click on it to see up closeFriday, March 20th, was the day I got baptised 10 years ago. I can't believe it has been that long but looking at the pictures it sure looks like 10 years ago. Boy have we all changed.
I am grateful to have such great friends then who guided me in the right way to find the gospel.
I remember in 8th grade I started hanging out with the "Mormon girls". I was not "churchy" at all so it was kinda odd for me to click with such people. I actually started liking the "churchy" way though. I would stay the night at Nicole Porters (Reidhead) house pretty much every weekend so I could go to church with her and her family. I loved her family, the spirit their home had was awesome. I did this routine for over a year probably. All my friends would ask me if I would ever get baptised, I always turned them down, I seriously never thought I would. I was the crazy rebellious one of the bunch who kept it interesting:)
During basketball season the next year (1998-1999) all my friends were playing basketball and I hated to play, so I was the watergirl.... oh yeah "manager". Heather Porter (Sulzer) was the coach so we kinda got close during all the away games and all. The middle of December had hit and Christmas break was soon, Heather asked me, out of the blue, if I wanted to take the discussions after Christmas break. I said "sure", and walked away. Immediately I asked myself, "what did you just tell her? You'll do what?", but never changed my mind, I figured I would give it a shot.
Sometime in January I started taking the discussions at Heathers house. My first discussion went like this:
James Yarn was preparing for a mission so he came with Elder Bowen and Elder Livingston. I was way scared and embarrassed because I had three 19/20 year old boys in front of me. James started the discussion by asking me "Do you believe in God?" I immediately started bawling because I knew I did believe but had so many questions like "who is God?", "What am I feeling when I go to church?"
I probably scared James with all my tears, but we got through the 1st discussion. I was hooked then.
#2 discussion: I brought a friend that time, Mike Yarn. Back then during the second discussion they asked you if you would commit to getting baptised, so of course they asked me and I said yes. Discussions 3-6 were just as good. I felt the spirit all the time, helping me feel right about the decision I had made.
I really needed to feel the spirit because when I went home at night to my house it was so easy to forget what all that felt like, there was a lot of contention in my home to say the least.
March 20th came and it was a beautiful day. I still remember how clean and crisp the air was outside. I remember crying through pretty much the whole program. It went well. Matt Owens baptised me. Elder Bowen conformed me the next day at church. Life was good!
Thanks again to those people who took part in this wonderful event in my life. I am truly grateful to have this gospel in my life, to lead me in the right direction so I can raise my children the way Heavenly Father wants his children raised. I am grateful for the temples, to know that life with our families doesn't end at death. My heart aches for my family members who don't have a testimony of temples and who don't understand Gods plan for us. I pray I can work daily to keep the covenants that I made with my Heavenly Father at baptism and in the temple. I am grateful for the Lords hand in my and my families life, to be married to a wonderful man who tries so hard for his family, to be blessed with 5 healthy children who I learn from everyday. For all this I am grateful!
