I was born a Christian (Baptist) and baptized. If I decide to make the step toward [becoming] Mormon, will I need to be baptized again?

~Answer by Michelle**

Cheryl, thank you for your question. It’s a good one, and one that many people have when studying Mormonism.

The short answer is yes.

Of course, the natural follow-up question to that would be, “Why would I need to be baptized again?”

Shortly after the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized in 1830, there were people hearing about the Church who also had been baptized in other churches. They had the same question you do. Joseph Smith learned that baptism as performed in the Church was part of the restored covenants that had existed from the beginning (we read from other scriptures that Adam and Eve were baptized) and that it needed to be performed as the Lord had directed him.

These directions included performing the ordinance by immersion and with the proper authority. (Baptism in the Church is also not performed on infants; the minimum age is eight.)

Throughout the ages when the gospel of Jesus Christ has been on the earth, authority has been necessary to perform and receive saving ordinances. In Old Testament times, for example, only authorized priests could perform the ordinances of the law of Moses. If you think about when the Savior was baptized, he sought out John the Baptist because John had the authority to baptize.  This authority is called priesthood, which makes the ordinances for the remission of sin and for entrance into the kingdom of God binding with and approved by God.

Before the Savior’s death and resurrection, He gave the Apostles priesthood authority to direct His Church and perform saving ordinances of the gospel. Over time, as had happened in previous times in history, people rejected the gospel and the Lord’s authorized leaders. There came a long period of what is called apostasy — time when the priesthood authority had been taken away.

As part of the restoration of the gospel, Joseph Smith was  visited by those from Christ’s time who held priesthood authority. These heavenly messengers conferred that authority, through the laying on of hands, on Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery. John the Baptist conferred the authority to baptize (called the Aaronic Priesthood); Peter, James and John conferred authority to direct the Church, to give the gift of the Holy Ghost, to bless and heal in Christ’s name, and to perform all other saving ordinances that are necessary to return to live with God and to be with our families for eternity (called the Melchizedek Priesthood). This authority made the organization of the Savior’s Church possible in “the latter days” as part of the preparation for the Second Coming of the Savior, Jesus Christ.

This priesthood authority was then conferred on other men in the early days of the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and has continued in the Church until the present day.

Let me add one thing. When we share the message of the Restoration of the gospel and the priesthood and the Church with others, we do so in a spirit of respect and rejoicing in the good in others’ lives and in other churches. President Gordon B. Hinckley, the 15th president of the restored Church said it well:

“We recognize the good in all people. We recognize the good in all churches, in their efforts to improve mankind and to teach principles that lead to good, stable, productive living. To people everywhere we simply say, ‘You bring with you all the good that you have, and let us add to it. That is the principle on which we work’ ”

If you would like to read others’ experiences who also had this question, following are a few articles from lds.org (with excerpts):

My Second Baptism: “The elders next taught me about the Apostasy, the Restoration of the Church, and the restoration of priesthood authority. But when they invited me to be baptized, I was shocked. I had been baptized many years before, also by immersion. Being baptized again seemed unnecessary; it felt like a betrayal of my former beliefs….”

“Thanks for the Flood“:  “On the missionaries’ second visit, I had a problem accepting the missionary discussion. They seemed to be challenging all of my religious beliefs. For example, they asked me how I felt about baptism. I told them I had already been baptized….”

Baptized Again?: “I told them that I had already been baptized, and they explained that there was a proper method of baptism, which was complete immersion. I liked their message, but I couldn’t accept their challenge when I had already been baptized. While I was walking home, the word baptism kept ringing in my ears….”

Asencão Frango [was a] nun for twenty years….Hearing of a new religion, she attended her first meeting of our church with a friend, out of curiosity. It was held on the dirt floor of a member’s garage, but the spirit of the meeting impressed her. The elders began teaching her the discussions and challenged her to be baptized. She declined, saying that she already had been baptized. The elders persisted by inviting her to read the Book of Mormon….”

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**Please note: The answers in “Ask a Mormon Woman” reflect the thoughts, perspectives, and experiences of individuals. Although here at Mormon Women: Who We Are, we strive to have our content consistent with the Church’s doctrine and teachings, we do not speak officially for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. For official information about or from the Church, please visit www.mormon.org or www.lds.org.

Have a question you would like to ask? Send an email to us at gmail, with username ‘mormonwoman’

The post Ask a Mormon Woman: Is baptism necessary to become Mormon if I have already been baptized in another church? appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

Read part 1here

Emily is center back, in white. She is seen here with her dance instructor, who performed her baptism, and his family.

Now that Emily is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, she sees herself differently.

“I have found a role and purpose as a woman, as a daughter of Heavenly Father – it has changed everything about me as a woman.”

In a world where Emily once felt very alone, she now has a church full of sisters. That is how the women in the LDS church refer to each other, as sisters. In addition to those loving and friendly ties at church Emily does have family connections.

Although Emily has little connection to those family members who caused her great harm as a child, she has a place in her extended family. When the traumatic events of her childhood forced her into foster care, Emily went to live with her grandmother, where they developed a loving relationship.

The LDS church believes that family connections can be continued after death through sacred ordinances that take place in temples. Emily knew that she wanted to have this eternal connection with her grandmother she loves dearly. So after being a member of the Mormon Church for only one week she was given permission to have eternal ordinances performed for her extended family. This included Emily’s opportunity to be baptized, by proxy, for her grandmother.

Now Emily continues the pattern she learned during her conversion process – taking life step by step. Because of the neglect Emily suffered as a child she has ongoing health concerns. The most serious of these is a heart condition called Cardiomyopathy, scarring of the muscles in her heart. She must go in every 6 months for procedures to remove and monitor the scarring in her heart. Each time this happens there is a chance that Emily will not live through the procedure. She is a young woman, with much of life ahead of her.

Despite all of Emily’s adversity she remains hopeful. She has relied on a talk by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf [a member of the Church’s First Presidency] as she prepared for her medical procedures and fights the fear that is so natural in this situation. These are a few exerpts that Emily highlighted (notice the references to the heart, as she battles real heart-related health issues):

Hope has the power to fill our lives with happiness. Its absence – when this desire of our heart is delayed – can make ‘the heart sick.’

Despair drains from us all that is vibrant and joyful and leaves behind the empty remnants of what life was meant to be. Despair kills ambition, advances sickness, pollutes the soul, and deadens the heart. Despair can seem like a staircase that leads only and forever downward.

Hope is not knowledge, but rather the abiding trust that the Spirit will fulfill his promise to us… It is confidence, optimism, enthusiasm, and patient perseverance.

Fear not… Never give in… Never surrender… Never allow despair to overcome your spirit… Embrace and rely upon the Holy One of Israel, for the love of the Son of God pierces all darkness, softens sorrow, and gladdens every heart.

When I asked Emily how she knows that God loves her she said that just being alive is enough to let her know God’s love. Then she said that she feels God’s love in knowing His plan, including the atonement of Jesus Christ. The fact that he taught that plan to her, step by step in a very personal way, communicates his love. Lastly, she knows God’s love for her because,

“When there was every reason in the world for me to believe the opposite, he sent this Deaf girl to dance, of all things, so that I would have a language to understand him and his love.”

Let’s all pray for Emily this week, as she is undergoing the medical procedures necessary to keep her heart going, so that our hearts will be knit together with hers in unity and strength. Pray that God will mercifully give her strength to continue on in this miraculous journey of healing that is such an inspiration to us all.

**Update: Emily’s procedures have gone well. The scarring in her heart has not recurred and the doctors reduced her medications. The hospital has even given her a scholarship, reducing Emily’s financial burdens. Many prayers are being answered!

The post Conversion Stories: Emily (part 2) appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

At the impressionable age of nine, Emily witnessed the murder of her 13-year-old sister at the hands of their own mother. After hearing this one fact about Emily, probably much like you, I wanted to know more about her. Thankfully she has an open heart, even after all she has been through, and is willing to share it with us. However, this is not about relating the negative experiences that Emily had to endure as a child, it is about the healing that she has found since that time.

After growing up abused, and in foster care and adoptive homes Emily didn’t have a good attitude towards religion, families, or her own body. Emily was not a Mormon at this time of her life. She admits that she tends to think in a scientific way, needing evidence for belief. She was not looking for religion or change, but it came anyway. Her change of heart began with an interest in ballroom dance.

As she took ballroom dance lessons she learned many true principles that she had little experience with in her life before. Because of the physical abuse that Emily suffered she felt disconnected from her body, although she didn’t realize it. Through dance she was forced to think about her body, to feel it, to focus on how it helped her. The healing of  negative emotions associated with her body began on the dance floor. It taught her to be present in her body in a way that hadn’t happened before.

Through dance Emily began to learn the power of relationships- that when each person in the relationship does his or her part there is a wonderful reward. This would later lead to her comprehension of the importance of covenants.

Emily’s dance instructor was a positive influence in her changing life. She spent time with his family and it was an eye opening experience after the abnormal family situations she grew up in. Getting to know his family taught her entirely new ideas about families. She never felt the need for a father before, not the kind she had seen anyway. But now she saw a new type of father – loving, supportive, kind – maybe she could use that kind of Heavenly Father.

There is no doubt in Emily’s mind that without the lessons she learned in dance she would not have been able to understand, or have a heart soft enough, to accept the gospel of Jesus Christ.

There is something I haven’t told you about Emily that may surprise you. She is Deaf. That’s right, a ballroom dancer who is Deaf. Just chalk up another “Wow!” in her story. Keep reading, because there are more.

Emily’s dance instructor asked for her help in return one day. He was attending a job fair at church and found someone who was also Deaf who needed a job. He asked Emily if she had any leads. It impressed Emily that this church would provide interpreters for the Deaf, because they are so hard to come by at other congregations she’s attended, so she asked what church it was. She didn’t even know what the name of the church meant! Thank heavens for the internet because that’s where she found Mormonism – Mormon.org and then later LDS.org.

It was not an overnight process for Emily though. She doesn’t want anyone to think it was that easy. It took nine months from that first missionary contact until she was baptized just last week.

“I was like a broken glass that had to be slowly and patiently fused back together so that I would be present and whole and able to make that choice. If people had been disrespectful or pushy, it would have shattered me, and I would not have made the choice to convert.”

The process of investigating the gospel started with talking to the missionaries. Emily read the Book of Mormon many times. She focused on Moroni 10:

“Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.

“And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

“And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.” Moroni 10:3-5

As Emily’s studies went on she also made changes in her life. She had been living with a man she was not married to, so she moved out and into a tiny apartment at a financial loss. Her eating and drinking habits changed. Her wardrobe became more modest, due to her righteous desires, but also due to a mystery gift box of modest clothing. She learned to tithe and re-read the Bible with an increased understanding of her place in God’s plan.

Looking back the change seems huge to Emily, but really it wasn’t. It was a culmination of little steps, a progressive sequence. At any point her progress could have been stopped. Emily’s confidence that it has all unfolded as it should can give us all peace in troubled times.

This step-by-step process is similar to how she views her baptism. It is a large step to take in her life, but she knows it doesn’t mean she is perfect. It is just another step in the path to get closer to her Heavenly Father. It is another beginning.

Join us Thursday to see what Emily has been doing since her baptism.

The post Conversion Stories: Emily (part 1) appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

There is a woman in my church congregation who recently shared with me the story of her conversion. Selba was raised a member of the Catholic Church but when she had her first child, a son, she was not comfortable with the idea of infant baptism. In her heart she knew that her precious baby had no sin. She delayed getting her son baptized, yet still taught him the prayers of her family’s faith and hoped that one day she would be able to resolve the confusion.

Eight years later the LDS missionaries knocked on her door. At their very first meeting the missionaries began to teach about the error of infant baptism as found in Moroni 8:8:

Listen to the words of Christ, your Redeemer, your Lord and your God. Behold, I came into the world not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance; the whole need no physician, but they that are sick; wherefore, little children are whole, for they are not capable of committing sin; wherefore the curse of Adam is taken from them in me, that it hath no power over them; and the law of circumcision is done away in me.

She was astonished that the missionaries answered her question when they knew nothing of her dilemma. Later that night as her husband worked in the basement she read the scripture to him from a Book of Mormon the missionaries left with her. Luis immediately stopped what he was doing and asked her to read it again. After listening carefully to the verse he told her that she should keep the book.

Later, Selba asked that young missionary why he taught her about infant baptism at their very first meeting. The missionary told her that it was his very first day as a missionary and he was very nervous. He opened his scriptures and read those verses that morning and knew that it was what he was supposed to teach. Selba felt that God knew her desires to do what was right for her son and blessed her through the missionaries.

The missionaries came back many times, often late at night when Luis got home from work. As they taught the couple and their son about the gospel, their faith grew. Selba and Luis were baptized soon after, along with their son who was nine years old. Because Selba’s son had then passed his eighth birthday he was eligible for baptism.

Boyd K. Packer, one of the twelve apostles explains why children in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints wait until the age of eight to be baptized:

“Only when a child reaches that age of accountability, set by the Lord at eight years of age (see D&C 68:27), is their baptism essential. Before that age, they are innocent.”

We believe that children are not fully responsible for their own actions before the age of eight. Until that time they do not understand the concepts necessary for independent behavior, and they are pure and innocent through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Parents are responsible to teach their children the principles of the gospel so that by eight years of age they understand the basic principles of the gospel. They are then capable of making choices congruent with their knowledge using their personal agency.

An eight-year-old child is first interviewed by their priesthood leader, to determine if they know and understand the covenant they will make with God through baptism. They are also asked if they want to be baptized, as no one is forced into baptism. It is a sacred ordinance only to be entered into willingly.

The baptism itself is one of total immersion in water, while dressed in white, which is wonderfully symbolic and consistent with the teachings of the holy scriptures (Romans 6:4, 3 Nephi 11:22-26). After immersion in water the baptism is made complete through a blessing wherein the person receives the Holy Ghost through sacred priesthood power. We believe that baptism is not complete without receiving the Holy Ghost. The special blessing to have the Holy Ghost always with us helps us keep the commandments and remember the covenant we have made with God at baptism. (A of F 4)

My own children were also baptized when they were eight years old. It was a special occasion that we celebrated as a family and congregation, along with Selba, Luis, and their son. My friend and her family remain strong and devoted to the gospel of Jesus Christ, actively serving in our congregation.

I am thankful for the restored truths of the gospel that help me fully understand baptism and its purpose. It is a wonderful thing that our Savior, Jesus Christ was the perfect example for us- showing us the way back to our Heavenly Father through baptism (Matt 3:13-17, John 3:5). I am grateful for the restoration of the priesthood that gives authority for baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost. It is comforting to know that God has a plan for us, one that is as merciful and loving as it is exact and perfect.

The post Sharing Our Voices: Baptism appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

by Hannah

On July 22 of this year, I commemorated an anniversary of sorts. Twenty years ago on that day, I was baptized, along with my sister, and became a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It was something I had looked forward to for a while. Earlier that spring, my mom started coming back to church and my sister and I came too. We wanted to be baptized, so we started meeting with the missionaries. I can still remember some of our lessons with them, and being touched by the Holy Ghost that what they taught us was true. My aunt and uncle came out to San Diego with their family and my Uncle Ben baptized & confirmed both of us – he later would baptize my brother, and finally my dad. I had been at Girl’s Camp the week before my baptism and so many girls from camp came to support me. It is a day I will never forget, and I can’t believe 20 years have passed.

I don’t think I realized at the time how pivotal that day would be in my life. It helped set my whole family on a path that led to being sealed in the Los Angeles Temple. It helped set me on a personal path that got me through high school relatively unscathed. It led me to Brigham Young University – which was definitely the place for me. It led me to my wonderful husband and to the Salt Lake Temple, where we were married and sealed. It has made it possible for our two beautiful children to be ours forever. While the last 20 years have not been completely blissful, even in the difficult times, my membership in the Church has blessed me immensely, strengthened me when my strength was gone, provided me with an eternal perspective when my own was myopic, and helped me realize how much Heavenly Father loves me and has a hand in my life. That wonderful day, 20 years ago, truly has made all the difference! I can’t imagine my life without the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The post First Person: And it has made all the difference! appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

Sister Nai grew up in a Samoan ward in Sydney with about 150 people who regularly attend. Their ward used to meet in a school hall but eventually a meetinghouse was built by the church. They speak both Samoan and English in her home ward.

When asked about how she feels about living a religion whose roots came from across the globe Sister Nai said, “All of my family and friends are first-, second- and third-generation converts to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, so we cannot say that we have Pioneer ancestors who crossed the plains, but we still feel a connection to the early Church pioneers. The gospel has brought us so many blessings to our lives. None of us have pioneer ancestry but we are so grateful for the people who sacrificed so that the gospel could be brought to us.”

Sister Nai explained that in Australia the Joseph Smith story can feel far removed for some. The fact that over 100 years ago an American boy prayed to know which of all churches was correct and then he was answered by a visitation by God the Father and Jesus Christ can seem distant at times in Australian culture. But after meeting faithful Latter Day Saints, Sister Nai said, the testimony of Joseph Smith becomes more real to people.

Sister Nai explains, “We hold to our values and morals but we aren’t weird. They see us not drinking beer at the summer barbecue and recognize there is something we hold firm to. Meeting us takes away the mystique of the Joseph Smith’s First Vision. Our lives are the testimony of the reality of the Joseph Smith story.”

Sister Nai was one of only two Mormon youth at her high school. “I prayed to Heavenly Father that I could do it all, have the full high school experience and keep my standards. I can see now how Heavenly Father let that happen. He brought certain people into my life that let me live the gospel and take all the opportunities that were available to a Samoan Mormon girl. I was able to participate in the the Youth Round Table in my area. That meant I was able to participate in the development of government initiatives for youth in Australia. We were working on family and youth related issues as well as identity issues up until the time I got my mission call. It was wonderful to learn from this experience that we as youth had that power. Nothing could hold us back.”

When asked about why she decided to serve a mission for the Mormon church Sister Nai replied, “It was an answer to prayer. I was doing it all. Everything that I wanted was happening all at the same time. I was happy but still felt a nagging that there was something else I needed to do. When I received my answer to prayer and found out that serving a Mission was something Heavenly Father wanted me to do I made my plans and it has been a fantastic time.”

Two weeks prior to being interviewed for this portrait, a woman named Adrianne whom Sister Nai was teaching was baptized. She had been investigating the Church for three years. Her husband was already a member of the Church but Adrianne wanted to find out for herself. After three years of study Adrianne said, “This is where I found peace. This is where my relationship with Jesus Christ will be strengthened.” These are the experiences that make missionary life sweet for Sister Nai and others who spend time as missionaries — to see people find the peace and joy of the gospel.

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For more Mormon Women on a Mission posts, please click here.

The post Mormon Women on a Mission: Sister Nai appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

An atypically hot summer’s afternoon in a Scottish suburb found me looking curiously through the glass doors of a Mormon Church building. A kindly lady came out and asked if she could help me. I told her I wanted to join the Church, and, seeming a little taken aback (probably feeling a LOT taken aback), she invited me in and introduced me to a young man who she felt would be able to answer any questions I had.

Read the compelling conversion story of a Mormon woman named Alison here.

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Read more conversion stories here.

Would you like to share your conversion story? Have you already written it online and would like us to link to it? Please let us know at gmail using either of the following usernames: ‘mormonwomen’ or ‘mormonwoman’

The post <i>First Person</i>: Alison’s conversion story appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.