Hi, I'm William

I am no longer an Atheist I live in Scotland and joined the Mormon church following a remarkable conversion experience.

About Me

My wife and I have 7 children and 9 grandchildren. We are now both senior citizens. I was a police officer for 29 years and my wife is a woman of many talents and skills.

In my spare time I research my ancestors and I am also a family history consultant, assisting others to do the same.

The photograph is of me and my wife taken in 2009.

Why I am a Mormon

In my early teens I considered, ‘If there is a loving God, why did he allow millions of his chosen people to be put to death in gas chambers, why do thousands of innocent people died in natural disasters, why is there so much cruelty in the world and why do children die young?’

I came to the conclusion that there was no God, and the biblical Jesus Christ was no more important that other heroes in ancient history and having a belief in God was like a comforter to a child. I became an atheist.

In 1962, elders from the church my parents attended delivered a message from the minister of the church that Mormon missionaries in the area were 'anti-Christ'. I decided to investigate that church and went to a youth meeting to find them studying the Bible about Jesus Christ. I asked a leader to tell me why and she gave me a booklet and I read about Joseph Smith being visited by God the Father and Jesus Christ.

Despite my atheistic opinions, Joseph Smith’s attestation awaked a desire to learn more, and I was introduced to two American missionaries from the Mormon Church. During the next 6 months or so, as I studied the history of Joseph Smith and his claims of visits from resurrected prophets, and of his translation of engravings in a gold leaf book called the Book of Mormon that an angel had given to him, my intellectual belief developed.

I began to change my views regarding Jesus Christ and accepted that He was the Son of God. I learned that He and Heavenly Father were two separate beings with a united purpose. I was told that the Holy Ghost, a third member of the Godhead, was giving me a spiritual witness of truth.

I learned that before I was born I lived in a pre-mortal existence as a human spirit in the presence of Heavenly Father that I had come to this earth get a mortal body and be tested regarding my obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ. I also learned that after death, my spirit would enter a paradise to await the resurrection – the reuniting of a perfect body with my spirit. Depending on my faith and works on this earth, I would be rewarded. The potential for all is to return to the presence of God the Father and Jesus Christ, but many who died in sin having not repented of their sins, would not.

I accepted the challenged to be baptised and join the church, and did so, but not before I was satisfied through prayer, that the Church of Jesus Christ had been restored to the earth in all truth.

I bore witness of this to my parents and two siblings, but they did not accept what I had to say, although they had not animosity for the church.

I met my wife at church and we were married by the law of the land in 1966 and then for time and eternity in the London England Temple in 1968.

Our first born son lived for only a few hours, but the knowledge of the plan of salvation and of eternal existence and our faith that we would be united with him again eased the pain.

To the reader of this very brief history I testify that I know without any doubt that the organisation and teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are harmonious with the gospel of Jesus Christ in all ways. I can never deny that.

I also declare that families can become eternal families and live in the presence of Heavenly Father. I have explained this below - so keep reading my story.

Personal Stories

Why do Mormons do family history or genealogy work?

In 1977, my belief that Jesus Christ provides his atonement for everyone born on this earth and that families can be together forever, encouraged me to start my family history research to find out who my ancestors are. It is for this reason that members of the church do family history work.

I have identified nearly 37,000 people, who can be linked to either my wife or to me and this is a diminutive number of the whole ‘family of God’.

Members of the church perform sacred ordinances of baptism in behalf of their ancestors in the Temples in the hope that they will accept it. They also act as proxies for their ancetors and kneel at an altar to be married in their behalf for time and eternity so that a link can be made between generations.

How I live my faith

Since joining the church in 1962, I have continued to study the gospel of Jesus Christ and always been actively engaged giving service, including being a Sunday School teacher, a Scout Leader, a clerk with a responsibility for keeping church records, and a counsellor to various lay church leaders. One of my present duties is as a family history consultant to assist others with their research and the recording of the information.

My wife and I also work in a Latter-day Saint Temple where sacred work to unit families and generations together forever is administered.

What do Mormons believe happens to us after we die? What do Mormons believe about life after death?

William answered...

As previously stated, we believe that death is not the end of the life, but rather it is a doorway to progression. Upon death, the spirit departs from the body of flesh and enters the spirit world where it continues to learn and prepare for the resurrection when it will be united with an immortal perfect body.

Each person will be judged by Heavenly Father according to how valiant he or she was in living their life of earth according to their knowledge and understanding of the teaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ and will be rewarded accordingly. The righteous will live with Him in the Celestial Kingdom where husbands and wives can be together for ever more with their children, or those who were less righteous to live in a kingdom of lesser glory.
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What is the role of the husband and the wife in the family?

Jocelyn answered...

The role of husband and wife in the family is to first and foremost love each other! Wow, revolutionary!!!
I have found that when there is love and complete commitment between my husband and I, there is no problem that we cannot face together. It is much easier to teach the children with love and to handle life's challenges.
My husband and I are equals. I feel loved, respected, and appreciated by him. I hope he feels the same things from me.