It's great to be eight

The eighth birthday is a tremendous milestone for our children. They have been preparing for this moment all their lives, and when they are baptized on or just after the birthday, the spotlight is entirely on them. On Saturday Natalie made her very first personal covenant. It was a very special day for her and our family. It's great to be eight!!


Elder L. Tom Perry once shared this poem written by his daughter which she read at his granddaughter's baptism.

Three white dresses

My mom bought me a white dress,
Not red or pink or blue.
She said it was a special dress
Like very other few,
There has been just one before,
A dress now put away,
That I wore some time ago
Upon my blessing day.
As a little baby clothed
In my first white dress,
My dad held me in his arms,
There to name and bless.
So pure and clean was I just then,
With time to grow and learn
About the Father's plan for me.
My glory I must earn.

Now I've reached the age to judge
The wrong road from the right,
And I am here to be baptized
In this dress of white.
So once again I'm free from sin.
The path is clear to me.
I'll grasp the rod and hold on tight,
I vow with certainty.
Just as mud would stain my dress,
Sin would stain my soul.
The key is to repent or bleach,
For whiteness is my goal.

And if I try my very best,
Then richly blessed I'll be,
Wearing inside God's holy house
White dress number three,
So today I make this pledge:
I'll strive to choose the right,
Through this sacred baptism ordinance
In my second dress of white.
(Linda Gay Perry Nelson, 1993)

Thank you, Grandma, for the white dresses you have bought for our girl.