It was interesting to me that all three of them expressed a sense of surprise or bewilderment at their conversion. They couldn’t quite explain how it happened, even though they were very grateful that it had. Two of them used the word *grace* to describe the unearned and undeserved gift they had so unexpectedly received.

Oh, yes. I finally understood the meaning of the word “meek” when I watched an adult’s baptism, knowing some of what he had overcome.

I wonder how many of us would be willing to be baptized as adults. Bloggers frequently take a stand that this or that gospel requirement ought to be modified to suit their convenience or conscience. Add to that the unflattering look of ruined hairstyles and wet jumpsuits plastered to shivering bodies, and being gawped at by observers standing above you, and there’s a real recipe for self-consciousness. It takes more than one kind of humility for an adult to be baptized.

Baptism is an act of humility, because it doesn’t clean you.

We’re teaching our oldest about baptism in preparation for her own. The single biggest point I want her to understand is what you say above. Water does not cleanse; the Spirit cleanses. Baptism is a sign that we want the Spirit to cleanse us. It’s the whole difference between the baptism by water and the baptism by fire.

Unless one thinks of baptism in that way (i.e., as two “baptisms”) then the sacrament prayers make no sense as a renewal of baptism. But when we realize that the presence of the Spirit cleanses us from sin, then the sacrament—”to have his Spirit to be with them”—makes sense.

Humility is in accepting that we don’t have the answers, that the answers may not be forthcoming, that it may not all wind up making sense, but in trusting God anyway.

There’s something to “becoming like a little child”.

I have an uncanny memory for things that happened when I was little (I think my memory has been filled up now, I can barely remember what happened yesterday.). So if you’ll indulge me in sharing my memories from when I was (almost) eight…

I remember learning in Primary about how the water represents being clean and how being “buried in the water” is like burying our sins and not doing them any more. But I certainly didn’t understand much more. I knew that I didn’t know the church was true, but I felt good when I said my prayers and read my scriptures and certainly hoped that it was true. I thought about how disappointed my parents would be if I told them I wanted to wait until I was older to get baptized. I thought about how my parents lived the gospel. I thought about the possibility that my Primary teacher was lying to me and decided it might be the case. I thought about the possibility that my parents were lying to me, and could not accept that possibility (despite being 99% sure the tooth fairy and Santa weren’t real). I decided to get baptized because I trusted my parents and I loved the Book of Mormon. I decided to get baptized because I wanted to know that the Gospel is true.

Recently I’ve been thinking a lot about baptism for some reason. I’ve come to realize how much symbolism is packed into such a simple ordinance – I feel like I am just now beginning to understand it! Have I found answers to questions I asked years ago, yes. And I absolutely love how the teachings and ordinances of the Gospel grow with your understanding and preparation. If I had been told of all the symbols surrounding baptism when I was eight, I would not have understood the beauty of it all.

As to why we are baptized: Aren’t ordinances for our instruction as well as our salvation?

They’ve been in the church about 8 years, and have two adopted children now. They’ve both served in leadership positions,. But both of them humbled themselves to really effect major change in their lives. It has truly been a transforming experience for them.