Lea,
Today is December 10, 2011 and you are going to be baptized. I am so excited for you. I was baptized 47 years ago, on November 28, 1964. It is the most important and best decision I have ever made in my life.
I want you to think for a moment about all the time and energy your parents have put into teaching you about the Savior and teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. All the Sundays they have dressed you for church and hurried to get there on time, the daily scripture studies, Family Home Evenings, songs sung by your mother as a soloist or in groups and other church service by your Dad and Mom. It's important that you understand, they did not have to do these things. It was a choice they made because of their love for the Savior and because of the blessings the Gospel has brought to their lives.
Your parents have given you this unselfish service to bless your life with a life-line that will help you all your life. That life-line is an understanding of the mission of the Savior and encouraging you to be baptized for membership in His true church and receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost. It is the most important and best decision of your life and you are making it when you are only eight years old.
I was fifteen years old when I was baptized.
While my parents wanted to be good parents, they had many difficulties in their life because they did not have the Gospel. I did not attend church or Primary, have Family Home Evening, prayers over the food, family prayers, read the Book of Mormon, know who Joseph Smith was or have any knowledge of Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost.
Someone taught me a prayer I recited every night before I went to sleep. Once settled under the covers, I remember gazing into the Heavens and wondering about God before I went to sleep. Soon my wonderings turned into personal prayers that allowed me to ask questions or pray fervently for some need. One of the things I prayed for was an understanding of who Jesus was.
I brought these pictures of the Savior because I knew you would know who He was. You might even recognize some of the stories the pictures represent. Imagine what it would be like to not know any of the stories or have any connection or feeling for Jesus.
For me, God was the creator of all the wonderful and beautiful things in my world and my protector at night. He loved me and watched over me. But the Savior and principles like repentance, the resurrection, baptism, forgiveness, covenants, eternal families, or living prophets, I had never heard of.
My understanding of the Savior came after a series of experiences that led me to attending early morning Seminary. Your Grandma April used to teach early morning Seminary here in California.
I was living in Orlando, Florida. My brother and I would ride with nine other high school students for about a half an hour in an old 1940s automobile leaving at 5:00 in the morning in the dark. We would seat four kids in the front and four in the back with one of the smaller boys laid across the laps of the four kids in the back. We sang hymns at the top of our lungs all the way.
The class was taught by Sister Vera Smith. I loved her so much and she was so good to me. Always patient when my questions interrupted her lessons, always greeting me and taking the time to talk with me. She would be waiting for us to arrive, so neat and smiling with a lesson well prepared.
I remember the boys were funny, we were sleepy on the way there, and the spirit was so strong. It was in Seminary that I finally found the knowledge of who Jesus is, His relationship to God and the Holy Ghost. And I learned all the beautiful stories about Jesus and principles of the Gospel. It was like being led out of a dark tunnel into the light. I couldn't wait to read the scriptures, pray and learn more. There were many spiritual experiences and many loving people teaching me until finally my brother and I asked to be baptized.
My parents agreed to let us be baptized. They drove us to the Stake House and we went in without them or any other family attending. But we had our ward members helping us, people fellowshipped and loved us but I remember being nervous about the water and being immersed. Everything turned out fine.
Now in just a few moments you are going to be baptized by your father, my son. Your Bapa and I spent many hours taking him to church, trying to get there on time, having family prayer, family home evenings and prayers over the food and raising him so that he would have the life-line of a knowledge of Jesus Christ and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints that he is now passing on to you.
He will lead you into the baptismal font, carefully moistening your dress as you step into the water. He will raise his arm to the square and gently lower you into the water until every part of you is under the water. You don't have to be afraid, everything will happen so quickly.
There is nothing magical about the water but the prayer is being given by someone who has the Priesthood authority to baptize because of his obedience to the principles of the Gospel, worthiness to serve, love for you, and his understanding and knowledge of the Savior and Gospel principles.
Heavenly Father knew that when we came to earth we would need physical reminders because of the physical bodies our spirits are in. The Savior was immersed by John the Baptist to be an example for us and our baptismal covenants are renewed every week during the Sacrament when we partake of the bread and water. All of this is done to help us remember that no matter what mistakes we make, we can repent, learn and do better if we have a willing heart and call upon the Savior to help us.
This is called the glorious Plan of Salvation and you are accepting this plan by asking to be baptized.
In closing I would like to bear you my testimony that this is a wonderful day for you. This decision of yours will bless your life all the days of your life. I know the story about how you prayed and made the decision to be baptized and I am so happy for you. No matter where you are, your relationship with the Savior will bless you in all circumstances. I say this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen
