Kathy Marie Schreiber: My Favorite Day EVER!

May 29, 2010 was definitely my favorite day ever. Why you ask? Basically because that was the day my life changed! No I didn't lose a limb or something super crazy. But I finally was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. My conversion story is probably one of the longest and randomest ones ever, but I wouldn't have it any other way. So here it goes!!
When I was in middle school I had a best friend named Jenni Winn, we really aren't that good of friends now (lets just say junior year of high school was interesting). So anyways, Jenni and I would hangout ALL the time, literally every day. She played piano and while she practiced playing I would read the Book of Mormon on her couch while she played, we watched General Conference together, we went to mutual together, I went to church with her, and I went to girls camp with her also! That year of girls camp was probably what did it the most. I was there with literally all of my friends (Jenni, Shaylee, Karly, Jessica, Holly, Jill, Bella, Megan, Macey, Jen, Jenna, Raquel, and that's all I can think of, if I left someone out I'll feel real bad) Anyways, so we are camping all week and there were soooo many times when the spirit was so strong and we were all in tears, definitely the best year of girls camp I have ever experienced. This was about 3 years ago, I think. I remember President Worthen asked me to say the prayer one morning for scripture study and I was like what the I'm not even a member, and I basically had to convince him that I wasn't but I still said the prayer anyway. There were just soo many amazing experiences that year at girls camp, that was probably the first time that I knew the church was true.
So after camp that year I continued going to church and mutual and reading the book of mormon, then another school year went by, and I went to girls camp again, this time less of my friends were there, but I was with the person who probably impacted my life the most. Megan Thorne, during junior year of high school me and Megan became way close. We hungout all the time, and we had amazing talks during sports medicine (I miss that class). Anyways, me and Megan basically did everything together. She is such an amazing example to me, if it wasn't for her my life would be so completely different. But one day while I was eating dinner at her house the missionaries were eating as well, and during dinner Elder Olsen asked me why I hadn't taken the lessons yet, and basically was like what the I thought you were a member already! So that is when it all began, I started taking the lessons around the end of August in 2009, not sure exactly when (Megan should def check her journal for the exact date). Anyways, so after going through all the lessons I realized that I had already gained a testimony of all of this! And I was basically ready to get baptized right away, but I wasn't able to because I was still 17, and I needed my mom's permission. This was the part that wasn't so easy, it took quite a while for that to happen and I went through quite a few missionaries. I wanted so bad to have Elder Olsen or Elder Redden baptize me, but they both went home before I got permission to get baptized. But thankfully Elder Williams came along, he is definitely my favorite missionary. Sister Ray, my good friend Shaylee's mom, who my family has known for years, went and talked to my mom one night about the church and everything. I was so thankful she did that, I honestly think that is what helped everything. I remember I was at mutual (even though I wasn't supposed to be at the time) and Sister Ray telling me she had talked to my mom, I was so scared to go home that night, I received a priesthood blessing, and went home. After talking well kind of arguing with my mom that night she finally just gave up and told me I could do what I wanted. I was soooo happy!!!! I remember calling Elder Williams and telling him and telling my friends that it was finally happening! Everyone was real happy! The wait was finally over. So we scheduled the baptism for about two weeks after that, and on May 29, 2010 I was baptized.
The funny part about this whole thing is that after my mom told me I could do what I wanted she never really heard much about it afterwards, and then the day of the baptism, literally about an hour and a half before I told her it was happening. whoops! I am so thankful that it finally did happen! I love the gospel! All of my friends and their families have been such amazing examples to me and have helped me get to where I am today. I was so happy that I was able to be there for my friends Bella Sleister and Amanda Bradshaw when they took the lessons and made their decision to get baptized. It is amazing to know how truly great this gospel is and how much it can change a person's life.