In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, getting baptized is one of the most important days of your life. If you’ve been invited to someone’s baptism, it’s because they want to share this moment with you.
So what exactly is an LDS Baptism and what can you expect when attending one?
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What is an LDS Baptism?
An LDS baptism is looked at as a promise between God and the individual being baptized. The person being baptized is promising to follow God’s commandments and do their best to make good choices throughout their life. The individual being baptized will be fully immersed in water as part of the baptism. This is a representation of them being forgiven for their sins, or “washed clean.”
After the baptism, the individual will receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints believe that the Holy Ghost acts as a guide to help them to make good choices and understand God’s will for them. The baptism and gift of the Holy Ghost go hand in hand.
Depending on the baptism, this may happen right after they come out of the font and change into dry clothes, or it might happen at church the next Sunday.
What Happens at a Baptism?
So you’ve been invited to someone’s baptism. This is wonderful! They want to share this significant moment with you.
The baptism will most likely be held at the church. Everyone will gather together in a room in the church building. You’ll sing a hymn and someone will give an opening prayer. It’s likely that after the prayer, someone will give a short testimony and share their thoughts about baptism, and then you will go into the room where the font is.
This is when the actual baptism happens. The whole process takes less than five minutes. There will be someone in the font with your loved one to baptize them. They will say a short prayer sanctifying the baptism and then immerse them completely under the water. After this, they’ll dry off and change.
At this point, they might receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, or the event will end and they’ll receive the Holy Ghost the next Sunday.
While not necessary, it’s common for there to be a gathering at the church or someone’s house after the baptism to celebrate. There will be refreshments and people might bring gifts.
What to Bring to an LDS Baptism
In terms of preparing for and what to bring to a baptism, the first thing you’ll want to think about is attire. Remember that this is a huge step for the person being baptized, one where they’re making promises with God. With that in mind, you will want to wear dress clothes to the baptism.
You may also want to consider getting a gift for them. These baptism gifts from Seagull Book are all great options to help them commemorate the day.
A Special Day
Baptism day for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is one of the most momentous occasions, and they’ve invited you because they want you to be part of the experience and memory of the day. Enjoy this special day!
