My Conversion - Part 2

One day after one of Robert's many doctor appointments, he came home and said they were going to change his MOS because he could not be on his knees that way anymore. The doctor put in the paperwork and when it came back, instead of a change of MOS he was being medically discharged. This had never crossed our minds. He had 11 1/2 years in the Army and was making it his career. We had to begin deciding where to go and what kind of job to get. Robert was able to get on the computer at work and tried to find a place that was family friendly and the crime was down, the schools were good and jobs were available. Utah keep coming up on the searches he did. We decided we needed to find out more about Utah because the only thing we knew was it was were those WEIRD Mormons lived. We began looking in to it and I decided to go to a bookstore and find a book about the Mormons actually believed instead of just the comments everyone was making about them. I went to a bookstore I had been in before that had great clip art books. I went in and looked around trying to find a book but nothing seemed right. I had a sick feeling in my stomach as I searched and searched but could find nothing. There were two ladies who were working in the store and during my 20 minutes of searching there were very few people in the store. I kept glancing at the two women talking hoping that one of them would ask me if I needed any help. Nothing. I left the store and went to my car. While sitting in my car I felt the Spirit talking to me. I said, If it is this hard to get a book then I don't want it. He said to me, What means more to the runner? Walking around the bases and going home or getting a hit and stealing second and then third and then sliding into home plate just under the tag?"" Well of course it means more to the runner when he has to work for it" "Oh I get it, I have to work for this" I went back into the store and started walking around again. Finally I got up my nerve and went right up the ladies behind the counter and said "I need a book that tells what the Mormons actually believe." One of the ladies said, "Are you LDS?" I said, "I don't do drugs" She said, " L D S not LSD" I said "I don't even know what that is so no I am not one" She took me to the very back of the store, and handed me book from the very top shelf. I thanked her and paid for the book and went home. I put the book aside and did not even look at it again until Sunday. Robert and the kids were gone and I settled in a chair and began. Our Search for Happiness by M. Russell Ballard. Well, I am definitely searching and I do want happiness. I began to read. I do not even remember the rest of the family coming home that day. I kept reading until I had finished the book. I had so many questions. At the end of the book the author put his address and said if you have any questions to write to him. Well, I thought, if he was going to be dumb enough to but his address in the book then I was going to be dumb enough to write to him. And I did. I do not remember how long the letter was but it took two stamps to mail it. I mailed it on Monday Jan 22 1996. On Friday of that same week, I received a letter back. I was so excited, I opened the letter and began reading. He started off in the first paragraph saying he was going to send a couple of young men or women to visit me and answer my questions. "Do you believe this guy, passing me off already" was all I could think about. He did go on to answer some of my questions and I felt a peace that I had not known before. I was excited now. Every time I heard a car outside I ran to the window to see who it was. We lived on the Army Post in Colorado Springs at the time and there were always car doors outside and I was always at the window looking out. I was getting tired of this by Sunday afternoon and got out the phone book. I was going to call this church he mentioned and see if I could find these missionary people he spoke about. It was no use, no missionaries were listed in the phone book. I would have to wait. I continued going to the window at every noise but still nothing. Then on Tuesday afternoon I heard a car pull up to the apartments and looked out the window. There were these two boys in dark suits and white shirts and big hugh name tags on. I knew in my heart this was them. I waited at the door peeking through the peephole trying to see what was taking them so long. After going through their bags for what seemed like hours they headed for the sidewalk that led to my door. I threw open the door and said "I've been waiting for you!" They froze in their tracks and just stared at me.