When I am Baptized...

It was a big day at our house:  One child got electrocuted, one got welts all over his arm and one got baptized!  We keep it lively at our house, folks!  

Today really was a very special day for the Hunter Family:  our vivacious Daphne Faith chose to baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints!  We are so happy for her, and so grateful for all the family and friends who came out to support her today!  

Unfortunately, our camera was dead and I got so busy during the whole program that I forgot to take any pictures other than this one:  Here they are just before the start of the service:  

(In this pic, Daphne is wearing the dress that she wore in the water.  The other dress is the one she wore for the remainder of the service.)

 Fortunately, we were able to go the the Open House for the new Brigham City Utah Temple last week, where Matt's talented sister, Raegan, took some beautiful pictures of her in her baptism dress!  Sooo... there is something lovely for you to look at during my post after all! 

 Honestly, I realize that there is a lot of social expectation involved when a child is baptized at the age of eight.  For the most part, they have only been exposed to the beliefs of their family and that particular church.    With that in mind, it has always been important to me that our children feel that being baptized is a choice for them. It's not an easy task, but we try.  Several months before our older children turned eight, we began focusing family home evening lessons on baptism.  We spoke of how when she turns eight, she'll be old enough to make the choice to be baptized or not.  Earlier in the year, she felt nervous about the whole process... about the water and the mechanics of the ordinance itself.  But the more that she learned about baptism and the sweet blessings involved, the more I watched her begin to anticipate the event.  We went over scripture stories and teachings; we talked about how Jesus was baptized, not because he needed the saving ordinance, but to set an example for each of us to follow.  We shared our own feelings about Christ and His atonement with her and we shared with her many verses from the Bible and the Book of Mormon.  One of those is found in Alma 7, verse 14:

• " ... therefore come and be baptized unto repentance, that ye may be washed from your sins, that ye may have faith on the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world, who is mighty to save and to cleanse from all unrighteousness."

 So, knowing how brilliant she is and how often we have shared these truths with her, I shouldn't be surprised that when her Aunt Raegan spoke at her service today and asked,
 "Why do we get baptized?", that she would answer,
 " So that we can have our sins washed away."

 Nonetheless,  my tears spilled over.  I suppose that John was more correct than I ever before understood when he wrote:

• "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth."  (III John 1:4)

 You are so right, my Daphne girl.  I was so blessed to sing at your service today.  My heart almost burst as I watched you step into the font with your Daddy, promising to take the name of Christ upon you and always remember Him. And just as I said to you today after you came out of the water, You are clean!  Precious and forgiven.  But you will make bad choices again.  There will be mistakes and sins.  But through the power of Jesus's atonement, you can be forgiven!  Every Sunday, when you take the bread and water, you renew the covenants made today and you can be just as clean as you are right now.  

 The opening song at Daphne's baptism is a favorite of my girls!  Here is a video of them singing it... with a few word mix-ups :)

I like to look for rainbows, whenever there is rain.

And ponder on the beauty of an earth made clean again.

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.

I know when I am baptized, my wrongs are washed away

And I can be forgiven and improve my life each day

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.

So when we came home and had a wonderful Texas BBQ feast with all our family and friends, after her little sister electrocuted herself by sticking a bobby pin in the outlet, after my "prophecy" about bad choices and repentance was fulfilled when Daphne left about 24 little round welts on her brother's arm by slapping him with a dollar store beaded necklace, and after a glorious Texas-like rainstorm, it was perfect to look out the window and see this:

What a perfect end to a Baptism Day!  We love you to the moon and back, Daphne Faith.  We are so thrilled with your choice today and can't wait to see what God has in store for you!