Click on the picture to read about Jesus' baptism.
FHE LESSON 8
Baptism
**For: My grandson Dax who's being baptized this Saturday! And for my grand-daughter Jaycee who will be baptized this summer!
Don't forget to give every family member a part of the lesson!Assignment Planner
Scripture: D&C 33:11 The scripture is highlighted on the page from this link.Invite members of the family to memorize this scripture and it's reference! 
Music Selections (Use anytime during the lesson! Use the songs throughout the week too!
Print the letters: B A P T I S M
You can click and print these festive balloons or you can make your own fun letters.
You will need to tape these up during the lesson.
Use these letters to talk about baptism.
SHORT LESSON....
Young 
Children:
Children: 
Color Page
Mobile
Talk about each letter and let the children take turns taping it on the wall/board to spell "Baptism." As each letter is taped ups, tell something about baptism that begins with that letter... some ideas follow: (Use ideas from the extended lesson below)
B: Born again, Baptism, Beginning, Blessings
A: Always remember Him, Actions
P: Perfect, washed clean (talk about imersion)
T: Time for baptism age 8, Testimony, Time of Choice & Accountability, Taking His Name upon us
S: Sacrament, Stand and take His Name, Stand as a Witness
M: Making Covenants (promises)
Click and print to make a popup.
My Baptismal Covenant Diorama
1. Mount it on heavy paper. Cut out the large rectangle.
2. Cut slits on the nine solid lines, and fold along the broken lines.
3. Cut out the figures. Insert the tab on the baptism figure into the slit in the baptism scene (see illustration).
4. Glue the back of the sacrament figures to the tab that folds out of the sacrament scene (see illustration).
5. Cut out the scripture boxes, and read the references. Insert the tabs into the remaining slits.
1. Mount it on heavy paper. Cut out the large rectangle.
2. Cut slits on the nine solid lines, and fold along the broken lines.
3. Cut out the figures. Insert the tab on the baptism figure into the slit in the baptism scene (see illustration).
4. Glue the back of the sacrament figures to the tab that folds out of the sacrament scene (see illustration).
5. Cut out the scripture boxes, and read the references. Insert the tabs into the remaining slits.
Click here for a puzzle!
Teens:
Give them the letters and have them tell all they know about baptism that begins with that letter, for example, "P" - partaking of the sacrament - is what we do to renew our baptismal covenants. Teens could ALSO use each letter to tell something they remember from their baptism day, for example, "B" Grandma Betty came from Wyoming because it was such a special day. That made me feel....
Adults:
Talk about the experience when you were baptized. Or tell about when your ancestors first joined the church and their experiences getting baptized.Bare your testimony about the importance of baptism. (Take time this week to write in your journal about the memories you have of your baptism.)
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to Be Baptized
Tell your family to listen carefully as you mention some dates. Have them tell why each date is important to some member of your family. Mention such dates as those on which family members were born, baptized, married, or engaged to be married. Give the birth date and planned baptismal date of the person to be baptized as the last two dates.
Tell your family to listen carefully as you mention some dates. Have them tell why each date is important to some member of your family. Mention such dates as those on which family members were born, baptized, married, or engaged to be married. Give the birth date and planned baptismal date of the person to be baptized as the last two dates.
State that this baptismal date will be one of the most important days in this person's life. Tell your family that because this is such an important event you will honor him during this family home evening.
Keeping on the right path... Click on the picture. You might want to display the certificate of baptism of a family member. Explain to the person you are honoring that he will receive a certificate that will be an official record of his baptism. You might also want to show your family group sheet, and point out the space where this date will be recorded.
Learning about Baptism
Show a picture of Christ being baptized (ABOVE)
Baptism is so important that even Jesus was baptized.
Look at the picture and talk about how Jesus was baptized in the River Jordan.
ASK: What does immersion mean? (To be completely covered by water.)
Bring out that we are baptized by the same authority as Jesus was-the priesthood of God.
READ: Mosiah 18:10 together.
What do the words "as a witness before him" mean when you think of your baptism? (I will show by the act of being baptized how I feel in my heart. I witness, or show, that I believe in Heavenly Father, that I loves him, and that I want to obey his commandments.)
ASK: What is a covenant? (An agreement or promise between two persons that each will do certain things.)
Stress that the baptismal covenant is a sacred agreement. Click on the picture for more information.
ASK:- What is the promise that the person being baptized will make to Heavenly Father at baptism? (He will promise to keep Heavenly Father's commandments and to serve him.)
ASK: What will Heavenly Father promise when our family member is baptized? (To forgive him of his sins if he repents [see D&C 33:11], to accept him as a member of the Church [see D&C 20:37], to give him the gift of eternal life if he is faithful [see 3 Nephi 11:33].)
The Way to the Kingdom of God
If we follow the commandments, we will return to our Heavenly Father and inherit a place in his kingdom. In fact, only by obeying the commandments can we receive these great blessings.
ASK: Why do you think that our Heavenly Father has asked us to make a sacred covenant or promise to obey his commandments when we are baptized? (Because he loves us, he wants us to be happy, and he wants us to be with him in the kingdom of heaven.)
ASK: How is it possible for all of our mistakes or sins to be forgiven when we are baptized? (Because Jesus loved us so much that he was willing to suffer in the Garden of Gethsemane and upon the cross. He had the power to save himself from suffering and death, but he did not use it because he wanted to make it possible for our sins to be forgiven.)
ASK: Does our Heavenly Father expect those who are baptized to keep all of his commandments perfectly from now on? (No. He knows that we need to learn how to keep these commandments and that we will make some mistakes while we learn. Heavenly Father expects us to try to live the commandments as completely as possible. But if we make a mistake, we can repent and do better next time. This is how we will learn. The Savior has given us the great gift of forgiveness for our mistakes when we repent.)
Being Confirmed a Member of the Church
Explain that after your family member has been baptized, he will be confirmed and receive two wonderful blessings.
ASK: What are these two blessings? (First, he will be accepted as a member of the church and kingdom of God here upon the earth. He will share in all of the privileges and blessings of this great kingdom. This kingdom is different from any other organization upon the earth because Jesus stands at its head, and its leaders act for him. Second, the person being baptized will also receive the gift of the Holy Ghost and have the right to the companionship of the Holy Ghost if he is faithful.)
Plans for the Day of Baptism
After the discussion, plan ways to make your family member's baptism day a special day for him and for your whole family. You could make plans like the following:
1. Have the entire family attend the baptismal service. Plan transportation and other details with the person being baptized.
2. Eat dinner at a special place together, or enjoy a special treat. You might choose to have a special meal at home, serving favorite foods of the person you are honoring.
3. Have this person write the date of his baptism on your family group sheet. To emphasize the importance of this date, your entire family could be there when he does this. You could do this after you return home from the baptismal service or during your next home evening.
4. You may want to give this person a small gift after his baptism, such as his own copy of one of the standard works.
5. To help this person feel more secure when he goes into the water to be baptized, his father or an older brother could show him how he will be held by the one who will baptize him. Time could be taken to let him actually practice the way he will place his hands, bend his knees, and so forth.
A Sacred Experience
Explain that the person you are honoring should go to his baptism with a desire to show Heavenly Father and Jesus that he loves them and wants to make a covenant that he will serve them all of his life. If he does this, he will know that he is doing what they want him to do and that they are pleased with him.
Read President Joseph F. Smith's description of the time when he was baptized:
"The feeling that came upon me was that of pure peace, of love and of light. I felt in my soul that if I had sinned-and surely I was not without sin--that it had been forgiven me; that I was indeed cleansed from sin; my heart was touched and I felt that I would not injure the smallest insect beneath my feet. I felt as though I wanted to do good everywhere to everybody and to everything. I felt a newness of life, a newness of desire to do that which was right. There was not one particle of desire for evil left in my soul. I was but a little boy, it is true, when I was baptized; but this was the influence that came upon me, and I know that it was from God, and was and ever has been a living witness to me of my acceptance of the Lord." (In Conference Report, Apr. 1898, p. 66.)
"The feeling that came upon me was that of pure peace, of love and of light. I felt in my soul that if I had sinned-and surely I was not without sin--that it had been forgiven me; that I was indeed cleansed from sin; my heart was touched and I felt that I would not injure the smallest insect beneath my feet. I felt as though I wanted to do good everywhere to everybody and to everything. I felt a newness of life, a newness of desire to do that which was right. There was not one particle of desire for evil left in my soul. I was but a little boy, it is true, when I was baptized; but this was the influence that came upon me, and I know that it was from God, and was and ever has been a living witness to me of my acceptance of the Lord." (In Conference Report, Apr. 1898, p. 66.)
Have family members who have been baptized tell about their feelings at the time of their baptisms.
Tell how you feel about your child's baptism, and explain the responsibility you have to prepare him/her for baptism (see D&C 68:25-28).
Treat: Serve favorite refreshments of the person you are honoring.
