This Made Me Cry

Last week a dear friend and neighbor of ours asked M if she would come to Relief Society and share for a few minutes her thoughts on how baptism was a fresh start for her.  My meds tend to keep me from getting too emotional, but she and the Spirit overpowered the meds affects.  I along with most of the Relief Society sisters were in tears.  I don't deserve the praise she gave me.  Seriously.

Here is her talk...

When I was baptized, I felt the spirit more fully than I had ever before. I was baptized by my brother Alex. Before I had come to live here, I had an idea that baptism was important. Since I was about five, I had wanted to be baptized. I knew that if God had given us the ability to be baptized, it must be important. I had been baptized in another church at age 9, and was surprised to learn that it was not a “real” baptism. I was happy to know that I could be baptized here. To me being baptized is like being adopted into a world wide family who loves me, as well as a heavenly family too. Before being baptized I never really thought much about being a child of God, but afterwards, I knew in my heart that I truly was a child of God. Baptism meant a lot to me, but it was also a new beginning for me.

Baptism was a new beginning for me because where I came from it was okay, even fashionable to lie, steal, shoplift, manipulate, and even use violence towards others. I came to accept and even participate in some of these activities. In foster care, you had to be very protective over what you you own. If you had a iPod, for example, you had to keep it away from the others or they would most likely steal it. Coming here, I think learning not to manipulate others and not to lie were the hardest things to fix in my life. It took years, and my mom was smart enough to not let me be baptized until I was doing well. In many ways, baptism has helped me become who I am now. With little pushes from my mom, dad, my counselor, and many prayers, I have come to listen to the Spirit more fully, be more grateful for what I have, and be more willing to give service. All because I waited for the right family to come along and adopt me.

-M

She's a sweetie.