I Will Follow You

This weekend was a very special weekend for me. I got to be a part of a few baptisms. After the first baptism I gave a talk. At the beginning of the talk I asked her how she felt. Her response: "I've never felt this good in my life." I have ran those words through my head time and time again. It was special for me to hear her say that. Baptism is such an important event. It marks the beginning of a new life as a follower of Jesus Christ. "Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." (Romans 6:4) Everyone who is baptized by priesthood authority experiences rebirth and is cleansed from their sins. This is exactly what happened to our recent convert.

Following that baptism we had another baptism. This was a young man who was 18. I got to have a one on one interview with him. He is a special kid and is going to do a lot with his life. During his baptism he spoke. While he spoke he read this poem that he wrote:

"I go through stages of obesession and depression no doubt self inflicted

the wind in my sails has all but vanised

im stuck

not up nor down here nor there

but no where

after lifetimes of self defeat from the stress i finally realize

who cares where i am or where im going

im here and i have you to help me through

then in less than a moment my sails have been filled

FULL SPEED AHEAD

but yet something is still left unsaid

even with the horizon in my midst

the past a dream forgotten

i shutter

and the seas themselves begin to quake

was it a mistake

i put my trust in you

and now the waters shake

i tremble and curse your name

even though i am the one to blame

now again

im stuck

in a rut

but...

mabye

just mabye ill ask you one more time to fill my sails take them as you will

no matter that be rough, or smooth seas

just to get another glance of the land on the horizon when my fear forsook you

my mind be the sails i ask you to fill

my heart the compass to direct me

i will follow you!"

He is a follower of Christ. He showed that by being baptized in the same manner Christ was baptized: by immersion and by someone who held the priesthood. What a sacred and holy event. I'm grateful I got the privilege to attend. These things are true, baptism is real. The authority has been restored. The examples that my brother and sister have set this weekend by being baptized has changed my life just as it has transformed theirs. I thank them.