Hello, everyone!

I’d like to take a moment to introduce myself and tell you a little about why I’m here.

I was a convert to the Church a few years ago. I never went on a mission, but I’ll tell you this, I had zeal like you would not believe. I eventually married in the temple and started a family by having, so far, one boy.

A little over a year into my journey of being Mormon, a started to have questions and doubts about many things. I questioned the historicity of the first vision and the Book of Mormon. I doubted that many of the men were actual prophets, rather than just the president of an organization. When I talked to my wife about these things, she immediately withdrew from me and lived in fear that I’d denounce the Church. Eventually, I came to the conclusion that it was easier to fake it than to be honest with her, or anyone else, about what I was feeling.

Things came to a head about a year or so later. I finally couldn’t fake it anymore and seriously went off the deep end. I wrote my resignation letter and mailed it to Church Headquarters. I removed my garments. I stopped attending Church meetings altogether. I started going to another non-denominational church. This eventually led to divorce with my wife and I was then separated from she and my child.

It didn’t take long to see the mistake I had made. If nothing else it certainly has been, and continues to be, a learning and growing experience for me.

Less than probably six months later, I was meeting with my Stake President and Bishop about returning to fellowship in the Church. I went for over a year before I was able to be re-baptized. It will be a little less than another year before I am able to have my blessings, including Patriarchal and Temple blessings, and my Priesthood Authority restored to me by the Stake President. About a week later I was remarried to my wife and now enjoy she and my son each and every day. It’s something for which I am unbelievable grateful. I’d say that they were the primary reason I chose to return to the Church.

Another reason I returned is in large part due to guys like John Dehlin and, surprisingly enough, Shawn McCraney. That was a Mormon Story that I found rather intriguing and enjoyable. I appreciate John’s approach to “buffet Mormons” and the like and have enjoyed and benefited from several of his articles and videos. I never forgot the things that I loved about the Church such as the fellowship, the friends and families, the clean living, etc. I now focus on the things that I love and enjoy about the Church rather than the things I find uncomfortable and just take them as they are. For me, it’s not necessarily about where I’m going as much as it that I’m where I want to be, and feel I need to be.

Perhaps one day I’ll regain a complete and total testimony of all things concerning the Church as I had once before. But until then, I suppose I’ll remain a Doubting Thomas.