When Terina was baptized she asked me to give a talk on baptism. I gave the talk and afterwards my mom asked me to write it out for her and for my grandma and grandpa Bowlby. Well mom better, late than never. Please be aware mom that I don't write out my talks before I give them. This is not word for word what I said. It is simply the closest that I can remember.
Also my mom asked me how I came up with the idea for the talk. When I was considering what I was going to say I was thinking about this scripture in Mosiah. It is one of my favorite descriptions of the covenant we make when we are baptised. I love the idea of standing together and helping each other. When I was thinking of that I started to think of how that would apply to a child of eight. That is when the idea for the talk started to take shape.
In Mosiah chapter 18 verses 8-10 it reads:
8 And it came to pass that he said unto them: Behold, here are the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light;
9 Yea, and are a willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life—
10 Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you?
You might ask Terina, How can a small girl like me do these things how can I comfort those that stand in need of comfort. That seems like a very big responsibility for a small child. Well Terina you should know that in a town not far from here lived a little girl right about your age. She had brothers and sisters and every sunday she would go to church. One sunday when she went to church there was a new girl there. The new girl was not dressed in the nicest of clothes and she was a little bit shy but the little girl did not worry about any of that. The two little girls became friends.The new girl would sit with her and her family in church, The new girl would come over to her house, she would play with her brothers and sisters. As the two little girls became better friends it became easier for both of them to make good choices. The new girls family did not come to church. The new girl was the only one in her family who ever came. But she kept coming to church because she had a friend. She had a family that supported and loved her.
You should know Terina that because of that little girl you are here today, because of that little girl many of the people in this room are here today. The little girl who was the friend was your aunt Wendy. The new girl was your Grandma Char. The friendship of your aunt Wendy made it easier for your grandma to come to church. The influence of your aunt Wendy and the rest of the Bowlby's made it easier for your grandma to make good decisions.
Because of the kindness and friendship of that one little girl there have been temple marriages, children born in the covenant and children baptised. There have been missionaries out on missions and people taught and baptised all over the world. All because of the friendship of one little girl.
Never underestimate the power of one little girl to change lives. When we keep our covenants and love those around us there is no limit to the good that we can do.
