Baptism

It has been a great Sunday.  We went to church together as a family (-Dad)  Enjoyed a yummy dinner of candied chicken, rice, veggies, and strawberry cheesecake.  Jay was put in as bishop of a student ward at Snow.  I had time to read some blogs.  And now my little ones are tucked all snug in their beds.  

As I listened to Isaac's prayers tonight he thanked Heavenly Father for the opportunity to be baptized.  He turns 8 in March and will be baptized March 28.  (please mark your calenders).  After his  prayer he said , Mom, I haven't felt this way about baptism before.  I feel excited.  When I think about getting baptized I feel really good inside and happy.  That made me happy.  I told him to remember this feeling.  It is the spirit letting him know that being baptized is the right thing to do and to always remember this feeling because it is how the spirit lets us know that something is good and true.

I, too, have been thinking a lot about his baptism.  There are so many things I want him to know and understand.  We as mothers have such a sacred duty to prepare our children for  batism, for the age of accountability, and for the gift of the Holy Ghost.  Because our children can not be influenced by Satan  before the age of 8, this is a preparation period.  This is a golden time to be teaching out little ones and preparing them.  It is a huge responsibility and yet quite do-able.  Michelle Stone (Celestial Education) says that these first 8 years is our opportunity as mothers to be like the Holy Ghost for our children. This makes so much sense to me.  We are there with them, loving, teaching, nurturing.  We can comfort.  We can testify.  We can teach them right and wrong, true and false, good and bad.  We can teach them obedience, joy of  service, and how to recognize the  spirits promptings in their lives.  If we do our job well then they will be prepared to be guided by the Holy Ghost.  They will be quick to follow promptings and to recognize truth and right.  They will know to avoid dangers and temptations as the Holy Ghost warns them just as their mother warned them of dangers around them.

I have seen Isaac changing right before my eyes as he is learning to think things through, make decisions, accept consequences.  He seems more aware of others, thinking of their feelings.  They say the brain stops growing around the age of eight.  There are certain, needful things in place by this time and although we obviously continue to learn, grow, and develop, we have everything we need to make decisions and be accountable for those decisions.  Heavenly Father is so amazing and I am grateful to be a witness again to the wonder of a child preparing for baptism.