My youngest granddaughter asked me to speak at her baptism on May 31, 2026, in Frenchtown, Montana. Below is a copy of my remarks.
(showed some photos on a big screen TV in the background)
Lexi is fun. Lexi is sweet. Lexi is happy. Lexi is spirited
and spunky in the best of ways.
Lexi is also loving and caring.
She was already looking after her Papa and Grams before she
was born because four months before she arrived, we had a house fire and we
moved in with the Johnsons and lived in her room.
And we stayed there after she was born on April 24, 2018.
We spent a lot of time together ever since then.
On days I pick her up from dance, her first question is
almost always “Papa, can you just take me to your house?”
Every so often, Lori and I will be at home and we’ll hear a
knock at the door, and then a little later we’ll get a text from her Mom: “Is
Lexi there?”
When Lexi was about two years old, she went through an
interesting phase.
Lori and I would go next door to the Johnsons, who live
about 100 yards behind us. We’d go there for dinner or to play games and when
it was time to go, Lexi would make sure she was in my arms and didn’t want me
to go.
For a guy like me – who is used to and knows he plays second
fiddle to Lori for all our grandkids – it was refreshingly surprising. And
nice.
Little Lexi would just say, “Papa, Papa, Papa,” in the
saddest, cutest voice.
I got such a kick out of it.
I’ve thought about that and wonder what our Heavenly Father
and Jesus said when we left their side in heaven to come to earth.
I bet they were excited for us to have this opportunity but
I’d bet they were a little sad too, like Lexi was.
Jesus would like us to return to heaven to live and stay
with him and his father after we leave this earth.
How do we know that?
Because he came to earth to follow his father’s plan and set
the table for us and to do his father’s will.
Jesus came here, established his gospel, taught others –
which we read about in the Bible and Book of Mormon – then he suffered for us
and was resurrected. Why did he do all that? So that we could do the same.
And what did he tell us while he was here? Two words!
In John chapter 1, verse 43 in the New Testament, it says,
“The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and
saith unto him, Follow me.”
Matthew 9:9 it says, “he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting
at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me.”
Jesus said, “Follow me” 19 times in the New Testament.
And in the 2 Nephi 31:12 in the Book of Mormon, it says
this: “And also, the voice of the Son (which is Jesus) came unto me, saying: He
that is baptized in my name, to him will the Father give the Holy Ghost, like
unto me; wherefore, follow me, and do the things which ye have seen me do.”
What have we seen Jesus do? We have seen that he was
baptized and he wants us to be baptized too
Lexi, you will be showing Jesus and your Heavenly Father
like the Primary songs say…
I’m trying to be like Jesus. I’m following in his way. I’m
trying to love as he did, in all that I do and say.
And… I know when I am baptized I choose the Savior’s way.
And I will be forgiven as I turn to him each day. I want my life to be as clean
as earth right after rain. I want to be the best I can and live with God again.
Lexi, look around. Go ahead, look around. Look at all the
people that love you. You have friends. You have family – some of whom came a
long, long way to be here. We all love you. Heavenly Father loves you and Jesus
love you.
And by being baptized, you show how much you love them, too. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment