{ 6 Kids and a Puppy }: Brycen's Baptism

Brycen was baptized on March 3rd.

It was such a great day to share with family and friends.

Dear Jordan/Elder Soutas

On Saturday, Brycen's baptism was at 9:00 am. Jessica Yates was also baptized. It was a great baptism and I really could feel the spirit. Sis Yates gave a great talk about baptism and having our sins made clean. She wore a white shirt (over another shirt) and then as she was talking she would accidently write on the shirt with markers. She compared it to sin and explained that we can be forgiven when we make mistakes and be washed clean. I also gave a talk on the Holy Ghost and Kaitlyn helped me by explaining how the Holy Ghost helps us and that the Holy Ghost is the most important gift we can receive. One quote I gave from Elder Packer was

Missionaries sometimes think they are only to do half the work; they are to teach and then baptize by water, and that concludes their work. In many cases the other half, the teaching about the baptism of fire, never really gets done. Put the two together so that you almost forbid yourself to say “baptism” without saying “confirmation”—that is baptism of the water and confirmation and the conferring of the gift of the Holy Ghost. Get that idea in your mind with those two fixed together so tightly that, as one, it becomes part of you. Then we will not have the first half done, as is often the case at present, and the other half left undone.

Remember what Joseph Smith said: “You might as well baptize a bag of sand as a man, if not done in view of the remission of sins and getting of the Holy Ghost. Baptism by water is but half a baptism, and is good for nothing without the other half—that is, the baptism of the Holy Ghost.”

Missionaries—and parents as well—are to teach both halves: “Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins [and the] Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Articles of Faith 1:4). Make it one sentence. Fix it in the front of your minds so that when you say one, you say the other, and when you think one, you think the other. Then you will begin to feel and understand, and the promptings will come.

So it was a beautiful baptism and Brycen was so happy. (the only funny part, I will only tell you is that I forgot to pack him extra dry underwear - like you have forgotton to pack an extra white shirt! so I felt bad about that)

After we had lunch ( a very early lunch 10 am) at our house. (made some sandwiches and had some salads) It was really quiet and unusual because none of the cousins were there. Kelly and Bev are on another cruise, Matt and Kathy are training for a bike race in St George and Beckie completely forgot because she has been so involved with the legislature and had to work late until Fri Night. so we felt a little sad about that

so we invited Mike Geddes over too to make up for it :) ? Dana Geddes is out of town too. And I feed Ty Geddes many meals each week anyway. Grandma Jackie kept Mike busy clearing all of her plates away. Unfortunately, she is not doing well lately and is getting dimentia. So she will take a bite of food and then she says she's done or she'll spit out the food. It's sad to see her start to get old like this. She is 92 years old now. We try not to laugh but some of the stuff she does and says is really funny too.

Brycen was happy to receive new scriptures with his name engraved