Marley's Baptism and Confirmation

January 6, 2007





Today Marley was baptized and confirmed a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
She has been anticipating this day for a long time.

We kept today pretty simple. Grandma and Grandpa Reece and Uncle Nathan came to see her baptized. Mrs. Bailey and Mrs. Porterfield, her 1st and 2nd grade teachers came to support her, as did our next door neighbors...Bob and Lucy Stephenson. Other guests included, Sis. Moore, her primary teacher, Sis. Kaelberer, the primary secretary, and her family, the Pike family, Sis. Walker (and baby Mikayla), Bro. and Sis. Westmoreland (and baby Jayden), Bro. and Sis. Gilday, Sis. Connolly, and Bro. Sepe.



I asked Marley how she was feeling and she told me, "Excited and nervous."

She was just beaming.

We had a short program before her baptism. One of her favorite songs to sing is called, When I Am Baptized, so that's what the opening song was. Marley asked Grandpa Reece to say the opening prayer, and then had Grandma Reece give a talk on baptism. Between Grandma Reece's tears and my tears, I think we could've filled the font...Once again, PMS (Proud Mom Syndrome) hits! Grandma likened the steps/rules you have to follow at the airport to get on a plane, to the steps/rules you need to follow to return to our Heavenly Father. Heavenly Father provided a way for us to return to him, and through doing our best, and repenting when we've done wrong, we can get rid of "baggage" (sin) that weighs us down and prevents us from getting "through the gate" (into heaven). She talked about baptism by immersion and that it represents the death of Jesus Christ, and his resurrection why we need to go all the way under the water before coming up.



Sis. Walker gave a small talk on the Holy Ghost using The 4th Article of Faith, which says,"We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the gospel are First, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, Second, Repentance, Third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins, Fourth, The laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost." The Holy Ghost is there to help us make the right choice, to warn us of danger, and to comfort us. By following the commandments we can always have the Holy Ghost with us. She also told Marley that each week when we take the sacrament that is how we can renew those covenants we made at baptism and be clean and pure again.
Then it was time for Marley to be baptized. She and Mike walked from the relief society room down the hall to the font. It was so neat to watch her.


As she stood waiting for the guests to get ready in the room, I talked to her and asked her how she was feeling. I could tell she was pretty nervous. Mike helped her to feel not so nervous by saying she had the easy part...He had to remember the words...so he was probably just as nervous if not more so than she was. She thought that was funny, and relaxed a lot better after that.






She walked so gently into the font, and Mike took her hand to help her get into place. It brought back so many memories...

Mike said his part then dipped her into the water and brought her back up, then looked at the two witnesses individualy for their approval. He led her to the steps and I took it from there. Mike informed me that he had forgotten his own towel as he was headed up the steps in the font, so Marley graciously shared her comfy cozy white towel. Marley was given a white dress for her birthday to wear for her confirmation, and it looked SO nice on her. It fit perfectly. She looked like a perfect little angel.
Marley and I walked back to the relief society room. She just radiated!


As Marley entered the relief society room, many people commented about how sweet and beautiful she looked all dressed in white. I'm sure I was smiling just as much as she was.
We waited patiently for Mike to come in from changing. It seemed like it took him an extra long time to change. Just as I was about to stand up to get him, he walked in. Then we did the confirmation. She was a little unsure of that part, having so many people around her, but it was nice.

The men in the confirmation circle were Mike, Grandpa Reece, Bro. Gilday, Bro. Westmoreland, and Bro. Kaelberer.


After she was confirmed, Sis. Kaelberer welcomed Marley to primary as an official member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and then Bro. Westmoreland, a member of the bishopric, welcomed her into the Stones River ward as its newest official member.
Then we sang the closing song, I Am a Child of God. Very powerful words to end a baptism with. Sis. Pike offered the closing prayer before we had our light refreshments. It was really a nice spiritual experience.

For refreshments we had chicken salad sandwiches on croissant rolls, with chips and salsa, or bean dip, and a side vegetable platter.


We know that there were many of you who really wanted to be here for this special day, and we're sorry you couldn't make it. We hope the pictures can help you feel like you were here for her special day. We missed not having all of you here...in 18 months there'll be another one so plan now! Thank you for all of your love and support. It means so much.