Peter.

Thank you for your help. I look forward to the call.

Phoenix.

Well???

He attended the interview at our Lodge and has been accepted. He is awaiting an Initiation date.
I will ask him to reply with his thoughts when I see him next. He is a very nice man and look forward to him joining our Lodge.
It just goes to show that posts on these forums work in finding out and joining Lodges, thats what and why we are here for. :afam:

That is great news Peter. Thanks for the endorsement! It was great meeting you and the brothers of the lodge and a BIG thanks for helping me on my way. See you again soon.

Phoenix.

Hi Robbie.

Phoenix here.

Elaborating a little more on my email to you. I was going to wait for confirmation on the initiation date before posting anything more on this thread.

I am glad that I persevered. Peter is right. If it wasn’t for this Masonic forum and others like it I would have still been fumbling around in the dark mainly because of my own trepidation about coming forward and approaching the lodge.

I found kind help and advice both here and on the Masonic Forum of Light and the Testleboard that settled previous confusions.

Thanks to Peter’s assistance, in February I was interviewed by the Worshipful Master of a lodge in Spain and there were quite a large number of brothers present. They all made me feel very welcome, explained the good works of the lodge and it has me even more eager to start what I hope will be a life changing experience and new path for moral self improvement. (new friends too).

If anyone else reads this and is contemplating membership, throw your doubts aside, you are seeking the privilege of membership into a fraternity of good men who you are asking to accept you as a brother. Trust them, be open and honest, be clear that your intentions are honourable and you will be in good hands!

Above all, be patient.

Wish you all the best with your petition.

Good luck.

Phoenix.

I am glad to see you are on the way to "enlightenment" and wish you all the best on your coming initiation and the masonic journey infront of you!!

Thanks Bondi.

I am very much looking forward to it.

Phoenix.

Hi Phoenix, if you need anything else just let us know. I am around on here and many other forums, PM me or call me, I am on the playa most days. Maybe we could meet for a coffee.

When I started using Masonic internet forums I called myself a seeker of light.

By using forums like this one I learned more about Freemasonry and I was touched by the sincerity and warmth of the replies I received and offers of assistance by private emails from complete strangers! I want to thank everyone who answered my call for help. Your kind words and encouragement made all the difference. THANK YOU!

I found a new friend on a Masonic forum, Peter Dowling, who now is my brother and he helped me along with my proposers and my petition was presented.

When I received the summons to the Lodge for my initiation I found this essay called “Preparation”, written in 1925 by Carl H. Claudy ( http://www.masonicinfo.com/preparation.htm ). I would highly recommend it to any candidate to read prior to initiation before entering the lodge. I went to my initiation in the spirit of this essay (especially the last 2 paragraphs) and the experience was only the more special for me because of it.

Regarding my initiation and festive board afterwards I have never been made to feel so warmly welcomed and accepted anywhere before.

Without going into detail on an open internet forum my initiation counts as one of the most unique and special moments of my life. What was told and imparted to me during my initiation resonated to my core. I am humbled, honoured and proud to be a member of Freemasonry.

Still in the infancy of my first Masonic steps I am looking forward to my journey and extending my researches into the order.

For me the initiation experience has been an awakening and a calling to live my life with a higher purpose in mind and if I stumble and fall I know my new brethren will be there to help guide me and keep me on that path.

Yes, I have found the light!

Phoenix.

I am really glad you enjoyed the ceremony and FB. We are all here for each other.
I have asked many Brethren for help and advice and what and where to go with my next steps. I get many answers but they are all personal and then you take the choice. You have a great path ahead Brother, just remember it is the journey not the destination that is important as this journey has no end if you want it that way.