Three decisions have been pivotal in my life.

The first was my decision to be born.  Contrary to what the world will tell you, this is a decision that I made.  People in the world are fond of saying, “I didn’t ask to be born,” but like in many other life choices that they make, they’re wrong.  They did ask to be born, and, I believe, even had a voice in choosing the circumstances.

The second pivotal decision was my choosing to be baptized.  I was nearly 20 years old when I chose to repent of my sins and to make eternal covenants that would govern my behavior thereafter.  I’m grateful that I’m a convert so that I can properly appreciate the gravity of these covenants.  I’m grateful that I have a former life to which I can compare what I now have.  In this I have an advantage over those who were baptized at the age of eight, and who didn’t have a full understanding of what it was that they were doing.

On the other hand those who were baptized at an early age did not experience the tremendous risk that I underwent by waiting so long to find the truth.  Through my blind and unguided actions I might have forfeited the opportunity to recognize and accept the truth when it was offered to me.  Those who were fortunate enough to be baptized at the age of eight, when they reach the age of 20, are far ahead of me when I was that age.  I’ve been playing catch-up all my life.  I never attended Primary or seminary or Young Men’s or became a scout or an Eagle Scout or was comfortable standing and speaking before groups or had any idea of who I was or of what my potential might be.

But I am a convert, and I have a former life and memories that were unguided, depressing, and undesirable.  I consider these memories to be as big an advantage as the head-start is that those have who were baptized as children.

The third pivotal decision of my life was choosing to be married in the temple.  My choice of a bride, and having her sealed to me in the temple, has made all the difference.  This decision has opened future worlds and vistas that are unimaginable.  Even if that were not the case, if heaven was to prove to be nothing more nor less than what I now have, I would be eternally satisfied.  The past 47 years of life with this amazing person has been heaven.