The thing I remember about Nolan and the whole baptism thing was how hard I tried to make sure he understood what he was choosing to do. In the church I belong to (The Mormon Church), we don't believe in baptizing babies, or in signing kids up for spiritual covenants without their permission. We figure that at about eight years old they're able to recognize right and wrong, and that they might have a sin or two to repent for, and that they can grasp the concepts of redemption and salvation, and they are therefore allowed and encouraged to be baptized at eight and/or any age after that.
So in my efforts to make sure it was really what he wanted, we had lots of long talks and lessons on the subject. He must have wondered if I even wanted him to get baptized, because it was almost as if I were trying to talk him out of it. I told him he shouldn't do it unless he really believed in Jesus Christ. I told him that if he got baptized, that meant he was making big promises - he would have to choose the right (even if mom wasn't watching). I told him it meant no lying, no stealing, he'd probably have to leave home at some point to serve a mission, and he'd definately have to go to church EVERY sunday for the rest of his life!
I was totally prepared to postpone the event if he couldn't agree or commit. I'm so grateful that he could. I'm so grateful for the pure faith of a young child, and my eight-year-old's willingness to believe in an invisible being and trust Him enough to follow Him. I'm so glad Nolan said, "Yes mom! I will, I promise! Will you please let me get baptized?!" So, of course I did. And it was such a special day. One worth blogging about - even a year later :)
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