Friday, October 22, 2010

What Does Your Baptism Mean To You?

The memory of my baptism day is foggy.  I was eight years old.  I don't remember how I felt when I came out of the water or how I felt the following days.  I don't remember who spoke or who came. As I have thought back I simply remember not knowing how to get into the font and opening up the bathroom door and then seeing my Dad motioning for me to enter the water.  Since that day my baptism has come to mean so much more to me. 

This Sunday I will be teaching the Gospel Principles lesson on Baptism and thus have been studying and reflecting on my baptism and the covenants that I have made. 


As I have been preparing I sang the words to, "When I Am Baptized" which goes like this:

1. I like to look for rainbows whenever there is rain
And ponder on the beauty of an earth made clean again.

2. I know when I am baptized my wrongs are washed away,
And I can be forgiven and improve myself each day.

Chorus

I want my life to be as clean as earth right after rain.
I want to be the best I can and live with God again.

Then a memory came back into my mind.  I remember this song being sung at my baptism and I remember the feeling I had.  I remember that I truly wanted to be good.

As I prepare to give this lesson I'd love to hear "WHAT YOUR BAPTISM MEANS TO YOU"?
(I will share my answer to this question in the comments in a day or two.)

2 comments:

Michaela Stephens said...

I was also baptized when I was 8 and I remember distinctly that I felt really clean afterwards.

I also remember that my parents and grandparents all told me that Heavenly Father was proud of me for getting baptized and I couldn't understand what was so great about it because to me getting baptized was just what you do as part of choosing the right. I had never considered it an option to not get baptized.

Now that I am older, I take comfort from knowing that I have been baptized into the true church and that it makes me a citizen of the kingdom of God.

Elder Victor Moxley said...

My baptism was also when I was eight (about 13 years ago) in that time my understanding of what my baptism means has evolved quite a bit. Lately I've started to think of baptism as an action that shows my heavenly Father that I recognized that I can't get back to Him on my own, and that my faults are too great. By being baptized I show him that I'm willing to do all I can to accept His help.
It's really amazing what he offers us in return. With the guidance of the Holy Ghost, we really have an boost that guides and transforms us to be strong through Jesus Christ.
"And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them." --Ether 12:27