My Sister-In Law Camille's Baptism

My brother, Chad, and Camille on her baptism day

Chad and his wife surprised us by coming to our home for Christmas last year. We were so happy to be able to see both of them again. While in Arizona, they went to church with us. Once they got back to Florida, Camille told my brother that she really wanted to start going to church. They started going to church, and she started reading the Book of Mormon and praying to know if it was true.

In the Book of Mormon, there is a promise given by the prophet Moroni. He stated, “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)

Camille felt in her heart that the Book of Mormon was true, but she wasn't sure she knew enough to be baptized. She started praying about it. She opened up to Heavenly Father expressing a concern that she wasn't sure she really knew how to pray. She asked him to teach her. She also asked him to let her know when she should be baptized.

She flipped open my brothers phone and selected scriptures. Usually it made her select which book and which chapter. But this time, it opened up directly to Alma chapter 34. She thought to herself, "That's not where I was reading." But she felt impressed to read what it had to say. This is what she read.

17 Therefore may God grant unto you, my brethren, that ye may begin to exercise your ^afaith^bcall upon his holy name, that he would have mercy upon you; unto repentance, that ye begin to

18 Yea, cry unto him for mercy; for he is ^amighty to save.

19 Yea, humble yourselves, and continue in ^aprayer unto him.

20 Cry unto him when ye are in your ^afields, yea, over all your flocks.

21 ^aCry unto him in your houses, yea, over all your household, both morning, mid-day, and evening.

22 Yea, cry unto him against the power of your ^aenemies.

23 Yea, ^acry unto him against the ^bdevil, who is an enemy to all ^crighteousness.

24 Cry unto him over the crops of your fields, that ye may prosper in them.

25 Cry over the flocks of your fields, that they may increase.

26 But this is not all; ye must ^apour out your souls in your ^bclosets, and your secret places, and in your wilderness.

27 Yea, and when you do not cry unto the Lord, let your ^ahearts be ^bfull, drawn out in prayer unto him continually for your ^cwelfare, and also for the welfare of ^dthose who are around you.


Wow! There was her answer about how to pray. She kept reading.

30 And now, my brethren, I would that, after ye have ^areceived so many witnesses, seeing that the holy scriptures testify of these things, ye come forth and bring ^bfruit unto repentance.

31 Yea, I would that ye would come forth and ^aharden not your hearts any longer; for behold, now is the time and the ^bday of your ^csalvation; and therefore, if ye will repent and ^dharden not your hearts, immediately shall the great plan of redemption be brought about unto you.

32 For behold, this ^alife is the time for men to ^bprepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of ^cthis life is the day for men to perform their ^dlabors.

33 And now, as I said unto you before, as ye have had so many ^awitnesses, therefore, I beseech of you that ye do not ^bprocrastinate the day of your ^crepentance until the end; for after this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the ^dnight of ^edarkness wherein there can be no labor performed.

There was her answer to when she needed to be baptized. Camille was baptized and confirmed a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints on Sunday, February 22nd. We are so excited for her and Chad as they strive to get to the temple to be sealed for time and all eternity a year from now. I hope to be there for that one!

The gospel is true! It always amazes me how Heavenly Father knows each one of us and answers each one of us individually as we come to him in prayer. We are his children and he loves us all so much. This much I know is true!