“M” Is for “Mormon”

Nine-thirty Sunday morning found me standing at the bottom of the stairs leading to the room where the Mormons met. No one was in sight, and no sound could be heard. I was filled with trepidation. Who were these people? What were their beliefs? Nervous, I turned to leave but was stopped when I felt a warm glow of peace and assurance fill me.

I had been brought to this point by my firm desire to find God’s church. In 1957, at age 19, just after my discharge from the Royal Air Force Police, I returned to Southport, Lancashire, England, to live with my parents. One day when I returned home from work, I was informed that two American Mormon missionaries had visited the house but had been turned away. I had never heard the word Mormon before but felt a strong desire to find out more about them.

That evening I looked up Mormon in the dictionary. The entry said it was a nickname for members of a religion headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah. Later that night I prayed to Heavenly Father and asked if it was right for me to investigate this religion that seemed new and strange to me. I felt a burning within, and an overwhelming sense of peace came over me. I decided to seek out and attend this new church the following Sunday.

So there I stood at the bottom of the stairs. I knew I had to go up and find out whatever I could. I climbed the stairs and entered the room. No one was there, so I looked around. I saw a lesson manual on a nearby table, and, filled with curiosity, I began flipping through the pages. I was determined to leave quietly if I found strange and unacceptable teachings inside those pages. However, I could see nothing unusual, so I sat and waited until the services began.

During the service I was impressed by the spirit of the meeting, its simplicity, and the friendliness of the people. The missionaries happily made an appointment to come and teach me. I was eager to hear more.

The elders told me about the gospel of Jesus Christ; I believed it. They told me about Church meetings; I attended. They explained the Word of Wisdom to me; I kept it. They taught me about tithing; I paid it. The discussions could not come quickly enough for me. I hungered for the things being taught, and I pressed for baptism.

Finally I was baptized and felt infinitely closer to my Heavenly Father. A journey that began by looking up Mormon in the dictionary has brought me to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I am ever grateful for being guided to the truth.