I think it is funny how I am technically a convert to the church. I've been going to church for almost as long as I can remember, but I wasn't actually baptized until I was 18, making me an actual convert. (Actual as opposed to those "everybody is a convert in their own way" mumbo jumbo). I was so much of a member that most people never realized I wasn't until they heard I was getting baptized. I was so much a fake member that the bishop actually called me to be Beehive president. I guess they only figured it out because they tried to pull my records only to find out I had none. Needless to say, the calling was revoked, which was a very sad and angry day for me, but that is a different story.
Anyway, many have asked me, "if you went to church so much and you had a testimony (which I did) then why did it take you so long to get baptized?" Well, that can be easily answered in two words: my dad. Don't get me wrong... I love my dad, but he is one weird and confusing guy.
My dad has been inactive for twenty-four years now. Why? I have no idea. He might as well be a member... he reads the Book of Mormon, does geneaology up the wazoo, is totally into food storage, and is always surprising me with the new things he decides to do with the Church. He is basically the opposite of what I was: he's baptised, the only thing missing is going to church.
So, becasue he was inactive, he always said that us kids should wait until we're old enough to get baptized. Apparently the age of accountability doesn't apply to my family. Apparently, in my family, though it was never really stated, the age of accountability is eighteen.
So, I had to wait. But at least the decision to get baptised was easy for me. I never had to start from square one. On the other hand, I feel like I've missed out on a lot being in the interesting predicament I was in. I decided to get baptized two weeks after I talked to my bishop about it which is hardly time for a busy high school student to get like a million discussions, so I met with the missionaries once to have any sort of "this is what the church is about" discussion. Probably easiest baptism they ever had, but I almost wish I could have gone through the whole set of discussions. Sure, I had been going to church for forever, but I never had the Mormon family setting that many of my friends had. I never went to my parents with questions. I never had a father's blessing before each school year. I never had family home evening until I was seventeen on a trek and my "family" of random people from my stake had FHE. I think I had one gospel discussion ever with my mom and that was when I was ten about why women couldn't hold the preisthood and how upset that made me.
Anyway, I had made no mention of my intent to get baptized to may father, or really anyone, until I had talked to the bishop. Given the short two weeks, it was a little nerve racking to me. On top of that, my father was out of town on a business trip for the first week. I was a little mean, now that I look back, and told my mom it was her job to tell my dad. I was really mean when everyday I would come home from school and ask, "have you called him yet" and watched the panic well up in my mother's eyes. I was equally scared, though, so I'm not to remorseful about it. So, afte that first week, my dad came home from his trip and I think it still took my mom three days to tell him. I remember the moment going something like this:
"Wayne, I have something to tell you," my mom said with her voice slightly shaking. My dad sensed it and turned to her with a slight panic in his eyes. Obviously he had no idea what she was going to say. "Jewel has decided that she wants to get baptized." There was a moment of silence which tends to make my mother uncomfortable, so she continued, "she's getting baptized this Sunday." My dad looked at my mother, then at me, then back at my mother. Then he raised his eyebrows just slightly, showing that he was okay, and said, "how can I help".
Talk about a huge sight of relief. I think my poor mother got half her grey hairs from holding all that from my dad for so long. My dad did help at the baptism, too. His job was to break the sabbath and go get togo's sandwiches for the reception thing they have after baptisms. I thought that was pretty comical. They were good sandwiches, too. It was a good day.
Then came the onslaught of me having to share my "conversion" story with everyone and their dog. I swear, the first year and a half of being a member, I had to share a more spiritual version of this story with everyone and their dog. I think I was invited to eight or so functions all requesting my "coversion" story along with my testimony. Not that I was all that upset about it, but I don't think there's anything super special about it. Everyone has their own stories.
I do have to say, telling my extended family was pretty entertaining. I think that most of them thought I was already a member, so it was really surprising to them. I think I'll leave that story for another time, though, looking at the lenght of this one. Ah... my family. Good times.
