Why I am Mormon Part X

For the rest of that day I felt like I was on cloud nine and I simply could not stop smiling. As I went to bed that Oct 19th I knew that for once I had made a choice that not only was correct but that was helping me to become a better person.

I woke up on the 20th of Oct and went to church. President Clark was there to confirm me with the Holy Ghost. Bishop Donaldson was conducting the meeting and told everyone about my baptism. He then asked for a manifestation of those who were in favor of my baptism and confirmation. Well I didn't know I was supposed to raise my hand until I received several strange looks from Bishop D, President Clark and a quick whisper that I needed to raise my hand to. Just as I started to raise my hand Bishop D asked if anyone was opposed to me. Well guess what? My hand just happened to finally go up then. President Clark gave me a rather concerned look and as I looked around the room everyone else seemed to be just as perplexed as I was about this hand raising thing. Bishop Donaldson then asked me if I really meant to oppose the vote and I told him heck no and responded that I was really happy to be baptized and a member of the church.

Bishop Donaldson then announced that I was to be confirmed a member of the church and was to receive the Holy Ghost. Well President Clark and a few other men gathered around me in a circle and laid their hands upon my head. At first I was a little worried cause this seemed kind of weird but I felt a calm reassurance that all was okay. President Clark then called me by name and told me to receive the Holy Ghost. I felt a fire go from the top of my head down to my toes. I felt even more happy than I had the day before. I felt somehow different. I felt something, almost like I was reuniting with an old friend. It was almost like a comforting blanket being wrapped around me. I felt more sure and confident then ever before. It is something that I find hard to describe.

President Clark then began to talk and give me a blessing. The one thing that I remember was him blessing me to go on a mission. As I sat there listening to him talk about me being a missionary I was thinking to myself. Is he trying to blackmail me into going on a mission. I don't want to. As he continued to talk about me serving a mission I came to the conclusion he was trying to blackmail me with this blessing. Well he didn't know I had joined the Marine Corps and serving a mission was right out. I had other things I was doing and all these blessing me was talking about were going to be wasted and I was still pretty upset about what I perceived as him blackmailing me.

Bishop Donaldson then asked me to bear my testimony. Well.... I had no idea what this thing called a testimony was. Well since I didn't know what he was asking me to do I asked him as I stood there next to him at the pulpit I asked him what is a testimony. The sisters were sitting up at the front with President Clark and the other members of the bishopric and as one Bishop D, President Clark and the others on the stand looked at the sisters with a look that said why was this kid baptized without a testimony. Well I still hadn't received an answer regarding what a testimony was so once again I asked. Bishop D asked me if I had a testimony.... I said, "well I don't know if I have one... What is a testimony?" He just had this look on his face like what do I do now.

One of the sisters quickly whispered to me that a testimony was what I believed. I whispered back, "Well I believe alot of different things what do you want me to talk about." She replied, "you need to talk about God, Jesus, the scriptures and the prophet and the church being restored." Well I could do that. I wondered why they just didn't put it that simply to begin with. I then looked at Bishop Donaldson and told him I had testimony and I would love to share it.

I then started(I don't remember it verbatim but this is pretty close to what I said), "Well guys, there is a God in Heaven who is my Father and he loves me very much and he is very happy that I got baptized. God also has a Son named Jesus Christ (I still thought that Christ was the saviors last name at this point in my life) that came to this Earth and he lived here. He suffered some really bad things but he loved me and everyone enough to deal with them. Some People didn't like him very much and they crucified him on a cross. He died on that cross but three days later he came back to life." I then told them, " Jesus Christ is my savior from death and redeemer from sin. He suffered for my sins so I wouldn't have to if I chose to follow him and do what he asks. He was baptized and he did everything in his entire life right. I haven't always followed him or did things that are right but from now on I am going to try to follow his example better. I love him very much and if you guys don't know it Jesus Christ is a stud and our messiah."(It might not be eloquent but hey I had only accepted God and Jesus a few weeks before this)

I then told everyone about the book of Mormon and how it was just like the bible but that it happened in America and that it was true just like the bible. I told them I knew the church of Jesus Christ(told you I thought Christ was his last name) had been restored and that I was baptized into it the day before and that I stood speaking in it today. I then briefly talked about the prophet Joseph Smith and summarized with this statement, " Well, Joseph Smith was a pretty freaking awesome guy and a prophet like Moses or Noah and I love him to." I then started to sit down because I had said my piece. President Clark whispered to me that I was supposed to say in the Name of Jesus Christ Amen. I didn't know this so guess what I said... "guys I was just told I needed to say in the name of Jesus Christ Amen. So In the name Of Jesus Christ Amen.

I really don't remember the rest of that meeting but I just sat there with a big smile on my face. The next thing I had to get was patriarchal blessing. However with regards to this blessing I had questions regarding what President Clark said as I was confirmed.