Orthodox Parables and Stories: From a doubter to a monk

The following story was told:

I was a law student and I visited Saint Paisios on August 22, 1988, along with my colleague Gregory. I went to Mount Athos for the first time, at the urging of my acquaintances, because I lived far from the Church.
At 4 pm we arrived at Panagouda. We found about thirty-five people waiting. They rang the bell, but the Elder did not show up. We went through the back door, but we found it closed. Then, I don't know what happened to me,  for the first time in twelve years of non-existent spiritual life, I knelt down and prayed: "My God, if you really exist, let the Elder come and talk to us."
Not five minutes passed and the elder, walking slowly, but with a quiet look and a sweet smile approached us, coming from the woods.
"Elder Paissios?" I asked him.
"What do you want with him?"
"To give him these socks and get his blessing."
" Bend over so I can bless you."
Then he put us in the backyard of his cell and we sat on the logs. He was talking about God and what is happening in the world, as if he had heard the latest newscast, offering us every little bit of loukoumia. After a one hour chat he turns and says:
"Do you want to be my disciple?"
"No, father, I don't do that. I love the world." Unfortunately I was so far from the spiritual world at that time that I could not grasp the greatness of the proposal.
Then he left us and went to stack some chopped wood. We asked to help him, but he refused, saying that this is his thing.
We spiritual "tourists" were left to look. We didn't talk to each other. We were impressed by the words of the Elder, which had dispelled my doubt about the existence of the Triune God. At the same time, however, I also accepted attacks of thoughts. I thought to ask Elder what we need to do to win paradise. But I thought with gloom that since the Elder is so spiritually uplifting, he will guess my thoughts and answer me. Then I see Elder leaving the wood and coming towards me.
"Love and faith in Christ to have, my child, " he told me looking deep into my soul and no longer in my eyes.
My legs started to tremble. My heart was beating so hard that I thought it would break. All I managed to do was mumble:
" Bless father." And turning to my friend I said:
"Gregory, let's go."
"Why do you want to leave?" the Elder asked me. "Sit down, I'll make you a disciple and give you my name."
Since then my life has changed completely. Although I did not see the Elder again, there was always an inner mental communication. The presence of St. Paisios in my life has manifested itself in many wonderful ways. But the greatest miracle is that he has been able to "plant" Christ forever in my soul. In less than six years I became from a doubter to a monk of the Church and I was given the name Paisios, as suggested by Elder ...