Enter at the Gate....

Nick and I awoke bright and early on the morning of the 24th to be greeted by Madison's radiant, smiling face.  She was too excited for her baptism to sleep, and wondered when her grandparents would be arriving.  It wasn't long before the other kids woke up and the McArthurs and Hoskins made their way over to our apartment from their hotels.  Once they arrived, there were final preparations for the baptism to be made, kids to be dressed and groomed, and of course, the baptismal font that needed to be filled.  Still, we managed to find time to relax and enjoy a few of our Mall of America purchases.  We also listened with tear-filled eyes as Madison, who had made a goal over a year ago to read the whole Book of Mormon before her baptism, proudly read us all the last chapter of Moroni.  Way to go Maddi!

 

 

Afterwards, she opened her baptism gifts, which included new scriptures, complete with a case, and her beautiful white baptism dress.

 

We were all excited and proud and anxious for the time of the baptism to arrive.

 

Eventually it was time for Madison and her father to get dressed in their white clothes and head over to the church building.  Madison looked so beautiful as she stood next to her father. 

 

 

She was a little bit nervous, but even more so excited to finally get the chance to do what primary lessons for the last five years had talked about--enter at the gate through the waters of baptism. Her baptism, like her mother's, would also take on the added significance of being held on the Eve of the day the world celebrates the birth of our beloved Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ. It was quite a lot of work to orchestrate the baptism on this occasion, but Madison would not have it any other way. At first, we thought to make it only a family affair so as not to take away from others' holiday celebrations, but as we all listened to the talks Grandma McArthur and Grandma Hoskins gave, and watched the sacred ordinance take place, it seemed like the perfect way to remember Christ and the spirit of Christmas. Then, as Madison received the very best gift of all--the Gift of the Holy Ghost, it was hard not to relish in the true spirit of giving. And it only further sweetened the occasion when Madison received a very special father's blessing from her Dad which stated, amongst other things, that it was appropriate for her to be baptised on this day and share in its historical celebration, as she had shared a close premortal friendship with Mary, the mother of the Lord, as well as many other valiant spirit children of our Heavenly Father.  I'm not sure there was a dry eye in the room as the blessing concluded.

After these special ordinances took place, the Bishop and Primary Presidency welcomed Madison as the newest member of the church, and then we all visited over refreshments for well over an hour.

Finally it was time to clean up, snap a few family pictures, and head back to our apartment to begin preparing for the next phase of our holiday--our annual Sheppard's dinner and other Christmas Eve traditions.

 

 

While this Christmas Eve was a bit more stressful than past Christmas Eve's, where we have sat quietly at home sipping hot chocolate and listening to Christmas music, it was also much more centered on the Being whose life we were all attempting to celebrate with our evergreen trees and sparkling lights, our presents and hand carved nativities.  As Madison made her first official promises to her Heavenly Father, we all reflected upon the time in our lives where we also made those promises.  As she was commanded to receive the Holy Ghost, we all received again the power and blessing of the Spirit of the Lord.  And as she left the church building, glowing with inner and outer innocence and light, and quietly singing the songs from her baptism day, we all went forth more prepared to sing our own carols, our own declarations of "wanting our lives to be as clean as the earth right after rain," of "joy to the world, the Lord is come, let Earth receive her King," and "Oh come let us adore Him, oh come let us Adore Him, Christ the Lord."

It was a Christmas Eve to remember, and we are so proud of you Madison, for making the choice to become an official member of God's only true and living Church upon the Earth--The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.