Baptismal Challenge

When I had been in my fourth area for a few months we started teaching a part member family.  Each week we would meet in the home of the bishop of the ward to which we were assigned.  After teaching the fourth discussion about the Plan of Salvation I made a baptismal challenge to the wife, Sharon.  I tied a challenge idea that I had heard about from our zone leaders a few weeks previously.

“Before we go on," I said, "I want to stop and let you know that the feelings you are having right now is the spirit telling you that these things are true.”  Any time the missionaries are feeling the spirit, they can be confident that their investigators are also feeling it.  The spirit was very strong this night and Sharon agreed. I then started the baptismal challenge by asking her three questions based on the seed analogy in Alma 32 (read it now if you have not done so before):

1. Do you feel that your soul has been enlarged? She said yes.
2. Has your understanding been enlightened? Yes.
3. Have these things been delicious to you? She said yes, but that she wanted to learn more before she was baptized.

Then I talked about Alma comparing the word to a seed before turning to Acts chapter 2 to set up the Day of Pentacost. The people were touched by the spirit and asked the Apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Peter commanded them to be baptized and immediately 3,000 were. They didn’t wait for understanding; they had received a witness of the spirit and were baptized.

Then I asked, “Do you believe that the spirit has been testifying to you that these things are true?” She said yes. “If Peter were here tonight, what do you think he would ask you?” “To be baptized,” she answered. Now for the big one: “As servants of Jesus Christ we also would like to extend that invitation. Will you be baptized?” She said yes! I cannot put into words how excited I was.

We set a goal date for two to three weeks out. Sharon still needed to attend church twice and have the last two discussions, but I was so excited because Sharon was going to be baptized!

However, there were still some challenges ahead.  When we taught the fifth discussions, Sharon would not commit to date for baptism.  She said she wanted more understanding before being baptized.  When we taught the sixth discussion she said that she believed the spirit is testifying to her that the things we were teaching her were true but expressed her fear that if she was baptized she might not be able to stay on the pathway.

The bishop and I bore our testimonies and committed her to pray about being baptized. I told her the long version of how I received my testimony. The spirit was strong and sweet. We committed Sharon to fast and pray to know that these things are true by the next week.

The next time we met we were started by setting a tentative baptismal date.  Sharon said that she had not had any earth shaking answers to her prays, but that she also did not have any negative feelings. She said that she did feel good when she prayed. Then we showed her and her husband the video How Rare a Possession and again the spirit was strong and sweet.

Then the bishop bore his testimony and I followed with mine. I talked a little about fear and how I could understand because I was afraid of going home and even more so of marriage. I came to that realization during priesthood meeting on Sunday as we had one of those lessons on fatherhood where missionaries take mental notes for the future. I also shared with her that famous quote by Franklin Delano Roosevelt, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”

Fear was the actual roadblock and it is one of the devil’s best tools. If he can make us too afraid to press forward with faith, then he has won.  Sharon agreed to take the leap and be baptized and the ceremony finally took place a week and a half later.

Baptism is a big step, and even the most golden investigator may need a little help in making the decision to take the leap of faith.  Another investigator we taught in that same area was so golden we called him a "dry Mormon" -- just add water.  But when it came to making the decision to be baptized John started to struggle.  After teaching him the fifth and sixth discussion we had still not set a date, so all of us -- John, his friend and my companion and I -- fasted and prayed that he would know that baptism was right and that this is the true church.  The next time we met we set the date and he was baptized.