Spring in Provo: 4/23

Saturday was Oliver's baptism day.  It was an event just for family.  Dorothy spoke to us about baptism.  She had cut out footprints and talked about how baptism was one step on the path back to Heavenly Father.  It was interactive and very clear for the little ones to understand.

Scott, his dad, then baptized him.  I loved seeing all the cousins press up against the glass of the baptismal font to watch.

While Oliver dressed, I led all the cousins in singing, "I Am a Child of God."  It was sweet and simple. I love hearing little voices sing that song.

After Oliver was ready, Annee came up to speak about the gift of the Holy Ghost.  She talked about how before we came to earth, we lived with Heavenly Father.  When we were born, we forgot everything.  At one point she said, "The best part about all of this (meaning this life) is that we get to go back."  Heavenly Father gave us the gift of the Holy Ghost to help us return to live with Him and Jesus again.

The room was filled with love and many, including me, had tears in their eyes.  I got a glimpse of what heaven would be like.  I felt like I was seeing the souls of each person in the room, rather than the personalities.  Stephen was on my lap and I saw his too.  It was perfect and good.  All little children are perfect and good.

Scott then confirmed Oliver a member of the church.  It is in that confirmation that Oliver received the gift of the Holy Ghost.

I'm so grateful for the guidance of the Holy Ghost.  It is present everyday in my life, mostly in small ways.  But it's been there for me in many big, life-altering ways too.  Had I not listened to its still small voice in those times, perhaps I would be living a very different life.  And I wouldn't want to be anywhere else but here with Steve, Mei Li, Stephen, and Mi Na.

Scott then bore his testimony to Oliver and then John, the patriarch of this whole clan.  The closing hymn was "I Know That My Redeemer Lives."  When it was all over, I felt overwhelmingly blessed to be a part of such a wonderful, faithful family.

My thoughts turned to my own parents who converted to the church when they were in their twenties.  They started the legacy of faith and now have six faithful children and fourteen grandchildren who are being taught to love and serve the Lord.  We are so blessed to be a part of that too.

That day is a memory that I will always treasure.