My Birthday & My Baptism

I AM FINALLY 8 YEARS OLD!!! Last Saturday, July 25th was my birthday!!!

I woke up in the morning and got dressed for my baptism. Last time, when Annie got baptized we couldn't find an unlocked door but this time, the door to the baptism room was WIDE OPEN!

So the first thing I did was I went into the bathroom and changed my clothes into my baptism suit. Its all white and tight around the stomach. Its white because you're supposed to be all nice and clean when you get into the water. I even wore white undies, mostly so they didn't show through. :) I wore no shoes after I got the outfit on so I was just running around barefoot but trying to stay clean.

I was so excited that my dad got to baptize me I was really nervous but that made me feel a lot better. I had been waiting for this day for a long long long long time! I sat with him and waited as my family started to show up, and every time one of my family members got there I ran out and gave them a hug but then came back in and sat down with my Dad. I felt really nervous and excited and happy, and nervous. ALL at the same time!!!

When my baptism started we sang, " I am a Child of God" and then My Grandma said the opening prayer, and then my friend Brielle from church gave a talk about Baptism. It was a really nice long talk. Brielle is very nice and she is a Valliant 9. The bishop came up and said that now I was going to get baptized. So I was really nervous and happy. I walked into the water and it was warm but also freezing. Then my Dad put his hand up while I was holding onto him and he said a prayer, then dunked me all the way under the water and then I was baptized. Right after I got baptized I felt Very Warm inside and I felt happy that I knew I had made the right decision. Then I got out of the water and my mom wrapped me up in a white towel and I went into the bathroom and dried off and my mom helped me get all dressed. While I was getting dressed my Grandpa played the paino and everyone was talking.

Then I came out and sat back down and my aunt Bebah gave a talk to me about the Gift of the Holy Ghost. Bebas talk was very long and very good, it made me feel very happy, and it helped me understand about the Gift of the Holy Ghost. Then My Dad, Grandpa, Eric and the Bishop all put their hands on my head while my Dad said a prayer and then I got the Gift of the Holy Ghost. It felt like I got wrapped up in a big blanket.
Then our friend Jo Lynn gave the closing prayer and we sang Families Can Be Together Forever.

After my baptism lots of people came and gave me hugs and said nice things. Some people even gave me cards. Then we took some family pictures.


After my baptism we went home and then all of my Aunts and Uncles and Cousins came over. We ate Pizza and Strawberry Soda for lunch. Then after lunch we all got our bathing suits on and then we went to the big Swimming Pool. We were the first ones in line and I was the first one in the pool! The swimming pool was where I had my birthday party. Lots of my friends came from School and Girl Scouts and Church!!! Almost everyone went off the Small Dive and the Slide. I went on the HIgh Dive TWICE! We swam and swam for 5 and a Half Hours!!! We played Marco Polo for a while, then we ate yummy ice cream sandwiches that my mom made with Cookies and Ice Cream! Everyone sang Happy Birthday and then I opened up my presents. I got so much REALLY COOL stuff!!!! My friend Sammi got me All set up for school! Then we swam some more and got tattoos!

Then when the pool closed we all went home, I got to open even MORE presents and then it was time for bed.

It was the BEST DAY OF MY LIFE SO FAR!!! I got baptized and that was really important and having a birthday is AWESOME and I got to have BOTH on the SAME DAY!!! Plus I got to see all my cousins, and friends and family!