Three Years and Counting...

I asked my husband yesterday if he knew what day tomorrow was.  Startled and afraid he had missed an important date, he scoured his brain for an answer.  He looked at me with pleading eyes of guilt as he realized he had not a clue what I was talking about.  After a few minutes, he seemed proud that he knew what day it was.  "You went through the Temple?" he asked, partly declaring it, partly questioning it.  "No!" I exclaimed, pretending to be outraged at his ignorance.  Inside, I secretly smiled a little, knowing if he knew it was near the date I went through the Temple (two days before we got married), then he definitely would be able to figure it out.  I was wrong.  He struggled with other potential answers, but it took him a while.  He did finally get it.

Three years ago today, I was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Aka, I became Mormon.  It seems like forever ago.  My life before seems so distant now.  I do remember everyone doubting me.  Questioning me.  Wondering why I couldn't just join some other less stringent church.  I remember hurtful accusations of whether the Church would even allow me to join.  I remember difficult lifestyle changes which were made.  I remember friendships that were affected.

I'm not the same person I was three years ago.  In some ways I'm better, but more importantly, I'm trying now.  I was a good person before I joined the Church, but I'm trying to be even better now.  Even though the obvious changes in my life from an outsider and a lot of my old co-workers was that I no longer partied the same, consumed alcoholic beverages or partook of inappropriate workplace discussions, the meaningful changes are those of more patience, humility, and hope in my life.  I'm still bitter about certain things, but they are lightened with the light of Christ.  I'm still realistically pessimistic about other such things, but I am now optimistically realistically pessimistic about it. But at least Mormon Daisy is no longer a paradox.

Three years and counting.  Seems like yesterday when this happened.

Excited right before...

Here's me with Bishop and Sister Price after the baptism