I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and I love practicing my religion! We view baptism a little differently than many other religions today. Baptism doesn’t take place until we are at least eight years of age, and is done by immersion.

We believe in the Lord’s eye’s little children are without sin. However, at eight years of age, children are mature enough to understand the difference between right and wrong. This is referred to as the age of accountability. We are encouraged to always keep our moral compass pointed toward heaven, because our baptismal covenants include a promise to keep the commandments and do everything the Lord asks of us. We are encouraged to live our religion every day of the week, not just on Sunday. For us, it is a way of life. As adults, it is our responsibility to teach our children from a young age about their loving Heavenly Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and the importance of keeping the commandments. By the time they reach eight years of age, they should be old enough and knowledgeable enough to choose for themselves if they want to be baptized and enjoy the blessings that come with that.

We believe that baptism is like the gate to the path that leads us home – back to our Heavenly Father. After we are immersed in water, we are immersed, or baptized again with the spirit. The second baptism comes from the Holy Ghost and is a great gift from God. This is a blessing given by the laying on of hands by someone who holds the gift of the Holy Melchizedek Priesthood. If we keep the commandments and try our best, the Holy Ghost can always be with us. He has the ability to warn us of danger and evil influences. He can comfort us when we are sad, and fill our hearts with joy when we choose to be obedient and make wise choices. If we live our lives accordingly, He can be a wonderful friend to us all our lives. For more information about our beliefs, you can learn more at www.churchofjesuschrist.org

I am grateful for the choice I made when I was eight years old to be baptized, and become an official member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I have learned how to serve others, and minister to those in need. Service is a big part of what we do as a world-wide church. We donate ten percent of our income as a voluntary contribution to help others throughout the world, including those not of our faith. As we serve, we are able to find happiness, peace, joy, comfort and guidance throughout our lives – even in the midst of trials and struggles.

Our children also made the choice to become members of our church at the age of eight. I am also a seamstress, and from an early age have enjoyed designing and making clothing. This included the blessing dresses for our infant daughters, their baptism jumpsuits and dresses when they turned eight, and their wedding dresses when they were married. Because they were baptized by immersion, I also made a white jumpsuit for them to wear for the actual baptism. Being baptized in a dress is difficult to get everything totally under the water as they are dunked quickly under the water, usually by their dad. I have kept these jumpsuits as well as their baby blessing and baptisms dresses so they can be used again. It has been fun to see the cute jumpsuit I made for our oldest daughter Stephanie used by two of her daughters so far! After the baptism, they go back to a private dressing room, and with help from their mom, change out of their wet clothing into their beautiful new dress before they are confirmed a member of the church and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Now that I am a grandmother, I have also had the blessing of sewing the blessing dresses for five of our beautiful grand-daughters, and baptism dresses for our two oldest ones. I so enjoy crafting with them, and watching their talents and abilities flourish as they grow older. Their mother’s helped in the design of their blessing dresses; however, the girls themselves were very much a part of the design for their own baptism dresses.

Oakley wanted hers to be long to the ground with pick-up tucks on the skirt. She chose the white fabric and lace, and was very particular about how she wanted the bodice to look. She helped me with the placement of the lace around the neck and shoulders, and showed me where she wanted some pearl beads sewn onto the lace. Oakley knew exactly what she wanted to accessorize her dress, right down to the type of silk flower pin we made for the waist, “dangly” pearl earrings, and her first pair of heels.

Macey also knew exactly how she wanted her dress to look, and even drew me a picture of the front and the back. She chose a champagne colored fabric with a lace overlay on the skirt. She wanted some beadwork on the belt, and so I let her look through my jar of vintage pearl and crystal earrings and pins that were my grandmother’s, and we used those to embellish the belt. She too chose her first pair of heels.

Both dresses where totally different, but equally beautiful, and fit the exact personality of these two sweet, kind, pure, and strong little girls whom I Love and adore!

I am grateful for my membership in our church, and for the blessings I have enjoyed in the many voluntary callings I have served in through the years. I am also grateful for the talents and abilities Heavenly Father has blessed me with to share with those around me. I have often said, whatever church you are a member of, just be a good one. As we do this, and focus our lives on God and His Son Jesus Christ, we will be blessed.

Love Ya, Les

Faith