It was April 14, 1982 when I entered the waters of baptism. Not many people were present, as it was in the middle of the week and in the afternoon; it was a Wednesday, I believe.

I was very happy.

After the baptism, performed by a member of the church who was a Priest in the Aaronic Priesthood, I received the gift of the Holy Ghost and was confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints by another member of the church who held the Melchizedek Priesthood.

I was on cloud nine.

What did being baptize mean to me? It meant, that all I had done in the past had been forgiven and washed away. I was going to start from scratch and, from that moment on, I had taken upon me the name of my Savior, Jesus the Christ, and promised that I would follow in His footsteps.