Conversion Stories - Mark Laugenour

Mark Laugenour served as the Bishop of the Cambrian Park ward in the latter part of the 1990's, and is currently serving as a councillor in the Stake Presidency starting 2001.

Mark Laugenour's Conversion Story

My conversion story probably consist of about twenty plus years. But for the sake of not boring all of you, I'll share only the first few years.

My high school years were spent surrounded by LDS youth. Two of my best friends were, to one degree or another, members of the Church. One friend was quite inactive and the other was in the process of sliding away from living the Gospel. My older sister's best friend was a very active member of the Church. Plus, there was this beautiful girl my age who made my heart skip every time I saw her, she was also a member. Her name was Claudia. I was able to spend a lot of my teenage years with these youth, and they all gave me a positive view of the Church, even the inactive friends. I even attended seminary a bit near the end of our senior year. At that time in my live though, I did not think I would become a member of the Church.

Upon graduation from high school, Claudia went off to BYU. My two friends and I went off to live in Santa Cruz, attending Cabrillo College, with a major in surfing. Claudia and I would write from time to time and would see each other each time she came home from college.

One spring evening, I made the 5 minute trek on my skateboard to a secluded area of cliffs overlooking the ocean. I would be nice to say that my intention was to pray and find out which church was true, but I really was going to see if the waves were good enough to go surfing that evening. As I sat on the cliff, looking at the surf, I started reflecting on my life and where I wanted that life to go in the future. This was not a pre-meditated effort, but it was a turning point in my life. I though about a future family and how I wanted to raise it. I had had good experiences going to Claudia's family's Family Home Evening, and participating in some of their family prayers. Claudia's mom impressed me a lot also. I saw how happy she was and how fulfilling her life was. I found myself reflecting on these things as I sat there on the cliff. I decided at that time that it would be a worthwhile effort to look into the teachings of the Church and see how I could adjust my life and beliefs to fit into what I sensed was a true gospel lifestyle.

Within a few days I found a set of scriptures at the house my buddies and I were living in. They belonged to my friend's dad. Somehow I picked up on Alma 32 and decided that chapter would be a good place to start. I would call Claudia at BYU from time to time with questions and would also ask my two friends about questions I had. That was the start of an experiment that has lasted a long time.

Each time I think I understand, and have a testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, I discover something new that gives me more understanding and assurance. It is a great feeling to have plunged into something without a sure knowledge and receive, over and over again, a witness that the teachings I decided to follow were absolutely true. I somehow lucked into discovering the true meaning of this life and the true way of happiness and have been blessed over and over again by doing my best to cling to Gospel teachings.

There have been very spiritual experiences that have confirmed these truths that the Spirit quietly teaches me, and the daily blessings that come into my life when strive to live Christ's teachings.