19 Years
On 31 August, 1991—nineteen years ago today–I stepped into the waters of baptism and witnessed unto my Savior that I was willing to follow Him. It’s been a long road since then, and I’m constantly falling short of that lofty goal. Still, I really am trying to become more like Him, and I guess today is a great day to recommit to that attempt. Back when I was a full-time missionary in Spain (1995-1996), my life was very much devoted to God’s work. I didn’t watch television; the only music I listened to was hymns and classical works; and I spent somewhere between 1-2 hours per day, studying the word of God. It was as a missionary that I finally made it through the Book of Mormon for the first time (though I started it long before my mission, studying it probably too intently to be worthwhile), and as a missionary that I learned so much about the practical application of Christ’s teachings. In two years of service, I never once had the blessing of a baptism in the area I was serving in,