By Dayton Dangel

Our eighth grade students were confirmed at Community Lutheran Church campuses in Escondido and San Marcos on Sunday, May 19th.  In case you missed it, we are posting twelve of their testimonies here on our church blog.

Hello, my name is Dayton Dangel. My parents are Dayton and Maria Dangel, and I have one older sister, Laura. These people have supported me my whole entire life in my faith and they were all there when I was baptized on June 17, 2001 at Light of the Valley Lutheran Church by Pastor Bob Stevens. To me, my baptism means who I am, the way that I was brought up, and those who supported me in my journey so far. The Holy Spirit guides me daily and helps me to talk about Christ and my Lutheran belief to my friends without having me worry that I will say the wrong thing and if I will be able to answer their questions. This kind of ties into Matthew 28:18-20, which tells us to talk to people daily about God and show them His works and ways and also to teach them His commands. I know that through baptism I inherited grace and forgiveness, and that if I mess up I will be forgiven by God no matter how large of a sin I commit. Just as it says in Acts 2:37-38, I know that if I repent and am baptized I will receive the gift of forgiveness and the gift of the Holy Spirit. I face many challenges daily some even just simple tasks like talking to or defending my faith and I deal with them by praying before engaging in conversation in my daily life.

Although the present is very important to me because it will decide what my future holds, the future matters just that much more to me. The same applies to my baptism in that it matters daily, but it means so much more to me because I know it will be there with me in my future. I’m not quite sure where I see myself in 10 years from now, but if I’d have to say I guess I see myself being either an animal farmer or a neurologist. The animal farmer idea comes not only from the very agriculturally diverse town that I live in, but my hobby of raising pigs for the Del Mar Fair. My idea to be a neurologist comes from the fact that my grandpa died from a brain tumor which never let us meet on earth but I know that through my faith in God one day I will meet my grandfather in heaven one day.

My baptism will most definitely shape and mold my future. It will keep me very involved in the church in the future and will help to keep me near to God in the future despite the temptations I will have. I know that through baptism and if I believe that God sent His only begotten son down to earth to be crucified to save us from our sins that one day when my time has come my soul will be lifted into heaven. This ties into Romans 8:18-27 in that our earthly suffering isn’t comparable to what Jesus went through and isn’t comparable to the amount of relief and joy that heaven will have for us.  Writing this essay hasn’t only made me realize how important baptism is but it also has made me realize how it helps me daily, which is one thing that I take advantage of every day. My baptism means a lot to me; who I am, how I have been brought up, who has supported me on my journey and what the future holds for me in my walk with Christ.