We've been preparing for this event for years. At eight years old, the age of accountability, children can choose to be baptized, the first step to return to their Heavenly Father one day. Conor and I have talked about this decision many times, discussing the promises he would be making and the blessings that would be available to him for choosing to follow the example of Jesus Christ. With each of my other children, I read the Book of Mormon with them before they were baptized. With Conor, we started (years ago!) but didn't quite finish yet. We'd read it together as a family, however, and he believes the Book of Mormon is true. (We'll keep pressing on until we finish, just the two of us.) He wanted to be a member of the true Church of Jesus Christ, he always says.
A month or so before the big day, his dad took some pictures for me to use for invitations:
We scheduled the baptism for Saturday, August 30th. It was helpful that it was over Labor Day weekend so that we could have family come from out of state. Lyndsay drove down from BYU, and my dad drove in from Arizona. He was going to be bringing Dylan with him, but Dylan backed out at 2am the night before they were to leave. That is a whole other story that burdens my heart.
I worked so hard to arrange all the details from getting the building opened and the font filled, to the programs, displays, and refreshments. This is my youngest child! My last baptism. Hard to believe.
His father baptized him, and his Grandpa Holiday confirmed him.
Oh, he is so dear to me. And his willingness to follow the Lord thrills my heart.
Cupcakes. I spent most of the day Friday baking and frosting them. Ten dozen!
Everyone participated in some way. Aiden, the best kind of good example and big brother, gave the opening prayer.
(Missing Caitlin, who is up in Santa Barbara at school, and Dylan.)
One of my favorite pictures of the day. Lyndsay gave the cutest talk on baptism. She also pulled out that tooth two nights before!
My dear friend Beverly came to play the piano for us. She and I have worked together in Primary since I was pregnant with Conor!
I had some of the pictures that Adam took enlarged and framed for the display table. The framed subway art was a free printable that I found on a blog. This was my gift to Conor and will hang in his bedroom.
I chose sunflowers because they always turn to face the sun, which lights the earth, and Conor's choice to be baptized was a choice to turn and face the Savior, the Light of the World.
It was such a sweet day. Little Conor is thrilled to be a baptized member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I hope he will always choose to follow the Savior.
