Today’s Reading: 2 Nephi 31:1-12
5 And now, if the Lamb of God, he being holy, should have need to be baptized by water, to fulfil all righteousness, O then, how much more need have we, being unholy, to be baptized, yea, even by water!
On my mission in Australia, my companion and I met an elderly woman on the street one afternoon. She accepted a pamphlet and gave us her address so we could follow up with her. She spoke Persian, and we did not, so communicating was a little interesting- but we managed as best we could. We met with her shortly after and also met her dear humble husband. Again, barely any English was spoken, but we did bring with us a Persian Book of Mormon. We had a short visit and set an appointment to return. When we returned the next time, he explained to us using hand gestures and a few English words that he had read the entire Book of Mormon! Then he brought his clenched up hand to his heart and while patting it said, “I feel it in my heart.” He knew that the Book of Mormon was true! Because we still had no way of teaching them, we showed them a video about the Savior visiting the Nephites and blessing them. Part way through the video, with the spirit tangible in the room, I looked at my new friend, and tears were streaming down his face. He had felt the spirit. After all these years, he was finally introduced to the Savior. Soon we were able to find an LDS translator, a miracle, for sure, and we were able to teach them. This amazing family had never known Christ, they were not Christian and had never had an opportunity to know who He was, or what He taught. This dear man immediately wanted to follow the Savior into the waters of baptism and was baptized within the next two weeks. He was so thirsty for truth and so readily accepted it, denouncing a previous religion and a way of life, to follow the Savior.
As we enter the waters of baptism, we figuratively lay down our old life to literally take up our new life as a follower of the Savior. 2 Nephi chapter 31 is the most underlined, highlighted, and noted chapter in my personal Book of Mormon, for in this chapter one can find the true doctrine of Christ.
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland explained:
The ‘doctrine of Christ’ as taught by Nephi . . . focuses on faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism by immersion, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. . . . ‘The doctrine of Christ’ is simple and direct. It focuses on the first principles of the gospel exclusively. . . . It is in the clarity and simplicity of ‘the doctrine of Christ’ that its impact is found…The doctrine of Christ is not complicated. It is profoundly, beautifully, single-mindedly clear and complete. (i)
In this chapter, Nephi tells us that he will speak unto us plainly, for his soul delights in plainness and then he prophesies about the baptism of Jesus Christ. He tells us about the prophet, John the Baptist, that will baptize the Lamb of God, which should take away the sins of the world. (v 2,3,4)
And then Nephi states in verse 5:
And now, if the Lamb of God, he being holy, should have need to be baptized by water, to fulfil all righteousness, O then, how much more need have we, being unholy, to be baptized, yea, even by water!
Elder Hamula taught, “Through mortality, every one of us becomes soiled with sin and transgression. We will have had thoughts, words, and works that will have been less than virtuous. In short, we will be unclean.” (ii)
Through baptism we are cleansed and we enter into a covenant with God. We promise to take upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ, to always remember Him, to keep His commandments, and to serve Him to the end. We renew this covenant each time we partake of the sacrament.
Jesus said, “He that is baptized in my name, to him will the Father give the Holy Ghost, like unto me; wherefore, follow me, and do the things which ye have seen me do” (v 12). If we follow the Savior with our thoughts, actions, and deeds, we cannot go wrong. Life will not be without trial, anguish, and pain, but as we go though these dark seasons, we can have the light of the Savior to bring peace and hope to our weary souls.
May we recommit ourselves to our baptismal covenant, knowing that we have already taken that first step by following our Savior into the waters of baptism- we have entered the gate, we are on the straight path. The winds of doubt will rage, the storms will come, we may even wander off, but because of the atonement and the love of the Savior, we can find our way back to the safety and peace of the pathway home because we have chosen to follow the example of our Savior.
I am blessed beyond measure to be married to the love of my life and to be raising our three beautiful children in the wide open west of Montana. Half of my missionary heart is still in Australia where I served and fell in love with the people and cultures there. My soul delights in the scriptures and in the simple pleasures of baking with my kiddos and soaking up the sunshine.
Love the entire post but especially this: “As we enter the waters of baptism, we figuratively lay down our old life to literally take up our new life as a follower of the Savior.” <3