02 December 2013

Letter Home to her youngest brother: Baptism in the in the river



"A nine year old convert and a boy, whose family are members, were baptized. The weather was beautiful and the water not too cold. There was a mistake when one of the boys was baptized, so he had to do the baptism again. He was submersed in the river's water twice! Just like with the sacrament you have to do it exactly as commanded."

LDS Terms in Sister Breksa's Letter:

Baptism - See November 8 post

Sacrament - We take the sacrament of bread and water to remember the promises we made at baptism. The sacrament is taken during Sacrament Meeting, one of the meetings on Sunday.  The water and bread represent the body and blood of Christ.  Unlike some churches that teach the water and bread are transformed - for Mormons they are simple symbols of profound acts of love, the suffering and crucifixion and resurrection of Christ.  We remember we can repent, we will live after we die, and that we've promised to keep His commandments. 

"...exactly as commanded" - Ordinances such as baptism and the sacrament follow exact patterns Jesus Christ set. Patterns of both exact prayers and directions. These are the only prayers that are said the same way each time. Mormons do not use rote prayers.  Both Christ's baptism and the introduction of the sacrament are in the New Testament.  The introduction of the sacrament was at the Last Supper. Jesus gave specific directions for baptism and sacrament to people in the Americas, and to modern day prophets. We read these accounts in The Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants.