Lindsay is eight do you know what that means?

My number two grand daughter, Lindsay turned eight in August. In the Mormon religion, well I guess I should say that in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, we baptise our children when they turn eight. Unlike other denominations we don't baptize our babies, we believe that babies are absolutely perfect and do not need baptism. We further believe that for most people, in our church, eight years old is the age that they become accountable. Meaning that by eight they pretty much have figured out right from wrong and can be trusted to do what is right.

Notice I said "most" people. We believe that people who are cognitively disabled, like my youngest son Shawn for instance, for the most part are not in need of baptism. Of course many of them are baptized. Just a little later in life.

Shawn for example.

We didn't have him baptized when he was eight because he had too little understanding of the whole thing. If he had asked to be baptized of course we would have signed him up, but he had no real interest. In fact he was finally dunked this past March. He was quite pleased with himself, and he tries to follow the commandments.

Well this last Saturday the 20th was my grand daughter Lindsay's baptism. We, that would be me, Don and Shawn, went up to Spokane to be there for her.Donald and Lisa came too, with their three little girls, Alexandra, Lorelai and Elisabeth.

Our baptisms are pretty easy to understand. We had a song, an opening prayer, and some welcoming remarks from Jeff and Heidi's ward mission leader. Then there is a talk on Baptism.

I did that. I love giving talks. And speaking at something as special as my sweet little grand daughter's baptism was a wonderful blessing.

After my talk, Lindsay and her Dad, (my son-in-law Jeff) went into the baptismal font. It's probably about the size of a twin mattress and is filled with maybe three feet of water. There is a door and steps at each end. Lindsay came from one door and went down the steps into the water and Jeff came down the steps from the opposite end.

Total (although very quick) immersion is necessary.

If any part of the person being baptized isn't completely immersed, like say a hand, a toe, or even a bit of hair, it needs to be done again. I have heard of instances where the baptism needs to be repeated several times, it's rare but it does happen.

After the baptism Lindsay went back up the stairs she came down, the door leads into a dressing room where she puts on dry clothes. Jeff did the same going to the Men's door and changing room.

Then Heidi and Lindsay came back into the room where we were all sitting. Heidi had gone into the changing room to help Lindsay.

Jeff had no help, but he managed anyway. (LOL)

When we were all seated again, my oldest grand daughter Abbey and her two little cousins Alexandra and Lorelai went up front to sing a beautiful little song. They were so sweet and they sang so well together. We could really feel the spirit. Shawn who was sitting next to me was tearing up.

Shawn feels things quite deeply.

I explained to him that he was feeling the spirit and that this was a really good thing. He seemed relieved. He told me afterwards that he thought he was sad, but he didn't really feel sad. It was a very touching thing to see him feeling the Spirit so strongly.

After the girls sang, Grandpa DeCoursey gave a talk on the gift of receiving the Holy Ghost. When his talk was over Lindsay went to sit in a chair as Jeff, both Grandpas, Uncle Donald and also the two other men from Jeff and Heidi's ward laid their hands on her head while Jeff gave her a blessing and conferred the Holy Ghost on her.

In our church, men are the ones who hold the Priesthood. We don't consider this sexist at all. We believe that Heavenly Father gives the job of holding the Priesthood to men, and women are partners with God in bringing children into the world. Some of us think, and I'm only half joking here, that men are given the Priesthood because they need more help being good than women do.

I think that most of you know about my dear, youngest little grand daughter Elisabeth. She was a little bit fussy during the service, which is so unusual for her. Lisa couldn't do much about it because she was playing the piano.

I'm not sure what Donald was doing.

However, yesterday afternoon when Jeff and Heidi got home from Church. (We didn't go with them but we had stuck around so we could say a proper good bye to Lindsay.) Heidi told me that in Relief Society, (that is what we call the women's meeting), that her friend who had ended up holding little Elisabeth, was so touched by her story, (Donald and Lisa were talking to her afterwards about Elisabeth's problems.) That she used Elisabeth in her lesson that day. She talked about what a special spirit she has and how even though she is in such a poor disabled little body, that her spirit is so calm and happy. She used this example to illustrate how blessed we are to come to earth and receive a body.

After the baptism we went back to Jeff and Heidi's. Heidi is a really great cook but she decided to go the easy route and had gotten a meat and cheese tray and a bag of rolls from Costco. She did make some deviled eggs that were excellent.

Donald made it quite clear that he didn't like any kind of deviled eggs.

And that was fine. In fact Lex and Lori decided to pick up his slack by having two eggs each. I had such a lovely time sitting with my four grandaughters and visiting with them.

Lindsay had decided that instead of a Costco cake for dessert she would much rather have a dessert bar. Heidi made lemon squares and some kind of snickerdoodle bars. Lindsay made brownies all by her self. (She was quick to point out they were made from a mix.) Abbey had made chocolate chip cookies all by herself and she did not use a mix.

I really admire Heidi's ability and just plain willingness to turn the kitchen over to the girls like that. I had a much harder time with letting my children do things on their own the way she does. It was always so much easier to do things myself. But her girls are learning all kinds of things at a much younger age than they ever would have on my watch.

That is a really good thing.

Well that is what I did with my weekend. I have neglected my blog a bit but I think what I got in return was even more fulfilling. And just think I only have to wait a little more than two years until Alexandra turns eight.