Kristen saw Gina’s post and asked if she could share her own conversion story. Yes please! I hope other LDS converts will consider sharing their own story. Kristen has done exactly what I tell myself I’m always going to do, documenting a meaningful life experience as it happens, instead of doing it my way (the bad way) and attempting to write it all down many months later. Thanks again Kristen!

When I got a hold of Jenna and asked if I could share my story, I let her know that I started a blog for the very reason of telling my story, and to explain the real life experience of a convert to the LDS church {without holding back anything!}… As a convert to the church my number one fear was what people would think of me…but darn-it I am just as normal as anyone out there! And just because I am now LSD doesn’t make that change at all.

‘That Wife’ asked me to write brief summaries of each section of my blog (with links to the full post) to tell my story, and allow you if you choose, to read the full story, without censorship on my blog…here it is…the whole truth:

“Introductions”: I was the typical college girl…living in a sorority, frat parties twice a week, spring break in Mexico, and living life “to the fullest”…In a million years I would have never guessed that just 2 years later there would be no more parties, no drinking, and no “Greek life”… On April 19th, 2008 I was baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints…I am just a normal girl who made a decision that has and will change my life…forever…”

http://throughtheeyesofamormon.blogspot.com/2009/10/little-over-year-ago-i-was-baptized.html

“an unlikely candidate”:

This seems like an unlikely tale…especially when you rewind my life to when I first started college…a week after moving into my sorority the upperclassmen took the new freshmen out to the frats to show us off. I watched girls around me putting bottles of vodka and other alcohol up to their mouths and literally chugging them until they were sick. In fact if you would have tried to convince me that in the near future I would be talking with Mormon missionaries regularly and reading the bible AND the book of Mormon…guaranteed I would have had a laugh.

http://throughtheeyesofamormon.blogspot.com/2009/10/unlikely-candidate.html

“remembering how things used to be”

As college went on, my life began changing…and not for the better…I started getting tired of going to parties all the time…I started going home on the weekends and spending less time at the sorority. I was in a downward spiral mixed up of sadness about my past and present, depression, and the pressure of trying to fit in. I had a feeling in my gut that something had to change, or I was headed for disaster.

http://throughtheeyesofamormon.blogspot.com/2009/10/remembering-how-things-used-to-be.html

“the book of mormon”

I had realized pretty quickly that going to church would fill a large void in my life… having the feeling I should go to church started a whole new dilemma…what church should I go to?! I knew one thing; my boyfriend was LDS and that I had only heard bad stuff about the church…so I started looking up anything I could. I found: gross, disturbing websites about the LDS church that made me literally sick. I loved him but how could he be Mormon?! Right at about the peak of my crying my phone started to ring and it was him. Of course he asked what was wrong and I felt even more sick to my stomach having to tell him the truth…he drove to my sorority that night and gave me the book of Mormon with a message inside. He assured me what I found was not true. I didn’t believe him…I took the book upstairs and was NOT going to read it. But I opened it and read…until 3:30am.

http://throughtheeyesofamormon.blogspot.com/2009/10/book-of-mormon.html

“going to church”

after reading about the church, I decided I wanted to go with my boyfriend to see what the people were like…if it was like what I read about…

From my personal journal: December 3, 2007… here is part of the entry:

” …OH, I went to church with [my boyfriend] 2x. I really like it. I am still searching for guidance but I feel like I am headed down the right path. I feel like I am somewhat happier already. If that is not a good sign, I don’t know what is…”

http://throughtheeyesofamormon.blogspot.com/2009/10/going-to-church.html

“a little catch-up and more”

Two years into the sorority I left it and moved into an apartment (I was there about 2 months before I went to church for the first time)

I managed to go to church for about 2 months before I began to talk with the missionaries…I made the plan that I was going to start the missionary discussions after the new year started in January…I also decided that I wanted my mom to take the discussions with me… so that she would know the basics about the church…just in case.

http://throughtheeyesofamormon.blogspot.com/2009/10/little-catch-up-and-more.html

“missionaries”

My mom agreed to go with me to the lessons {which was a big thing because I knew she didn’t like the Mormon Church}…but on our first lesson I had an awful experience. The missionaries focused on my mom instead of me, making us both uncomfortable. They asked her to pray, asked her all the questions etc. I decided I needed to have lessons with my mom, and lessons without her.

http://throughtheeyesofamormon.blogspot.com/2009/11/missionaries.html

“one giant step for…me”

I flew through the lessons the missionaries had beause I was meeting with them twice a week. They had to become very creative with games and other ways to teach the gospel to me so that they could continue to teach me. They finally, and I will say it was very bold, asked me if I would just pick a date to be baptized. Nervous, I agreed….BUT I said it had to be after my 21st birthday, which was 3 months away (I had a trip to Vegas with my mom planned). Not confident with my decision at all, I decided to keep it a secret.

http://throughtheeyesofamormon.blogspot.com/2009/11/so-i-was-meeting-with-missionaries.html

“confusion to confidence”

I was so nervous about being baptized and it was not until about 2 weeks later that I had an experience that flooded my body with the spirit, and it changed my perspective about baptism completely. I was no longer scared, and I was even ready to tell my mom. “I told her that day, after prayers for comfort and continued confidence…she responded in a matter that I could have never imagined…with love, compassion, and so much support that I was overwhelmed. I even explained to her that I was going to wait until after our trip for my 21st birthday and she said, “honey, this is really important to you…why wait?!”” This was shocking…especially knowing that she is in no means the number one fan of the LDS church. I changed my baptism date to April 19, 2008.

http://throughtheeyesofamormon.blogspot.com/2009/12/confusion-to-confidence.html

“the letter”:

About a week before my baptism I started getting really nervous. The day before my baptism was like an emotional roller coaster, to say the least. I had lost confidence and didn’t think I would make it through the night before “the big day”. I was given a letter to read that night from one of the missionary’s dads…random, yes. The letter spoke of his trials and tribulations as a convert to the LDS church and gave me the reassurance that everything would be ok and that I truly was making the right decision. The letter was exactly what I needed. I went to bed happy and excited all because a man felt the need to write a letter to a complete stranger.

http://throughtheeyesofamormon.blogspot.com/2010/01/letter.html

“my baptism”:

The day of my baptism was like nothing I have ever experienced. I was so nervous leading up to this day, worried about being embarrassed in the white, very attractive, jumpsuit {note the sarcasm}, worried about what I would look like completely drenched with water etc. BUT after I was baptized, I cannot describe the feelings that I was overcome with. “As I write this entry I am also overwhelmed by emotion…my life was changed forever that day, and I am so happy that it was.”

http://throughtheeyesofamormon.blogspot.com/2010/01/my-baptism.html

So that is what led up to my baptism in a nutshell…like I said earlier, the entries on my blog are much longer, and much more detailed…but you can read them on my blog. I continue the blog about everyday “stuff” I have and I am currently going though as a convert to the LDS church.

For example, just a little over 3 months ago I was able to be married in an LDS temple…which was an amazing experience but a lot of turmoil preceded that day, because I knew that not a single member of my family would be able to see me get married, which was devastating to me. I knew my mom thought the temple was weird, which made it even harder to think about getting married there. However, when we are truly in need the Lord finds a way. I was able to take my mom to the open house of the Vancouver B.C. Temple… It was my first time being in a temple, and of course hers as well, and we were able to experience it together. She was able to see the sealing room, just like where my fiancé and I would be married. It was truly an amazing experience, I wrote about it here: http://throughtheeyesofamormon.blogspot.com/2010/04/love-and-marriage-andtemples.html and also here: http://throughtheeyesofamormon.blogspot.com/2010/04/vancouver-bc-temple.html.

My ‘journey’, as I like to call it, is a very long one. It was not like the stories you hear about someone reading one page of the Book of Mormon and knowing they needed to be baptized…my journey took much longer…but I have seen the gospel truly change my life in all positive ways. I am happier than I have ever been before, and even my family members, including my mom, have commented on how happy I seem to be now. I know that this is the true church of Jesus Christ because of the impact it has had on my life. I am so grateful for “the new” me.

With love,

Kristen Smith

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