There are so many things that I love about the gospel of Jesus Christ. It has always made so much sense to me. How would a loving God expect all of his children to be baptized to enter the kingdom of heaven and He not prepare a way for that to be done? Baptism for the dead does sound vaguely creepy, but the beauty of being able to be baptized for and in behalf of those that went before is so, so beautiful!
In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints youth are able to do baptisms for the dead in the year that they turn twelve. Kate has been looking forward to this. Last year at the beginning of the pandemic all temples all over the world were shut down. I don't know if I can adequately put into words how I felt when the temples were all closed. The reality of something so sacred and so important being withdrawn from the world for a time. It felt scary, like something was horribly wrong. Scary in a profound way. Temples have been slowly reopening in stages. The first stage was for sealings for couples getting married that were previously endowed, then for living ordinances, then proxy baptisms, then full proxy work.
When we got news that the Toronto Temple would be reopening for proxy baptisms I was so excited for Kate. She was so sad and angry that she had to wait to go to the temple longer than she had already had to wait. I told her how blessed she was to live so close to a temple. When I turned twelve the closest temple was in Washington D.C. and I had to wait until the October, for the annual temple trip to be able to go and do baptisms.
I started doing a little family history research - more like continuing things Suzanne has started researching so that we would have names to take. I was searching for a picture of someone or something? I don't even know, and came across someone on ancestry - a fourth cousin or something, that had a whole bunch of info in my Dad's Mom's side that we didn't have. I've been adding records to my tree, but I still haven't finished adding all of them!
We took five names to the temple with us today. Kate was baptized and confirmed for and in behalf of: Golda Olga Bela Shuster, Adeline Edna Solomon, Dora Rogowitch, Libbe Gold - all on my Dad's Mom's side, and for a Mary, on my Mom's side.
It felt good to be back inside the temple and it felt really wonderful to take Kate there. It felt like taking Kate home - I don't know how to explain it. Kate was very excited and nervous, she asked lots of questions. I felt really grateful to be the first person to take her to the temple as her Mom and that her Dad could baptize and confirm her. It was always the youth leader that had that privilege before. I love that now it's the parents that are able to do this and share this special experience with their daughter (or son).
It was a beautiful day, and I told Kate we were going to take lots of pictures. And we did. I'm so grateful my girls let me take pictures of them!
I am so grateful for the temple. I'm so grateful for the teachings of the restored gospel, that baptism isn't just available for some, but for all! And last cute note... Kate seemed contented to know that she didn't have to wait as long as I did, she didn't have to wait until she was twelve and a half, only twelve and 1/3.
