Phoebe's baptism

Yesterday Dear Phoebe Ruth was baptized on her 8th birthday. It was such a special, wonderful day! Because of the. pandemic we had very few people there in person, just our family, Mimi and Grandpa, Dad, Grandma, Mark Sitton, Natalie Hansen, Libbi, Seth, and Eli, and Merri Carlson the Primary president. Then so very many loved ones and friends watching on a zoom link. All the Boise family, Olivia, the Tangs, The Betheas, the Mills, The Fishers, Jesse Puderbaugh. Then so much Ecuador family which was the coolest part! Phoebe had all three sets of Ecuadorian grandparents there, Tio Cristhian, Fabian and his family, Tia Zabrina, Tia Nayce, and other friends. 

Max and Sammy both shared their testimonies. They were sweet and perfect. They both spoke directly to Phoebe and told her how proud they were of her for deciding to get baptized. Max said he knew the church was true and that he loved Phoebe. Sammy told her he knew that it would help her to grow closer to God like it had helped him to. During his testify Leo walked up to the front of the room and Sammy picked him up and finished his testimony with Leo in his arms. It was so sweet. 

Tio Cristhian bore his testimony over zoom. Mama Ruth gave a sweet prayer in Spanish. 

Mimi gave a great talk about the three "bears of baptism" to bear his name, to bear one another's burdens, and to bear testimony. She explained bearing one another's burdens by giving examples of times when Phoebe can help someone and giving her a can to represent each experience. Then she said that if with all those cans in her arms if Phoebe felt burdened that others would help her bear her burdens too.

Javier told a story about a little boy who saved his sister from a dog that was attacking her. He said that he didn't even hesitate before stepping between her and the dog but felt that if anyone should be killed by the dog not should be him and he would save his sister. He said that he thought about the scars that the little boy would carry all his life on his face. This reminded him of the Savior in two ways. One that the Savior was so brave to choose to be our Savior and that the Savior chose to keep his scars on his hands, feet and side to remind us of the sacrifice he did for us. 

Phoebe knew she was going to be singing a song in Spanish all by herself and she was nervous. After she was baptized she told me she didn't feel nervous at all anymore, just calm and happy. She was just radiant.

After her baptism she sang her song, "Cuando yo me bautice" and it was so beautiful! I am so proud of her for working so hard to learn that song in Spanish and for being so courageous to sing it all by herself. She is fearless and faith-filled, and so talented!

Uncle Seth spoke last. He said that Phoebe is so smart, that he could tell from interviewing her that she really understood what she was doing and that she would do so well. He told her she would make mistakes too. He said that he knew from experience the joy of being forgiven. He told about his baptism day when his hair was sticking up so he cut that part off and then had to have his head shaved. He also told how after being baptized he felt so clean and pure and then when he got home he was mean to his sister and he knew he had sinned. He learned about repentance and that he could be pure and clean every time he repented.

Phoebe was so happy all day and it was just a beautiful wonderful day!