Baptism

Opening Song: When I Am Baptized (Children’s Songbook pg.103)

Opening Prayer

Scripture: Mosiah 18:9

Lesson: What is a covenant? In the Church, a covenant is a mutual promise that we

make with Heavenly Father. To covenant means to “come together,” or to be bound
together by promises. Sometimes it is a promise that we make in our hearts. Even when
we make a covenant in our hearts with Heavenly Father, there are things we do to show
that we have made those promises.
Think about just the first part of our baptismal covenant. What do you think it means to
take His name upon us? Most of us already have two names. We have a given name,
like Elizabeth, or Marco, or Mei-Li; and we have a family name, like Smith, or Garcia, or
Chen. When we take the name of Jesus Christ upon ourselves, it means we are part of
His family. We are ready to be known as Christians. We are willing to “stand as
witnesses of God at all times and in all things and in all places” (Mosiah 18:9). We want
to act like Christ and follow Him.
Jesus has given us guidelines to help us follow Him. He expects us to love each other,
to bear one another’s burdens, to mourn with those who are sad, and to comfort those
who need comfort. That’s what He did when He was on the earth. If we want to be called
by His name, we will try to do these things, too. When you help your mother tend the
baby so that she can fix dinner, you are bearing another’s burdens. When you put your
arm around your little brother and tell him that you’re sorry that he hurt himself, you are
giving comfort. When your heart is sad because your friend’s father is very ill, and you
reach out to her in love, you are mourning along with her.
Each week when we take the sacrament, we renew the covenant we made at baptism.
Each day as we choose the right and follow Jesus, we are keeping our covenant and
growing in faith. As we keep the covenant we have made, the Lord’s Spirit will be with
us, and one day we will be worthy to go to the temple and make other very important
covenants with Heavenly Father.
Object Lessons:
#1 Tell the story of Alma teaching the people at the waters of Mormon (Mosiah 18:5–11).
Discuss what it means to “be called his people [i.e., to take His name upon us],” “bear
one another’s burdens,” “mourn with those that mourn,” and “comfort those that stand in
need of comfort” (Mosiah 18: 8–9). Have a backpack and some rocks to which are
attached problem situations (see below).Line the rocks up on a table. Put a rock into the
backpack as you name each of several burdens or causes to mourn (new in town,
illness, etc.). Have a child lift the backpack. Ask 2 others to help him, and ask: “Is it
lighter now?” Explain that Jesus Christ helps bear our burdens, mourns with us, and
comforts us when we need comfort. He has asked us to do the same for each other.
Have a child pull a rock out of the backpack, read the situation attached to it, and explain
what he would do if he was trying to follow Jesus (i.e., he had taken Jesus’ name upon
him).
Possible situations:

• Your dad is weeding the garden, and a friend asks for his help to move some
furniture. What could you do?
 • Your mom is putting away groceries, and the baby wakes up and needs tending.
What could you do?
• Your friend has missed 3 days of school because of a broken leg. What could
you do?
• The new boy in your class has no one to eat lunch with. What could you do?
• Your neighbor is on vacation; newspapers are piling up on his porch. What could
you do?
• The older lady next door can’t read the newspaper very well. What could you do?
• Your friend’s parents are getting a divorce. What could you do to help your
friend?
• Your friend’s mother is very sick and has to go to the hospital. What could you
do?

#2 Hold up the pure white egg and tell how we all come to the earth pure and
unblemished. As we grow, we make mistakes which tarnish us.Take the crayons and
make marks on the shell of the hard boiled egg as you mention possible sins-lied to my
mom, hit my brother, cheated on my homework, said a bad word, stole candy from the
store.(Do not use markers as they will bleed through the shell.) Then hold up the egg so
all can see the blemishes. Carefully peel the egg to show how baptism allows us to shed
our wordly self and become pure and unblemished again. Tell the children that they will
make mistakes in their life, but because they have been or will be baptised and washed
clean, they can renew those covenants, repent, and become clean each week by taking
the sacrament.

# 3 Ordinances and covenants are Inseparable

To show that ordinances and covenants are inseparable, display a coin. Then ask which
side of the coin is more important. (Neither side is more important.) Ask learners if they
can separate the sides of the coin. Then explain that ordinances and covenants are
inseparable, just as the two sides of a coin are inseparable. Also point out that
ordinances and covenants are necessary for admission into God's presence, just as
coins are sometimes needed for admission to events. (Source: Teaching, No Greater
Call, F: Methods of Teaching, Comparisons and Object Lessons)

Game: Baptism Questions – (Answers are in brackets)

• Who must be baptized? (Topical Guide—Baptism, Essential / especially John 3:5) [all
people must be baptized, except little children]
• Why should I be baptized? (Topical Guide—Baptism / especially Mark 1:4; Mark 16:16;
Matt. 3:15) [for remission of sins, to be saved in the kingdom of God, to show obedience]
• How should I be baptized? (Topical Guide—Baptism, Immersion; A of F 1:4; 3 Ne.
11:25) [by immersion, by proper authority]
• When can I be baptized? (Topical Guide—Baptism, Qualifications for; D&C 68:25) [I
should have faith in the Lord, repent, be ready to make the baptismal covenant, and be
at least 8 years old]
• What do I promise at baptism? (D&C 20:77; Mosiah 18:7–10; Mosiah 21:35) [take His
name upon me, keep His commandments, always remember Him, be willing to serve
Him, help others].

Closing Song: I’m Trying to be Like Jesus (Children’s Songbook pg. 78-79)
Closing Prayer

Treat: 15-Minute Vanilla Rice Pudding

3 cups milk, divided

1-cup instant white rice, uncooked
1/3-cup raisins (optional)
1 pkg. (4 servings size) Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding

Bring 1 cup of the milk to boil in medium saucepan. Stir in rice and raisins; cover.
Remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare pudding as directed on package with remaining 2 cups milk.
Add rice mixture to prepared pudding; stir. Cover surface of pudding with plastic wrap;
cool 5 minutes. Stir. Serve warm or chilled.