And of course, now I am eligible to go to the Temple to do those ordinances Jenna has already shared with us (provided I keep up my end of the deal –keeping the commandments, etc.). This means that when I get married, I can be married in the Temple for time and all eternity. Nothing would make me happier.

I know that this path I’ve chosen will not always be easy, but I also know that it’s where I belong. I don’t just believe that the Church is right for me, I know it is. I know that I made the right decision and that our Heavenly Father will help me to stick with it when things get tough. I also know where to turn when I’m confused about things, or just need answers. Joining the Church was the best thing I’ve ever done.

Please let me know if you have questions or are curious to know more about my conversion story. And if you have any tips for kicking coffee. I would love those too!

Also: