Most of the Call family were Methodists, but Anson, although he was a searcher after Truth, could not subscribe to that creed. Brigham Young and other prominent Elders occasionally preached the newly revealed Gospel in the region where the Call family lived, and when Anson found himself unable to cope with them in a discussion of religion he attributed his failure to his unfamiliarity with the Bible. He therefore began a critical study of the Bible and Book of Mormon in the hope of controverting what they taught, but with a different result to what he anticipated. To his surprise if not regret his three years hard study for the purpose mentioned resulted in a conviction that "Mormonism" was true. He accordingly announced in a Methodist meeting his intention of joining the "Mormons," and started with his wife for a trip to Kirtland, then the gathering place of the Saints, where he was baptized by William Smith, brother of the prophet, and confirmed by David Whitmer, one of the three witness to the Book of Mormon. Immediately afterwards he was administered to for an impediment in his speech, and experienced relief, and was promised that his speech should be natural and proper so long as he used his tongue for the advancement of truth. He was also ordained an Elder, and on his return to his home preached the Gospel to his old associates and neighbors. About thirty persons in the region of his home, mostly Methodists, joined the Church as a result of the preaching, his wife and his father's family being included in the number.