Edwin got baptized today! Back in October, Edwin started getting lessons from the missionaries and committed to baptism after the very first lesson with them. I am so, so, so excited for him and actually started crying/happy dancing with Allie in the elevator after that lesson. I am so excited for Edwin and the way that this is going to change his life. I know that I've posted about this before but, I am so grateful for the gospel and the way that it has shaped and led my life in a way that I would not have been able to do with out it. I love being able to see the impacts of missionary work and see how the membership of the church continues to grow.
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| "Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your heart, might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God." -Moroni 10:32 |
In order to become a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, it is necessary for an individual to become baptized by someone with the proper priesthood authority. Baptism not only grants that individual membership in the church, but also gives them the ability to reach eternal salvation and live with our Heavenly Father once again after they die. Those who are baptized enter into a covenant with God and promise Him that they will; take upon themselves the name of Jesus Christ (meaning that they will act as He would), keep His commandments, and serve Him to the very end.
Mosiah 18:8-11 says, "and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light; yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and that ye may have eternal life- Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you? And now when the people had heard these words, they clapped their hands for joy, and exclaimed: This is the desire of our hearts,”.
The first Article of Faith states, “we believe that the first principles and ordinances of the gospel are: first faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, second repentance, third baptism by emersion for the remission of sins, fourth the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost,”. The first two principles (faith and repentance) are things that we feel or do within our hearts. Having faith in the Lord Jesus Christ means that we trust in Him and Heavenly Father’s plan for us. Each of us were sent to this earth to fulfill a divine mission and to be tested and tried to see if we will be worthy to return and live with Heavenly Father again. As long as we continue to remain faithful to Him, especially when it seems too hard, He will abundantly bless us. The last two ordinances (baptism and the laying on of hands) are actions that we take in order to become closer to Heavenly Father. The covenant made at baptism is a life-long promise between you and your Heavenly Father that we never “grow out” of and the Holy Ghost is needed as a constant companion. Being baptized washes away all every single one of our sins and therefore we become clean. Heavenly Father forgives us of all those past sins. And because we are human, we will mess up and sin again and again and again. But because of repentance and the Atonement, we can start over again and again and again and Heavenly Father will always forgive us and always love us. Sometimes we think of baptism as a one-time event, which it is in the sense that it normally takes place only once in a lifetime. But the baptismal covenant is lifelong. It is meant to be remembered and lived each day until the end of our lives as we strive to become better each day.
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| Frat point game too strong |
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| PKA loves KD |
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| KD loves PKA |
Edwin, I am so excited about your decision to be baptized and I know that it will be such a blessing in your life. Even though there are going to be some road bumps along your way, I know that you can do hard things because you have a Heavenly Father watching out for you who loves you and will be there to lead and guide you if you are willing to let him. There is no doubt in my mind that we have a Heavenly Father who loves each of us more than we could ever imagine and that He wants what is best for each us. I know that He has a special plan for each of us and sent us here to the earth in order to fulfill that plan. I am grateful for the Plan of Salvation and the way that it has shaped my life and the promises that it has made me. I know that the Book of Mormon is true and that it testifies of Jesus Christ. This gospel is true and I love it with my whole heart. Read your scriptures and pray everyday.
Love, Caitie
