You have no reason to believe me and that makes no difference to me. I know my experience and how difficult it was for me to come back to the Catholic faith. I thank God for taking me out so that my return was that much sweeter.
You are telling me what YOU did. Salvation never comes by way of reference to anyone but Christ. Salvation doesn’t come by operation of a prayer or any other act of man, it’s of The Lord (Jonah 2:9). Salvation is purely by grace through faith in Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9). We can’t will or decide our way to God (John 1:13) We are wholly dependent on God to show us mercy (Romans 9:16).
I fully believe you worked your way to Rome, but I know you didn’t work your way to God for the Scriptures plainly tell us it cannot be done (Galatians 2:16, Romans 3:20, 28, Acts 13:39, Ephesians 2:9)