My Belief.

I felt that I had a duty to write something heartfelt with regards to my belief in the God, Jesus Christ and His Church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. When I was a senior in high school I joined the LDS faith. My introduction to the church began between my freshman and sophomore year of high school. My friend Craig Tovey had recently move to Half Moon Bay from Paradise California and we became close. That summer I had a bad bicycle accident which left me in an arm cast for six months. Over that time he shared his beliefs about God. For me it was amazing to see a 14 year old kid speak about his intimate belief in the after life. Not only that but to see his conviction to and love for the gospel. I took his lessons and filed them in the back of my thinking. He moved back to Paradise and I began to associate with the other Mormon kids at Half Moon Bay High. The biggest reason for my association was that I wasn't a party person, I didn't drink and I didn't smoke weed. I liked that I could hang out with them and not feel the pressure of getting wasted. In time I learned about seminary, a morning religious study. I'll admit initially, they made it out to be much cooler than it ended up being, no teenager in his right mind wants to wake up at 5:45 am and make his was to a cold classroom at the church building. I did however go and later took the missionary discussion. On November 20, 1994 I was baptized at the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve in Moss Beach, Ca.

I've never written the account of the night of the 19th of November, please note that although I've spoken about it often, I do hold it as an important and defining moment in my life and as it will now be posted for anyone to run across I hope you, the reader will take a minute and give it a heart felt listen.

On the night of November 19th, I went to South San Francisco to have a baptismal interview with the Elders of the Church. I had never met an Elder before and assumed they were old men. To my surprise they were a little older than I was. An Elder was in fact a missionary who had committed to two years of service for the church between the ages of 19 and 25. I don't recall his name but I do remember him being from the Midwest. He asked me a series of questions "Do you believe in God the Eternal Father?" "Yes I do." "Do you believe in His Son, Jesus Christ?" "I do." "Do you believe that Joseph Smith is a Prophet of God?" "Yes." "Do you believe that the Book of Mormon is the word of God?" "Yes." "Do you believe that a prophet leads and guides us today?" "I do." "Are you ready to be baptized?" "I am."

And I was. Leaving the building I remember that my friend Christian's mom had driven me to the interview. As I was getting into the van she said "the moon looks very golden tonight." I remember looking at it and getting an sense that anytime I saw a golden moon I would recall that evening.

After they had dropped me off at my house I decided to not quite go inside. My family was not looking into the religion as I was and I still needed time to go over the questions that I had answered. As I stood outside a moment early in my chruch discussions had come to me. There are a series of six church discussions which cover the basic beliefs of the church. The sister missionary who had taught me asked me in the first discussion to pray to know is Joseph Smith was a prophet and if the Book of Mormon was true. I didn't want to. I had logically come to the conclusion that this was the right thing to do. It sounded right and I made sense of everything the sister missionaries had taught me. I could believe in the prophet Joseph Smith, having current prophets also made sense to me. I could believe that God would command others to have a record of Christ so why couldn't the Book of Mormon be true? But what was getting to me at that moment was the thought "You know for yourself that it is true but you haven't asked God if it is."

I made up my mind to ask God if this was the right thing to do. Knowing that the ocean was less than three blocks away, I crossed Highway 1 and walked down to Venice Beach (not the Southern California but Half Moon Bay's named beach) Walking there I remember noticing a street light that was out. When I came to it it lit up, which was welcoming because it was getting dark. I got to the cliff and knelt down to pray. I remember saying to God "Well I'm getting baptized tomorrow and I know that what I've learned is true. I haven't asked you however and I want your decision on the matter."

I took a minute and got up. When I was walking back, there was that street light. As I passed it and made my way over the highway it went out. I though for a minute, "maybe that's the sign, he ways watching my way and giving me light." I thought little more about it a felt confident that I was making the right decision. As I walked up my driveway I suddenly felt a confirmation of the spirit that has been promised to those who seek after it. I felt in that moment a feeling that was undeniable, a feeling that to this day brings me to serious reflection and great appreciation for a loving Father in Heaven. I found myself on my knees, consumed in the spirit and love of God. I knew that my efforts were not in vain but that revelation has been and is given to those who desire a closeness to Deity. I cried for a moment, in gratitude. I then got up from my knees and went into my house and waited for the next day.

On November 20th, 1994 I was baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It was a great day and one that I use as a point of strength and courage when faced with adversity. My hope is that this post is inspiring to those who have a desire to be closer to God. I love God and I am grateful that I am a child of God.