|
Bill Michael served as the Bishop of the Cambrian Park ward in the early 1990's. Currently, he is serving as the Gospel Doctrine Sunday School teacher. (And a very good one at that.)
William R Michael's Conversion Story
The gospel of Jesus Christ was introduced to me in the spring of 1975 by my then girl friend Sandy Maes. She was not a member of the church but only because her parents would not let her be baptized until she turned 18, nevertheless, she was very active and very converted. We often had talks about religion because she, like me, had been raised Catholic. My parents never took me to church except for Easter and midnight mass at Christmas time, and of course a couple times a month to bingo which was held at the church. My curiosity however, compelled me to walk to church on my own pretty much on a weekly basis. This I did for several years. Through the many sermons I sat through I always had questions which I wanted answers to and on several occasions had asked the priests only to be told that these were the `mysteries' of our faith and not to worry about it. This began to leave me very `unsettled' and curious about other religions that might give me the answers I wanted. I tried my mother's church, the Methodists, and found much of the same and I also attended youth activities at the local baptist church which I liked very much but still did not feel comfortable with their doctrines.
Sandy would tell me all kinds of things that her church taught and the concepts would often linger in my mind and heart for days. I thought that if they were true it was marvelous but I had no way of knowing for sure. Until one night, she told me about the concept of eternal marriage and it struck me like a lightening bolt that only in God's church would such a doctrine be taught. I can remember distinctly the feelings I had as I drove home in the car that night and had the more than real impression that some type of spirit was literally in the car with me. Tears filled my eyes and my heart burned inside. Then the feeling was gone and so was the `presence' I felt.
These same kinds of feelings and impressions came off and on for several weeks. Finally I announced to Sandy that I wanted to visit her church and learn more. She was ecstatic about it, but for some reason for 3 straight weeks she could not get out of work to take me. Finally I said `Look I will just go myself.' And I did.
What happened that first time in an LDS church is pretty funny and has been shared with the ward members many times so I won't go into the details suffice it to say that everyone was incredibly warm and friendly and made me feel very welcome despite some of the comic relief I afforded them at the sacrament meeting!
Anyway, the Elders introduced themselves and asked me to take the lessons which I did with Sandy in the home of the Marstens who were like parents to us.
I read the Book of Mormon cover to cover in less than a day and then started the Pearl of Great Price asking all along for a confirmation of the truth of these scriptures. However, the testimony came in another way. In a way that I can never deny. I had fasted and prayed one day telling the Lord that I would not leave my knees until he let me know whether Joseph Smith was a prophet or not. Many hours passed, in fact, most of the night. Exhausted, I fell asleep on my knees and was awakened to what I thought was the morning sun in my room and the warmest most incredible feeling I have ever had. No, I did not see the Savior that night but suffice it to say that my mind and my heart were filled with an unmistakable knowledge that he was and is a prophet and that all that was restored through him is of God! The Lord blessed me with a testimony.
I was baptized on June 15, 1975 and confirmed and given the priesthood shortly thereafter. My parents were supportive of everything and delighted that I was still a Christian and involved in a church that became the focus of my young life. It was hard for them, however, to learn that I was not going to Notre Dame or accepting the scholarship offered to me there because they had always dreamed that I would. And I would have - but one visit to BYU and I knew that was were I should be. After a year and a half there I decided to serve a mission. Again, my parents questioned the logic of interrupting my education, but at long last came the conclusion that it was good for me and school would still be there when I returned.
As a missionary of the Lord Jesus Christ I was able to bear solemn testimony of what I knew to be true - and to do it with a conviction.
I felt then and still feel today that the Lord blessed me with a testimony to share it with others. Oh how grateful I am for receiving his gospel and his church.
Last Modified: 2000/09/26 18:14:58
Brought to you by: R.K. Owen,Ph.D.
This page is http://owen.sj.ca.us/rkowen/LDS/converts/bill_michael.html
