My daughter is turning 8 in March. She will be eligible to be baptized in April. I want her to understand why she should be baptized and not just do it because her friends are or because we want her to be. For Family Home Evening this week, we choose to focus on BAPTISM. B=Baptism. Why do we get baptized? 1. Its a commandent we must obey to reach the kingdom of heaven. Jesus was baptized and gave us our example to follow. 2. We are baptized to become a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 3. We are baptized to show obedience. 4. It is a necessary step to salvation. I'm sure you can think of other reasons. A=Alma Alma describes how we should feel before we are baptized. Mosiah 18:-8-11. We should want to be part of his church, want to help others around us, stand as a witness of God. We should not feel like we want to do it because our friends are being baptized or because our parents want us to. It should be something important to us. P=Partake of the Sacrament Partaking of the sacrement reminds us of our baptismal covenants and helps to keep us on the right path for the next week. We think about Christ and the sacrafice he made for us in order for us to have eternal life. T=Turn 8 Years Old By the age of eight we are old enough to understand right from wrong. We are able to be responsible or accountable for our choices. We are able to repent when we do something wrong. God does not expect you to be perfect. He knows you will make mistakes as you learn and grow. But if you will try your best and repent when you do something wrong, you show your love for your Father in Heaven. I=Immersion We have been taught that when we become eight years of age we should be baptized like Jesus was so we can enter the Kingdom of God and live with our Heavenly Father and Jesus again. Baptism is so important that even Jesus was baptized. We follow his example. You will be baptized as Jesus was, by immersion, that is covered completely with water. You will be baptized by the same authority as Jesus was. By being baptized we show Jesus that you love him and want to serve him. S=Sins Washed Away When we are baptized, we arise from the water clean and pure. Although we will make mistakes, we can become clean again by repentance. M=Make Covenants When we are baptized, we make a covenant with God. That means we make a promise to him and He promises us something too. We promise to 1. Take upon myself the name of Christ. We will try to follow Jesus' example and do what Jesus would want us to do. 2. To bear other's burdens, that they may be light. 3. To stand as a witness of God at all times, in all things, in all places, even until death. 4. To remember that I belong to Heavenly Father's church. 5. To obey the comandments of God and to serve Him. Heavenly Father and Jesus promise me 1. to accept each worthy person as a member of His church adn kingdom on this earth. 2. To forgive me my sins if I repent and ask of God. 3. To give me the gift of the Holy Ghost and to allow me my free agency in actually receiveing the Holy Ghost. You can choose to live your life with the marvelous help of this influence. 4. To bring you into the kingdom of God in Heaven, if you remain faithful and obedient for all your earthly life.
