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For younger children, it may be helpful to summarize the following ideas:
Jesus came to John the Baptist.
When we are baptized our sins are washed away and we are forgiven. Jesus was without sin, but he still came to John the Baptist to be baptized. Why was Jesus baptized? (“And Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” [John 3:5]
Following in His footsteps.
Following in Christ’s footsteps will lead us to exaltation. Our baptism day is a special day. It is the day that we receive the first ordinance of the gospel that leads us back to our Father in Heaven. It is a happy day that should always be remembered. During the Saturday Afternoon Session of the April 2007 General Conference, Thomas S. Monson recalled, “When I was eight years of age my mother talked with me about repentance and about the meaning of baptism...I dressed in white and was baptized. I remember that day as though it were yesterday and the happiness I felt at having had this ordinance performed.” Thomas S. Monson © 2007 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.
(Ask a family member to share memories of their baptism day.)
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How can going to church help us remember our baptism day? (We renew our baptismal covenants when we partake of the sacrament. Discuss the things we should be thinking about and how we should act during the sacrament.)
Continuously immersed in the light of the gospel.
What do we need to do after we have been baptized to follow the Savior on the path to exaltation? (Discuss ideas.)
“We begin the process of being born again through exercising faith in Christ, repenting of our sins, and being baptized by immersion for the remission of sins by one having priesthood authority....And after we come out of the waters of baptism, our souls need to be continuously immersed in and saturated with the truth and the light of the Savior’s gospel. Sporadic and shallow dipping in the doctrine of Christ and partial participation in His restored Church cannot produce the spiritual transformation that enables us to walk in a newness of life. Rather, fidelity to covenants, constancy of commitment, and offering our whole soul unto God are required if we are to receive the blessings of eternity.” David A. Bednar, Saturday Morning Session, April 2007 General Conference © 2007 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. |
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Mary sat on the floor, coloring in her John the Baptist activity book, while Mother’s sewing machine quietly hummed along. “I’m almost ready to have you try on your dress.” Mother announced as the sewing machine came to a stop.
Anxiously Mary put down her crayon and jumped up. Hurrying to Mother’s side, she watched her remove the row of straight pins, before pulling the dress over Mary’s head.
“Turn around. I need to mark the back, so I’ll know where to sew on the buttons.”
Swinging around in two and a half big circles, Mary dramatically sighed with delight as she watched the full skirt billow out. Stopping with her back facing Mother she exclaimed, “Oh, Mommy. It is the most beautiful dress I’ve ever seen!”
“The most beautiful dress for the most beautiful girl!” Mother exclaimed. “Take it back off now, though. We need to go get lunch on the table. Daddy will be home soon with Grandma-great.”
“Oh! I am so glad that Grandma-great will be here for my baptism. It’s been forever since I’ve seen her.”
Mary was helping set the table when she heard the back door open. She quickly folded the last napkin and ran to meet her great-grandmother with a big hug. “Hurry quick, Grandma-great. Lunch’s ready and I want you to sit by me!” Mary said as she tugged on her great-grandmother’s hand.
“Slow down just a minute and let me look at you,” Grandma-great said. “Oh my you can’t be my little Mary, you’re way too big,” she continued.
“It really is me Grandma-great! I’m just grown-up now,” Mary said. “I turned eight-years-old on my birthday. That’s why I get to be baptized!”
Nettie laughed with amusement at her grown-up great-granddaughter. Just then Cory and Logan dashed into the room. “Woo hoo! Grandma-great’s here,” they shouted before fighting for a hugging position and nearly knocking Great-grandmother off her feet.
“You boys be careful!” Father reprimanded his rambunctious sons. “Go get washed up for lunch now. And make it fast. I’m starving!” He said before greeting Mother with a kiss on the cheek.
After lunch father shooed the “girls” out of the kitchen. Insisting that he and the boys would clean up.
“Quick, Grandma-great!” Mary said, while tugging on her great-grandmother’s arm. “You’ve got to see the most beautiful dress in the whole world, Mommy is making me!”
“If I don’t hurry, it’ll never be done in time,” Mother confessed. “There are still eight little buttons to sew on and I haven’t put the finishing touches on my talk for the baptism yet.” |
Nettie admired the dainty, white dress, “You are such an excellent seamstress, Margaret!”
“Thank you, Grandma,” Margaret expressed before giving her Grandmother a peck on the cheek. “But you know it’s just because I had an excellent teacher!”
“You’ve far outdone your teacher. I can however, still sew on buttons,” Nettie said. “Just give me a needle and some thread and you go finish up your talk.”
Mary sat close to her great-grandmother while she sewed the tiny pearl buttons onto the baptism dress. “Grandma-great! Mommy says that I’ll remember my baptism day forever. Is that true? Can you still remember the day you were baptized?”
Nettie smiled. “My, yes! Seems like only yesterday, instead of seventy-eight years ago,” she stated. “It was a cold January afternoon. I wasn’t baptized in a baptismal font either.”
“Were you baptized in a river? Just like Jesus?” Mary asked.
“Not a river, but close. I was baptized in Cedar Lake.” “My mama told me I should wait until spring. After the ice had melted ’cause I might catch a nasty cold. But I was determined not to wait,” Nettie confided. “So, Papa cut a big hole in the ice...”
Mary sat wide-eyed as her great-grandmother recalled the memories of her special day.
Mary looked in awe at her great-grandmother, who seemed to be glowing.
“When we climbed out of the water and onto the banks, Mama had tears rolling down her face. She wrapped her best quilts around us,” Nettie continued with a far away look in her eye. “Then Papa told me how proud he was of me and how pleased God in Heaven was with me too! Just like He had been pleased with His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ!”
“Did you catch a cold?” Mary asked curiously.
“Not even a sniffle!” Nettie then looked deep into Mary’s eyes. “You know, Mary! After you’re baptized, you get a clean, peaceful feeling,” she said as she gave Mary’s hand a squeeze. “But the best part is,” she promised, “You can keep that feeling of peace, every Sunday, as you partake of the sacrament and renew your baptismal covenants with God.”
by Margie Nauta Lee © 2007 Living Scriptures, Inc. |
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Activity: Younger children will need help from an older sibling or parent.
1. Explain: When we are baptized our sins are washed away. Jesus was without sin, yet He was still baptized.
Ask: Why was Jesus baptized? (To be obedient and so He could return to live with Heavenly Father.)
Read: “And Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” (John 3:5 )
2. Ask: Who Baptized Jesus? (John the Baptist.)
Ask: What authority did John have to baptize? (The priesthood.) Ask: How was Jesus baptized? (By immersion in the Jordan River.)
Ask: What does baptism by immersion mean? (To be baptized by going completely under the water.)
Demonstrate: Use the Jesus and John figures to demonstrate baptism by immersion.
3. Ask: Do we need to be baptized to return to live with Heavenly Father? (Yes.)
Ask: Who came to Joseph Smith and taught him the correct way to baptize andrestored the Aaronic Priesthood to the earth? (John the Baptist.)
Ask: How are we baptized? (Just like Jesus; by immersion; by a man who holds the priesthood.)
Demonstrate: Use the young boy and priesthood holder figures to demonstratehow we are baptized like Jesus. If desire don’t completely immerse the boy and explain how the baptism has to be redone if this happens.
Explain: Heavenly Father was pleased with Jesus when he was baptized; “ And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17).
Ask: Is Heavenly Father pleased with each of us when we are baptized? (Yes.)
Share: Have family members who have been baptized share memories of their baptism day. |
What you need:
A copy of the “I Will Be Baptized Like Jesus” activity for each child
(artwork included with this lesson), scissors, glue, (2) brads & card stock.
Preparation:
1. Print out the artwork.
2. Glue artwork to card stock.
3. Cut out artwork.
4. Cut out circles (paper punch works well for this step) and long dotted lines.
5. Place figures through slit in backgrounds (see image) and secure with brads.
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1. Watch chapter 10 from the animated Complete Learning System, John the Baptist DVD. (Video clip is also provided for viewing online.)
2. Sing together: Children’s Songbook #100 “Baptism.”
3. When we are baptized our sins are washed away and we are forgiven. Jesus was without sin, but he still came to John the Baptist to be baptized.
Why was Jesus baptized? (“And Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” [John 3:5] )
4. What authority did John have to baptize Jesus? (The priesthood.)
5. How was Jesus baptized? (By immersion in the Jordan River.)
6. What does baptism by immersion mean? (To be baptized by going completely under the water.)
7. Do we need to be baptized like Jesus? (Yes.)
Following in Christ’s footsteps will lead us to exaltation. Our baptism day is a special day. It is the day that we receive the first ordinance of the gospel that leads us back to our Father in Heaven. It is a happy day that should always be remembered. During the Saturday Afternoon Session of the April 2007 General Conference, Thomas S. Monson recalled, “When I was eight years of age my mother talked with me about repentance and about the meaning of baptism...I dressed in white and was baptized. I remember that day as though it were yesterday and the happiness I felt at having had this ordinance performed.” Thomas S. Monson © 2007 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.
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8. Ask a family member to share memories of their baptism day.
9. How can going to church help us remember our baptism day? (We renew our baptismal covenants when we partake of the sacrament. Discuss the things we should be thinking about and how we should act during the sacrament.)
10. What is a covenant? (A covenant is a two way promise. When you make a covenant with Heavenly Father, you agree to do certain things and He agrees to do certain things.)
11. What is the covenant we make at Baptism? (We promise to take upon ourselves the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and always remember Him and keep His commandments.)
12. What does Heavenly Father promise if we keep our part of the Baptismal Covenant? (Heavenly Father promises to give us that we will have His spirit to be with us, to forgive us when we repent and to let us live with Him again forever.)
Quote:
“Baptism is the beginning of a new life for each one of us, a life of purpose.”
Dwan J. Young, Ensign, Nov 1984 © 2007 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. |
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