Why I Joined the Mormon Church, Page 1

My conversion to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day  Saints began in July of 1981 when I first met my husband, Steve.  I had heard of the mormons, had been indoctrinated to believe that they were a cult, but had never met a real live mormon in person.

 

As a member of the Church of God, a charismatic   pentecostal religion, I had joined a gospel singing group called The Bread of Life and traveled frequently from church to church singing and worshiping with a variety of congregations.  On my way home from one of my singing engagements, I stopped by a convenience store to buy a late dinner and that’s where I met my future husband.  I was not traveling alone.  I had our alto singer with me.  As we sat eating in my car, we noticed a hungry little kitten near Steve who was sitting on a cinder block wall inhaling ice cream with his nephew and friend and they were not sharing! So, Jamie and I got out of my car and took some food over to the meowing little fur ball.  

 

That’s where my journey towards mormonism began.  Steve was extremely handsome with large biceps bulging from beneath his white velour polo with black trim.  He had dark curly hair, hazel eyes with the longest eye lashes I had ever seen and a winning smile.

 

 A long conversation ensued after lecturing the boys for not feeding the kitten.  Upon learning that Jamie and I had just come from a church service in their neighborhood, the conversation turned almost immediately to religion.  I had dated a lot of guys, some of them pastor’s sons, but there was something very different about Steve.  He was all entwined in sweetness, confidence, purity, maturity, humbleness, sincerity and knowledge—knowledge of the scriptures and life.  He seemed far beyond his years.

 

As I conversed with Steve and bantered with him over religious beliefs, he agreed to attend the next church service where we would be singing in just a few days.  I thought that night would be the last time I would ever see him but to my great surprise, he showed up, walked down the isle to where I was sitting and confidently seated himself right beside me with his Book of Mormon in tow.  Now I had been taught that mormonism was “of the devil” so I was embarrassed that he had brought his Book of Mormon with him and asked him to place it where it would be less noticeable.

 

Our relationship progressed rather quickly and although I was rockily engaged to another guy, I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that Steve was the person I was supposed to spend the rest of my life, even eternity, with.  Two and one half weeks after our first meeting, we eloped.

 

 

to be continued . . .