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.

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I am a youth Sunday School Teacher for children ages 13 and 14. I love teaching Sunday School, it is by far my favorite calling in the church. And 13-year-olds are my favorite age to teach, so I’m in “calling heaven” right now.

In a recent class, I asked each member of my class if there was a time when they knew that God was real and He loved them. I started with the girls, because they looked like they were actually paying attention. Some answered that they felt God’s love while reading the scriptures or after praying intently. The girls gave very good answers. When I looked over to the two boys in my class they were tipping their chairs backward and pushing on the accordion-style wall that separated us from the classroom behind us. One was chomping gum loudly and the other was itching to play with his cell phone. (I don’t allow use of any electronic devices in class.) But when I got to these boys, their chairs settled down and I repeated the question. I addressed them by name and asked: “When did you know that God lives and loves you?”

Almost in unison they replied, “The day I was given the Aaronic Priesthood.”

They took my breath away. My eyes misted up. I had not anticipated such an honest and heartfelt answer from the chair-tipping, gum-chomping dynamic duo.

At age 12, young men in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints are ordained to the Aaronic Priesthood spoken of in the Old Testament of the Holy Bible. This is a preparatory priesthood, designed to prepare boys to be spiritually mature men. The Aaronic Priesthood gives young men opportunities for temporal and spiritual service. At age 12, they are ordained to the office of Deacon. At 14, to the office of Teacher, and at 16 to the office of Priest. Duties of the Aaronic Priesthood include preparing and passing the sacrament, collecting fast offerings, being a home teacher. Priests also have the authority to baptize.

One diligent young man bore his testimony recently at church. He is twelve and is in middle school. I’ll do my best to capture what he said.

“When I was little, I wondered why I had to wait until I was 12 to receive the Aaronic Priesthood. But now I understand why. When I turned 12 I realized that I was at a crossroads. I went to middle school and found that there were so many more choices. Kids are not as good in middle school as they are in grade school. People at school say words that make me shudder. (Referring to profanity.) I realized that I was in a fork in the road. I needed to make the right choices. I needed to live up to the responsibilities of the Priesthood.”

All the Kleenexes came out then. There was a free flow of tears from the Bishop’s stand to the last pew. This young man spelled out for our ward the importance of the Aaronic Priesthood in that critical time of life for young men.

The experience reminded me of some favorite scriptures in the Book of Mormon. The context is a father teaching his young son to be and do good.

O, remember, my son, and learn wisdom in thy youth: yea, learn in thy youth to keep the commandments of God. Yea, and cry unto God for all thy support; yea let all thy doings be unto the Lord, and whithersoever thou goest let it be in the Lord; yea, let all thy thoughts be directed unto the Lord; yea let the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord forever. Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day. Alma 37:35 – 37

There is no pomp or ceremony that surrounds ordination to the Aaronic Priesthood for these Young Men. Just a simple ordinance where the hands of those who have authority are placed on a young man’s head and a prayer is spoken that confers the priesthood and sets the young man apart for service unto God and his fellow man.

I believe in the youth of this world, that they can make good choices amongst the sea of filth that surrounds them. Just like my 12-year-old exemplar taught to my congregation in his testimony recently, there is no better time than at the crossroads of childhood, to choose God over the profane.

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