Carston got Baptized

Carston was baptized on June 4, 2011. It was a very special day for him. He was able to have his baptism with his cousin, Kade, who is 2 days younger. It was neat to see the primary room filled with people who love and support these boys. I always love to see the priesthood circle, knowing that all those men would do anything to help the young boy they are resting their hands upon. Growing up in Utah, I've always worried that my kids will do things simply because they think it is part of the culture. I didn't want Carston to get baptized just because that's what you do when you turn eight. We talked a lot about what it means to be baptized, the promises you are making, and tried our best to help him understand the sacredness of the event. He is an amazing little boy. When I sat there watching him sit by his dad, feeling kind of nervous, I was just impressed with how much he belongs to me second. His first parents are Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother. They have known and loved him much longer than I have. And they've given me the task of raising him on earth. That is both a weight and a joy. I sure hope that my best will be enough.

Carston worked really hard before his baptism. He made a goal a few months back to read the Book of Mormon before he was baptized. He had to be so diligent and work so hard in order to reach that goal. There were a few times where I didn't think he was going to make it. But he was persistant and dedicated. It was very special to see him read and understand the scriptures. He would get so excited when he came to stories he knew. He was also excited when he found the baptism prayer near the end. It was pretty neat to see the Spirit working on him, helping him know that what he was doing was good, and seeing how good he felt about himself after reading. The fact that a 7 year old boy would stay commited to such a great undertaking (especially considering the difficulty of the language) was a testament to me of the truth of the Book of Mormon. I was so pleased with his desire and dedication.

I loved that when we were getting out of the car, Carston turned to us and said, "Remember when I got baptized...that was awesome!"

PS-The funny parts of the day were Macy leaning on all the piano keys as I tried to play the closing song, Kate yelling "MOM!" super loud throughout the program, Carston later telling us he thought he was going to pee his pants he was so nervous, Kade's mom forgetting the papers saying he could get baptized with us, me forgetting to reserve the pavillion at the park and arriving to find all the tables covered with tablecloths, and me taking Avery to the doctor at 10:00 that night to find out she had strep :)