This week, in Come, Follow Me, we are encouraged to record our own baptism experience. Seeing as I enjoy recording basically every moment of my life, this was a suggested activity that I could definitely get behind.
I was baptized in Lubbock, Texas on my eighth birthday (it's easy to remember, that's for sure). February 24, 1978. I can still see the church building, both inside and out. The coolest part of it was that there was a large courtyard on the backside of the church where kids could run around and play after church (versus running around in the gym or halls). Everyone parked behind the church and walked through the courtyard into the backside of the building. There's a question for you: why don't we ever use the front doors of our church buildings? And thinking of other churches (I'm looking at you, OLV), they use the back doors as well. Hmmmm....
Crazy thing is that I found a Google picture of the church (seriously, I will never forget what it looked like).
Anyway, the Relief Society room was the first room on the right as I walked in the back door. It was a frilly, over-the-top room (pure Texas style) with padded chairs and lots of lace curtains. That's the room where my actual baptism service was held. It also happened to be the room where I was first taught the wonders of creating skits for Girls' Camp ;-)
I remember meeting with the bishop to get my recommend, and somewhere (when I unpack photo albums again, I'll find it), I have a picture of me standing in front of the church, holding my recommend. And I have a picture of me in my white dress the next day, also standing outside in front of the church.
I don't remember any of the speakers, and I don't remember the baptism itself, but I do remember the Relief Society room.
However, knowing what I know now about the church, I can only imagine how happy the rest of the ward was about my baptism. Only two years earlier, my mom and I had joined the church, and my mom had married Chuck. This was the child of a convert getting baptized. That's kind of a big deal.
And two years later, June 7, 1980, I was sealed to my parents in the Manti temple. I naturally have mixed feelings about that now, but still, seeing that progression with a new convert? That ward must have been doing something right!
I was baptized in Lubbock, Texas on my eighth birthday (it's easy to remember, that's for sure). February 24, 1978. I can still see the church building, both inside and out. The coolest part of it was that there was a large courtyard on the backside of the church where kids could run around and play after church (versus running around in the gym or halls). Everyone parked behind the church and walked through the courtyard into the backside of the building. There's a question for you: why don't we ever use the front doors of our church buildings? And thinking of other churches (I'm looking at you, OLV), they use the back doors as well. Hmmmm....
Crazy thing is that I found a Google picture of the church (seriously, I will never forget what it looked like).
 |
| It feels a bit strange to me that nothing has changed about the facade of the building in 40 years. Isn't it time for an update? |
 |
| See the parking lot in the back along with the courtyard with trees? |
Anyway, the Relief Society room was the first room on the right as I walked in the back door. It was a frilly, over-the-top room (pure Texas style) with padded chairs and lots of lace curtains. That's the room where my actual baptism service was held. It also happened to be the room where I was first taught the wonders of creating skits for Girls' Camp ;-)
I remember meeting with the bishop to get my recommend, and somewhere (when I unpack photo albums again, I'll find it), I have a picture of me standing in front of the church, holding my recommend. And I have a picture of me in my white dress the next day, also standing outside in front of the church.
I don't remember any of the speakers, and I don't remember the baptism itself, but I do remember the Relief Society room.
However, knowing what I know now about the church, I can only imagine how happy the rest of the ward was about my baptism. Only two years earlier, my mom and I had joined the church, and my mom had married Chuck. This was the child of a convert getting baptized. That's kind of a big deal.
And two years later, June 7, 1980, I was sealed to my parents in the Manti temple. I naturally have mixed feelings about that now, but still, seeing that progression with a new convert? That ward must have been doing something right!
Our stake center here looks almost exactly like that building in Lubbock. And you were baptized one day after I was born!
ReplyDelete