"Come unto Christ and Be Perfected in Him..."

Over the course of my mission so far, I have realized there is such a special feeling being at a baptism and witnessing their determination to follow Christ.
 I have often reflected on what it is that makes these events so special.

  This past weekend we were able to see two Burmese children make that special promise with their Heavenly Father. I thought to a previous night when we had taught them about following Jesus Christ  and asked each of them why they wanted to be baptized. The boy answered, "So I can receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost." And the girl answered, "So I can return to live with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ one day."

  And here they were, dressed in white and ready to be baptized!

 Over the past month and a half we had taught them how to pray, and this past week they would take our nametags and teach us all about how God calls prophets. They had learned so much and LOVED IT in a way that I admired. With whatever they learned they would practice and review all week. They would even have their dad pretend to be the student and they would pretend to be missionaries and teach him.



As they each got ready to enter the water I was reminded of a scripture;

 

"And again I say unto you, ye must repent, and become as a little child, and be baptized in my name, or ye can in nowise receive these things.

 And again I say unto you, ye must repent, and be baptized in my name, and become as a little child, or ye can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God."

I know that there is so much power in the promises we make with our Heavenly Father. I know that He always keeps His promises. As we enter in and strive our whole lives to keep our promise, or covenant to Him, I know the blessings of God can be each of ours, and our eternal hopes will be realized.
   In The Book of Mormon, Jesus teaches the people and us the importance of these things, He says;

  " And no unclean thing can enter into his kingdom; therefore nothing entereth into his rest save it be those who have washed their garments in my blood, because of their faith, and the repentance of all their sins, and their faithfulness unto the end.

   Now this is the commandment: Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day." (3 Nephi 27:19-20)

I love this scripture because it encompasses the hope of these two children that my companion and I have grown to love. It is my hope I can be more like them, filled with the bright hope and faith of Christ and a determination to follow Him.