Just like the last post, I feel like I've been delaying writing this because I don't have adequate words to express how I feel. On May 4th, Levi was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints by Elder Womack and was confirmed the next day in Sacrament Meeting by Elder Smith. Wow. The day was so filled with emotion for me and everyone else there and it was so beautiful. I think somewhere between 50-60 people came, though it may have been more, I wasn't exactly sure. Scott and Athena, Bonnie, Curt, Morgan and Maddie, and Laurie and Justin and their five kids came up from Utah and it was so great having them there and knowing they came at the drop of a hat. Most of Levi's immediate family was there too and they were so kind and supportive. I really am lucky that he came from such a loving home and already had such a great religious foundation. We had lots of friends from both our ward and Heather's ward come too, as well as Levi's bosses, Ryan and Curtis. It was just incredible.
Again, I'm not sure how to explain it, but seeing Levi in the water with Elder Womack was life changing. He looked so perfect and it felt so right and the two of them looked as if they had known each other for years and years, and perhaps they have, just in the pre-existence. We felt that way about Elder Smith too. When we met him, it was as if he was an old friend and we were just catching up that day.
I suppose I should give a little bit of background to Levi's decision to get baptized and my decision to return to church. Starting last fall, we decided that Hadley needed to start going to nursery at church, mainly to get her around other toddlers and to see how she could do being on her own for a little while. In the beginning Hadley did terrible and we thought that it was going to be a lost cause. Also contributing to the "lost cause" notion was the fact that we felt so behind in the Sunday school class. I haven't been active in church in over thirteen years and I loved the feeling I felt when we started to go, but I felt confused at the lessons.
In the meantime, we had started to see more of our ward friends outside of church and we found everyone to be so nice and accepting. We were told that we could try out the gospel principles class, which is more of a "beginners" class and we found that we LOVED it and it was a perfect fit for us. We have an amazing teacher and the pace is just right. Also, Hadley was starting to behave a little bit better in nursery and we started to be able to stay for more than an hour of church.
Around the end of February/first part of March, the missionaries showed up on my doorstep while Hadley was down for a nap. Elder Womack and his partner at the time, Elder Alvarado, were so nice and I found myself inviting them to dinner, much to my own surprise. Levi was totally cool with it and we had a great first couple of dinners with them. Levi said that he wasn't sure about taking the missionary discussions, but didn't want to turn it down outright.
Towards the end of March, Levi and I were working in the backyard when we heard a car pull up in the front. Levi was going to be chopping down some bushes in our front yard, so as we walked up front to see who was there, he had the machete still in his hands. I'm sure he was quite a sight for the new Elder Smith, who was stopping by with Elder Womack to say howdy. It was his first official day out and he was just a blast. Like I said before, it felt like we already knew him and we just really hit it off. Levi told them how we were going to be starting Hadley's enormous playhouse soon and they volunteered to come over the next Saturday (the day before Easter) to help us get started.(I will do a separate post one of these days about the playhouse becoming a conversion tool for Levi. It's such a fun metaphor, and I can't do it justice right now.)
Anyways, after Easter we started having Smith and Womack over regularly and we began the discussions. I think we both knew that we wanted a life in the church, but we just wanted to hear more and make sure we were clear. Heather bought us a great book called, "Mormons: An Open Book" which lays out the basic ideas and history of the church. We have devoured that book. It's been awesome and the missionaries have loved it too.
At the end of April, after an amazing discussion, the missionaries asked Levi if he'd be interested in being baptized. I think that this moment is just a little too sacred for me to share all the details, it's something that I'll probably write and keep private for Levi and me, but needless to say Levi said yes and we all, nearly literally, jumped for joy.
May 4th came quickly upon us and we found ourselves giddy with anticipation. Levi has been such a rock through this whole process and never once questioned himself or wavered in his faith. He is so solid and so confident with his decision, and I am SO blessed to be married to such an incredible man. The baptism itself was breathtaking and Elder Smith's confirmation of Levi was unbelievable. These two young men have changed our lives and we will soon be able to be sealed in the temple for time and all eternity and we owe so much of it to those brave missionaries.
I may not know much yet, (over a decade away from church will rust the brain, as well as the testimony) but I am absolutely positive, without a shadow of a doubt, that the LDS church is true and Levi and I are going to see so many wonderful things happen by returning to the gospel. We already have so much to be thankful for and we are so happy to be able to begin serving and inviting a good spirit into our homes. I do have a strong testimony of missionary work and of eternal families. I also have learned so much about what faith is and how it means to hope, not necessarily to know. I can't wait to see where this road takes us and Levi and I have never been happier.
Thank you to everyone who cheered us on from the sidelines all these years. I know that I always said I'd come back eventually, but I never thought I'd be so lucky as to have my amazing husband so excited to join me! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
**I also needed to add that Hadley now LOVES nursery, but hates going to Sacrament Meeting. Someday we'll get her to love it all!
