The Baptism Challenge

About six months had gone by since I met the first pair of Elders and now after several pairs of Elders that had followed-up with me, I was challenged to be baptized. My feelings then are very vivid to me to this day. I responded that I felt very good about all the doctrines I had learnt. My encounters with well-intended Christians made me more convinced that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints had the truths that could only have been restored by heavenly visitations as claimed by the boy Prophet Joseph Smith. But to be baptized would be a great commitment. It would be a total change in my life and I wasn't sure if I knew enough. I needed perfect knowledge! Then when one of the Elders remarked, "If you didn't get baptized now, how will you ever really know?". That statement had a profound impact on me for it was the truth. I could continue my intellectual investigation forever but without exercising faith, I would lack the spiritual experience that would help me know for sure. After all, God must be something beyond scientific evidence or a set of rational doctrines and so I agreed.

I had also reasoned out that I could still pull out of the Church if following the baptism I could not find the truth. I should therefore not be resistent to accept to be baptized as I would really have nothing to lose at all.

On the cold Australian wintry night of 29th July 1979 I was baptised at the Bellarine Branch, Melbourne Australia Fairfield Stake and later given the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Please be forewarned before reading further that the account that follows will be filled with spiritual experiences which may not sound rational but I can only attest that they are true