The Hatch Family's Happenings: Steven's Baptism

Steven's baptism helped me to realize how blessed we are and how many good friends we have here. Leading up to the baptism I had so many people offer to help that I ended up having others to make the cookies that I had previously planned to make myself. That meant all I had to do was bring something for people to drink and since that felt like too little, I ended up making my bean salsa just so I could feel like I was doing my part.

We got there nice and early which meant I wasn't stressed out and it gave me time to mentally prepare myself for the talk I was giving. We ended up with a good turn out, not too many people that it was overwhelming but not so little that we felt unloved.

We kept the baptism simple. We were lucky to have Tyler's friend Chris Chappell presiding and conducting (he also works at GM). The opening song was "I Know my Father Lives", then Grams Hatch gave the prayer and then Poppy Hatch gave a talk on baptism. Poppy directed his talk at Steven. In the beginning he asked Steven what the purpose of baptism is and Steven said it was to wash away your sins and get the Holy Ghost and when Poppy asked for another reason Steven said, "That's all I got!" Poppy did a good job helping Steven to understand why he was getting baptized and what he was promising and he also did a good job expressing his love and pride for Steven. Made us all teary.

Then it was time for Tyler to baptize Steven. His friend Mark Brandley and Poppy Hatch were witnesses. After he was baptized we all returned to the room to watch some LDS videos while we waited for Steven and Tyler to dry off and change back into their church clothes. The movies we watched: a depiction of John baptizing Jesus, "I am a Child of God", and "Families can be Together Forever."

After they came back it was my turn *gulp* to give my talk on the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost definitely came to my aid and I didn't feel super nervous. Maybe it also helped that I had Steven come up to read some scriptures for me and Penny kept coming up insisting that I hold her. Our sweet nonmember neighbors had come and I told a story about how she had been an answer to one of my prayers for comfort and I got her crying which got me crying. Despite my tears and troublesome Penny, I feel like the talk went well and I hope Steven got my message. If not he can read it here again sometime or maybe be reminded by the things I gave him during the talk: choose the right, know the Holy Ghosts voice and then he came help comfort (blanket), guide (lantern) and teach you (scriptures).

It was then time for Tyler to confirm Steven a member of the church and give him the Holy Ghost. In his circle he had: Poppy Hatch, Mark Brandley, Mike Hansen and Chris Chappell. He asked Heavenly Father to bless Steven with a good memory of this day and what he felt and what was spoken. He blessed him with a desire to get to know our Heavenly Father and to speak to Him and to do what is right. Tyler blessed Steven to have the knowledge that our Heavenly Father loves him and that he will turn to his Heavenly Father when he is in doubt.

Then we sang "When Jesus Christ was Baptized", and Grams Brady gave the closing prayer and it was time to eat and socialize and take pictures :)

Ben and Lucy claim they were squinting because the sun was in their eyes but the sun was not in their eyes...