Talmage Gets Baptised

We've looked forward to this day for SOOO long. For years we've been wondering is he really going to be mature enough? Are WE going to be mature enough? Will we be the only family that has a botched baptism? What if he suddenly becomes afraid of water or decides to be agnostic? Have we covered all the rights and wrongs? Does he understand what a church is and that he's joining it?

We've followed the Dad Hale plan of half-asleep early morning scripture study--grateful for the inanimate postures, hoping it's all sinking in. Following others examples, we've been working for the past year on the Articles of Faith and made it to #12. We've also reviewed the 10 commandments (amazing how those 10 seem to be the answer to just about every problem you could imagine.) And we've definitely covered repentance as we all make mistakes around here and have plenty of opportunities to practice saying sorry.

Still I've been worried. My neighbor, a mother of five boys, told me she'd felt the same way, especially with their first. She has a son just two months older than Talmage. She said it was amazing to watch how in the last month before he turned 8 he started to understand more sophisticated jokes and abstract concepts. So I've been watching for differences in Talmage.

Which brings me to a story. A month ago our ward had Ward Conference and our Activity Day girls made the bread for the sacrament: Amish Friendship Bread. Clint told Talmage, "Tal, we're going to have special Amish bread for sacrament today. What do you think of that?" Tal said, "Jesus doesn't like slavery." What?!? We were so confused, not only by Tal's comment, but I have to admit by the bread. It had a brown sugar and cinnamon crust. I was so distracted trying to think what the possible symbolism of this could be. After church I asked Talmage what he meant by "Jesus doesn't like slavery"? He said he was trying to think about Jesus during the sacrament but it is really hard, so he thought about that Jesus doesn't like slavery. I laughed to myself that Talmage's answers to questions don't neccessarily have anything to do with the question. We often talk to him about "staying on topic." It wasn't till later reflection that I realized I was the one who was off topic. My mind really wasn't where it was suppossed to be during the sacrament because I was too busy thinking about that cinnamon crust! The next Sunday as we drove into the church parking lot I reminded the boys to think about Jesus during the sacrament. Tal punched the air and said, "Yes! I'm going to do that!" He inspires me. He has many sweet ways, a pure faith and a smile of pure joy. (And on an unrelated note, the Amish Friendship bread was AWESOME.--Clint)

The Baptism went very well. It was a small intimate gathering, with lots of squirmy boys (ours). We were happy that our neighbors, the Wery’s, who are not members, came. When Tal was baptized he came up and splashed the water and said, “Awesome! I wanted to do that!” When Uncle Joey spoke about the Holy Ghost, Tal raised his hand and indicated that he’d felt it earlier that day, when watching a movie about Jesus’ life. It was such a sweet day for our family.