Childviews

Baptism-Day Problems

My dad was stationed in Okinawa, Japan, so I was supposed to be baptized in the East China Sea. I was really sick on that Saturday in 1996, so the baptism was rescheduled for Sunday. On Sunday morning, I was still sick and throwing up, and to make it worse, it was raining. My mom said we were going to do it anyway, so we all prayed for the rain to stop and for me to feel better. After church, we went home for my baptismal clothes, then drove to Toguchi Beach. By the time we got there, the rain had stopped and I felt better.

The bad thing then was that the tide had gone out. My dad and I walked out to a little tide pool (see photo), and he stood on my toes (to keep them in the water) when he baptized me. My Grandma and Grandpa Taylor were there from the United States to see my baptism. After I was pretty dry, Grandpa confirmed me, and I was a true member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

I know that Heavenly Father helped me feel better and helped the rain to stop for my baptism. I got sick again on the way home, and it started to rain again. I hope that all of you who haven’t been baptized will be baptized and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Thomas Taylor, age 11
Drummond, Oklahoma

Runaway Calf

One fall afternoon, we were playing in our friend’s backyard when we decided to take a shortcut through a neighboring pasture. That pasture held two valuable calves. As we crawled through the fence, the calves became excited, and the next thing we knew, the red calf had somehow jumped over the barbed-wire fence. We tried to get it back into the pasture but couldn’t. Two other neighbors couldn’t, either. We were scared.

The calves belonged to Sister Thomas, the second counselor in our Primary, and her husband, a very tall man. She was notified, and our hearts were beating wildly when she came. It took all our courage to tell her what happened and apologize. She told us that although we shouldn’t have been in the pasture, she was proud of us for our honesty in admitting that we were to blame.

Some of our dads made us go see Brother Thomas when he got home from work. He saw our tears and said he was glad that we told the truth and were growing up with integrity. He said that our parents were teaching us correct principles, and that we were to be commended for not being afraid to stand for the right. We learned from this experience to always take responsibility for our actions.

Meche Steele, age 11
Marci Standsfield, age 11
Samantha Newton, age 11
Jessica Fridell, age 10
Goshen, Utah

Feeling the Spirit

One day at church, I was sitting quietly on a bench, listening to the music, and I started to get a warm feeling inside. The warm feeling was the Holy Ghost. I knew it was the Holy Ghost because I could hear the still, small voice telling me that I was setting a good example for the little children. I have felt the Holy Ghost at church on other days, too, usually when I am being reverent, sitting calmly, and listening. I like to feel the Holy Ghost, and I am eager to be baptized so that I can have the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Joshua Morgan, age 6
West Lafayette, Indiana