A Mormon Baptism

On January 14, 2012, my nine year old granddaughter, Alyson, was baptized. She is my first grandchild to become a Mormon. Now four generations of my family have belonged to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

Some of you may not have attended a Mormon baptism before. I've decided to post some photos so that you can see the ceremony. The photo below shows our family waiting in the church's lobby for the ceremony to begin.

Before her baptism, Alyson took lessons about the church from two LDS missionaries, Elder Lopez and Elder Bailey. Mormons believe that children should be at least eight years old to be baptized. That way, the child is old enough to decide for himself/herself if he/she wants to follow Jesus Christ.

My parents and I joined the LDS church circa 1975. Typically, Mormon men baptize their own children. Since my father was baptized the same day I was, my family was baptized by LDS missionaries. I was a single mother when my daughters, Kristina and Kandice, were eight years old. Since I did not have a husband to baptize my little girls, they were baptized by LDS missionaries. Alyson's mother, Kristina, is also a single mother. We decided to keep the family tradition and have Alyson baptized by a missionary. Alyson was baptized by Elder Avery Bailey of Castle Rock, Colorado.

Mormons believe in baptism by immersion. The entire body must be immersed in the water. The missionary gently guides the new member backward into the water until the new member's body is submerged. During my baptism many years ago, my foot rose until my toes peaked out of the water. Church officials said I had to be re-baptized, so the missionary guided me back into the water. My foot rose to the surface again. I had to be baptized three times before my body was completely immersed. I've always thought that this happened because I have a rebellious spirit. LOL.

Fortunately, this did not happen with Alyson. She only had to be immersed once because her spirit is so sweet. She said the water in the baptismal font was warm. After her baptism, Alyson's spirit was the cleanest she will ever be.

When a person joins the LDS Church, he or she wears a white jumpsuit for the baptism ceremony. The man baptizing the new member also wears a white jumpsuit. White symbolizes purity; the jumpsuit encourages modesty. Only men can baptize new members because men hold the priesthood. Women do not. Men and women have different roles in the LDS Church.

After Alyson's baptism, several church members joined our family for a small celebration. We prayed and sang hymns.