To and eight year old girl on the day of her baptism

To and eight year old girl on the day of her baptism,

     You don't know the enormity of what this day is at all, I can tell. I was eight and had this very same day and felt the very same things. No one can expect you to fully understand what this day really is, because you haven't experienced the great blessing and gift that it's going to be to you. 

     You are radiant and excited- you get to wear a fun jumpsuit and then a beautiful white dress. Everyone is telling you they are proud of you, and giving you presents. Cousins and friends come together and it's all about you and your "decision to be baptized". You feel warm and happy and glad that you are following Jesus, but your testimony is a tiny seed that you've never really had to test. 

     Today is the beginning of the rest of your life. I want to tell you what this day is going to mean but you aren't going to understand until you experience it, what the Holy Ghost is going to mean to you.

     One of these days you will say a prayer, a simple prayer because you have lost something, or feel sad, and you will receive an answer... Maybe you will sit in primary or read a scripture and feel a special sort of peace. When you are a young women you will go through trials, sometimes feel lost or scared or inadequate, and the Holy Ghost will whisper such a startling love to your heart that your testimony will overflow, and you will know. You may not always know, doubts will probably creep in, but just within those special moments you will know, and that will be enough to hold onto for the rest of the time. At least I hope it will be, for you.

     And you'll have to make decisions in your life as you grow older, oh my goodness, decisions that will threaten to tear you in two. And in some of those decisions you will know what the spirit wants you to do, but you won't want to do it. And in others you will have no idea which path is right and pray and pray to get it right, to have the spirit tell you which path to take. You will need him, and you will be so grateful he is there to guide you when you choose the right and put him first.

     And that all comes from this day! This day is bigger and more important than you can even imagine! You are so unbelievably precious to your Heavenly Father, and today you are taking a step that will allow you be with him forever if you want to! There are no words for the joy He has right now because you have chosen him. And no words for the joy you will feel as you continue to choose him. 

     This day will go by in a blur. People will cry, and you won't really understand why. The spirit probably won't knock you off your feet in the first 24 hours of getting it. But the gift you get today will become the best hope, the greatest friend, the comfort you'll need, the truest joy, the sweetest relief. Enjoy it today as you can, and enjoy it for the rest of your life, more and more.

Love,

Madeleine


(Me at age 8:)