Baptism Preview

Last night our Primary hosted a Baptism Preview for the primary children who are turning 8 this year and their families.  We offered quite a bit to the children and families to help them prepare for the childrens' upcoming baptisms.  As Rachael said, "It's a budget killer, but it's nice to spend generously on the most important event."  That said, we focused our efforts on the most important things....the handouts and the dinner.  I'm thankful for the cohesive group of women I'm serving with in the primary that made such a nice event really special, and a pleasure to help put together.

We had 20 adults and 22 children in attendance.  We served chicken fettuccine alfredo (Lee's yummy dish), salad, garlic bread, and the children brought their favorite dessert.  The food was really good...a diet killer.  We gave the kids binders (Lee did an awesome job) filled with information for baptism day as well as a journal for them to record information and their feelings about their baptism and confirmation.  I made a fishing game as a family home evening baptism/confirmation teaching tool.

The program included comments from the bishop on the baptism interview, a tour of the baptismal font and dressing rooms, talks on baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost, and brief introductions to the Faith in God program.

I gave the talk on the Holy Ghost and I thought I'd post a story I shared, partly so I'm sure to have it documented somewhere....

When I was 16 or 17 yrs. old I got a phone call from my mom.  She calmly said, "Becky, I've been in a car accident.  Jonathan (my brother who was about 6 or 7 yrs. old) is with me.  We're at the high school.  We're o.k.  Will you call dad and come pick us up?"  Being the dramatic teenie bopper I was, I started crying and essentially lost my mind.  I couldn't think of how to reach my dad, but I did remember our dear friend, Doney's phone # (I think I still know it by heart), so I called her.  Hardly able to speak between hysterics and sobs, I somehow gave her my mom's message.  She contacted my dad.  I hopped in our yellow Thunderbird and drove to the high school.  There were 4 lanes on the road in front of the high school.  Three lanes were blocked off by the police.  There was a fire engine, ambulance, and there were several police cars there.  Paramedics were loading the passenger of a small sedan into the ambulance.  I looked toward the high school, and there was our minivan just a foot or so from the principal's office.  The driver of the sedan was going about 40 mph, and because he was busy fiddling with his radio he didn't see my mom in front of him.  He rear-ended our minivan which started what my brother Jonathan described as "a ride he didn't want to go on again."  On impact, my mom turned the steering wheel to avoid traffic in front of her.  The van miraculously missed a light post as the minivan caught air and then bounced along the front lawn of the high school, coming to a hault just a foot or so in front of the principal's office.  I cried at the sight and worried for my mom and brother.  As I drove closer I saw my mom and brother standing on the sidewalk with our home teacher, Br. Sherrill.  Suddenly all of the anxiety I felt was lifted, and I felt calm, not because I saw that my mom and brother were o.k., but because it was obvious to me that the Lord had been looking out for them by sending Br. Sherrill, to offer support and help.  Turns out Br. Sherrill jogged on a regular basis.  He had a certain path that he always took, but that day he felt directed by the Spirit to go by the high school.  He taught me a great lesson that day, which I passed on to the children at our Baptism Preview.  I taught the children that the Holy Ghost can be our guide to lead us to safety, to lead us to help those in need, and to lead us back to our Heavenly Father.

"And now, verily, verily, I say unto thee, put your trust in that Spirit which leadeth to do good—yea, to do justly, to walk humbly, to judge righteously; and this is my Spirit." -D&C 11:12