U win some U lose some

It is my week to teach R.S. again...
What memories do you have of your baptism or the baptisms of family members and friends?

I asked this question after reading from the "life of Joseph Smith." I had asked my mom this question and she sent me a email in response... She is a good mom!
This is the email she sent me... well the first part.

Hi, I just finished listening to your voice mail, Father said he cannot remember anything about his baptism. I told him I couldn't remember much about mine so he said I should make something up because we want to support our daughter in her teaching...

Okay, President Kimball really wanted to come to my baptism but he had this thing in Bolivia that he had to attend...

My mom pulled a funny! She then went on to tell me about some things she remembered. I am thankful for her and for her willingness to help me. No one commented at the beginning of the lesson when I asked the question. So my baptism memories, my mothers memories of her baptism and my memories of my Dad baptising Anton were some that I shared. Later on I had a few ladies comment about things they remembered.

Last week was the week I was assigned to teach and I had hoped that after Mary's blessing, in R.S. I would get some clues as to how to teach this lesson. No such luck, they were a lesson behind us, and come to find out Jody also teaches the same lessons as I do just on the third week. We were able to discuss some thing together and I was thankful for her help and also that she had struggled with this lesson and it wasn't just me.

I finally felt pretty good about this lesson as we all left for Church today.

“Baptism is a sign to God, to angels, and to heaven that we do the will of God, and there is no other way beneath the heavens whereby God hath ordained for man to come to Him to be saved, and enter into the kingdom of God, except faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, and baptism for the remission of sins, and any other course is in vain; then you have the promise of the gift of the Holy Ghost.”

When I said that those who have not been baptised cannot enter into the kingdom of God. A sweet sister put a good definition to damned. As is in stopped from progressing/flowing not going straight to hell. Thank goodness for baptisms for the dead.

To be baptized alone is nothing with out the gift of the Holy Ghost, both are vital.

One sister commented how special it was to do her mothers baptism a couple months after she had died. Another sister mentioned how she was told her oldest daughter did not need to be baptised, due to some handicaps. But like Christ not needing to be baptised she and her husband felt that she should be baptised as well and it was a very special experience.

The gift of the Holy Ghost brings peace, joy, divine guidance, and other gifts into our lives.

A visitor mentioned that baptism is a gate that opens for us and the Holy Ghost tells us and prompts us where to go, once we pass through the gate of baptism.

In February 1847, nearly three years after the Prophet Joseph Smith was martyred, he appeared to President Brigham Young and gave him this message: “Tell the people to be humble and faithful and sure to keep the Spirit of the Lord and it will lead them right. Be careful and not turn away the small still voice; it will teach [you what] to do and where to go; it will yield the fruits of the kingdom. Tell the brethren to keep their hearts open to conviction so that when the Holy Ghost comes to them, their hearts will be ready to receive it. They can tell the Spirit of the Lord from all other spirits. It will whisper peace and joy to their souls, and it will take malice, hatred, envying, strife, and all evil from their hearts; and their whole desire will be to do good, bring forth righteousness, and build up the kingdom of God. Tell the brethren if they will follow the Spirit of the Lord they will go right.”

I don't think this lesson went as well as I had hoped. There is one lady that I look to during the lesson and I base how she reacts to how the lesson is going. (not fair to her, I am sure) but she didn't comment and never looked like she has looked on other lesson when I feel they are going well. I look to her because I enjoy when she is teaching so much, I did have 4 or 5 ladies tell me they enjoyed my lesson and if they are lying it is on their heads.