Do You Remember?

Do you remember the day you were baptized?  I do... 

Children are born innocent. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ give parents eight years to teach their children the gospel so their children can learn right from wrong before they become accountable for their sins.

The day I was baptized my niece who happened to turn 8, three weeks before me was baptized the same day.  It was the 1st day of August the weather was perfect.  I remember the funny looking white jumpsuits we were wearing, how we laughed at the way we thought we looked.  I remember the over joyful feeling of being clean after I came out of the water.  All my mistakes were washed away and I was forgiven.  I was getting another chance.  I remember saying to myself, I am never ever going to do anything wrong again, never going to make a bad choice.  I will always mind my parents, be nice to everyone and never say anything bad.  My father used to quote scriptures when he talked with me, he was a righteous man at all times. I have remembered the scriptures and lessons he taught me many times throughout my life.  Today I am remembering this one: “And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!” (D&C 18:15–16). I never knew what that meant nor why he would say that but I think I have a little more understanding now.  

First I need to save my own soul.  

 One thing I did not have to do was walk in the hot, humid, heat a few miles during the day  so I could get baptized.  We drove in a car and it was only one block.

I admire the people that are so dedicated and excited about becoming a member of The Church of Jesus Christ and making a baptismal covenant and their willingness to do so.  

When I would take drives with my mother, she would tell me stories about her baptism and showed me where she was baptized in the creek.  I remember thinking how cool that would be to experience being baptized that way. Truth is, it doesn't matter where you get baptized as long as it is done with the Lord's authority in the correct way.  We believe that baptism is by immersion just as the Savior was baptized but today we didn't have any water in the church to fill the font and we had three baptisms that needed to be performed. Our plight is remedied quickly because there's water in the ocean and the water here in Chuuk is always nice and warm and the bottom is sandy so it's perfect. All the baptisms happened right on schedule.

“Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God” (D&C 18:9–10).
 

Our missionaries are trained to teach the gospel, to teach in an orderly, inspired manner which hopefully leads to baptism. To all missionaries, every hour is precious and must be productive. 

Our message is one of hope and love.  Our Father only wants us to return to him and he has given us the way.  We but need to take up the work first by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, repentance and then baptism.

I have made plenty of mistakes and I still do make mistakes but I believe in the Savior's promise, “Look unto me, and endure to the end, and ye shall live; for unto him that endureth to the end will I give eternal life.” 

So I may have stumbled in my journey a few times but I promise you, that there is a way back. The process is called repentance. Our Savior died to provide you and me that blessed gift. Though the path is difficult, the promise is real.  

The Lord said: “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow, 

And I will remember them no more.”

We had a beautiful day of baptisms and we are thankful for the opportunity to take part in them.  It is a wonderful blessing to be reminded of our baptism covenants and promises that we made to the Lord.