Gospel is no game to company president

The convert had a few eye-opening moments in his quest for learning.

“During my first meeting with the missionaries, they taught me about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. It was hard for me to accept the concept of a modern-day prophet, but then when they explained that Heavenly Father loves us just as much today as he love the people back in the time of Moses, it felt right to me," he said.

Meeting with the missionaries, Waller noticed something unusual.

"The missionaries had so many things underlined and marked in their scriptures," he said. "I asked them if it was legal to write in the scriptures. I had never seen anyone write notes or mark up a Bible before!"

After investigating the church for six weeks, he was baptized on Jan. 18, 1981.

Since Waller was already 21 years old when he joined the LDS Church, he didn’t think he needed to serve a mission. He fasted and prayed, searching for an answer.

“I received my patriarchal blessing, and I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Lord wanted me to go on a mission," he said. "I entered the MTC on March 25, 1982, and served a full-time mission in Manchester, England.“

Waller has since held many callings in the church and remains strong in his faith.  

Becky Robinette Wright is a freelance writer and photographer who lives in Virginia.