Jared's Baptism

Jared turned 8 in February and on March 1st Joe baptized him. I can now repeat to Jared the refrain I heard from my mom in all my growing up years, and, I must admit, I still hear: “I’m too young to have a child your age.”

I remember my own baptism: who came, the heart locket my parents gave me, and missing part of the film on the Holy Ghost because I put my baptism outfit on wrong – which I realized as soon as I sat down on the bench in the chapel, or rather, tried to sit down – and had to go change it to the zipper going up the front instead of the back.

Jared’s 4 grandparents, 4 of his 6 great-grandparents, many aunts, uncles, cousins, and family friends attended his baptism. Ruth’s mother gave Jared a journal to celebrate his baptism. Jared wrote about his baptism (his first and only entry so far) by talking about how he recorded cartoons in the morning – so he could watch them after his baptism (he made a good choice by choosing to go to his baptism instead of staying and watching cartoons) – he also names all the people who came, and then he ends his entry by saying, “I am thankful to be baptized. I love it. But the water was cold.”

I love watching my children make good choices. “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.” I suppose I could say I’m glad I’m old enough to have a child Jared’s age.

We took this picture at our house after Jared's baptism

Jared stands with 8 of his 10 grandparents. Left to right: Great-Grandma and Grandpa Whitehead, Grandma and Grandpa Bryan, Grandma and Grandpa Whitehead, and Great-Grandma and Grandpa Ivie.