We were so excited and happy for our sweet first child, oh how many years and months we looked forward to and awaited this special day...and Katelyn's decision to be baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints!! We found some time a couple weeks before her big day to take some pictures to remember this special time at a local lake with beautiful scenery, fit for a beautiful girl dressed in white!
We spent several weeks in advance talking about the steps leading up to baptism, including having faith, repentance, baptism, and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end in our Family Home Evenings. She seemed to understand full well the importance of and the special promises she would be making with our Heavenly Father and Savior to always remember Him, take the Savior's name upon her, to keep His commandments and strengthen those around her so that she might always have His Spirit to be with her. She has always seemed to have this spiritual understanding and willingness to do what is right, we are so proud of Katelyn for her preparation for this special day when she would enter the gate of baptism on her path back to return to our Father in Heaven!
Love that smile, love this girl! Love that she is learning that the Book of Mormon and Scriptures will be the way for her to hear God's words, know of His love, feel the Spirit guiding and blessing her each day and that it along with constant prayer will be a blessing and strength to her as she navigates her way back to our heavenly home!!
Katelyn sandwich on her special day!
We sure are so proud of our sweet Katelyn! Just love the sparkle in her eyes and that smile of pure joy and anticipation for this exciting step in her life. :)
Proud Dad and Mom!!
Our family so happy for Katelyn on her baptismal day!
Katelyn's Grandpa's and Grandma's on her special day!! We missed Grandpa Terry, but felt his love in our hearts! What great examples these wonderful people have been and continue to be in our lives! We are SOOO THANKFUL each of them could make it and for their love, guidance and never-ending support and goodness. They sure love Katelyn and it meant so much for her to feel of your love and support and her special day.
Katelyn's first set of her own scriptures!!
Grandma Susan and Aunt Sarah with the kiddos! We LOVED having them too, and I couldn't have pulled of the afterwards luncheon without Sarah's help making so many temple sugar cookies and my mom helping to prep/cut/organize all the food items AND wash all the dishes for us. That was so sweet and loving of her to come help serve us and help the day run so smoothly with her behind the scene helpfulness! :) What a great mom! AND Sarah played and sang song and told stories to her hearts content with all the kids, she was definitely a SUPER AUNT for the trip too! We love you guys!
So much love wrapped up between them!
Uncle Samuel and Katelyn- He always finds a way to make the kids laugh and smile. He is a huge blessing in our lives. So thankful Katelyn has a relationship with him and his example of goodness and spiritual strength. :)
Katelyn sandwich kisses! We've been doing these since she first learned how to smile!!! It's tradition, tradition, and man is this girl LOVED!
Katelyn and the beautiful baptism cake Tammy Heath made for this special day!! What a perfect, pearly white wonder of incredible moisture and goodness AND a reminder of how following the Savior, and striving to remain clean and pure, listening to the promptings of the Spirit and keeping our covenants can bring purity, peace and the SWEETEST joys of all.
So happy for this sweet girl in my life! She is a light, joy and example of love, thoughtfulness, striving to do what is right and diligence to us all!
Some of Katelyn's biggest CA fans!! It was so special to have them come from so far away. We had Gary Duke and Samuel play the piano for Katelyn's baptism program and they performed wonderfully! What awesome talents they could share to bless us all! Katelyn always loves hanging out with Lola and Anna too! They are all examples of friendliness, service, sincere love and helpfulness! Love you guys and so glad you could be here with us!
The sweet symbolic cookies Aunt Sarah helped us make...a reminder that this was one of the first steps on the path back to live with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ with our families forever someday! =)
Cousins, Oh Cousins!
What a tremendous joy and blessing it was to have all my Dad's side of the family come support Katelyn on her special day! It truly felt like a sweet glimpse of heaven to be surrounded by so much love and towering examples of goodness!! ;)
Katelyn and Daddy on her big day, following the example of Jesus. :)
Katelyn and Daddy all dressed in white on her special day!
Everyone who could make it for Katelyn's special day!! It was so sweet to have so many people who love and support Katelyn there for her on that day. (Plus Uncle Austin who was taking the picture....AND Uncle Cory and Aunt Susan, Kimball and Josiah---who must have slipped out before we could snap their pictures too!) What a special glimpse of heaven it was to be surrounded by so much love, happiness and family! We are all so proud of you, Katelyn, on your decision to be baptized and for entering the covenant path that will lead back to our Heavenly home someday!! Love you with all our hearts!
Loved these extra pictures from our picture outing day a few weeks before her birthday. I love the ones where she is reading the scriptures, TRULY this is the way to find STRENGTH, HOPE, COMFORT, PEACE, and GUIDANCE on your journey through life. It will be the way Heavenly Father can teach and the Spirit can testify of his and the Savior's LOVE for you! The iron rod is the word of God, it will safely guide you all your life! Love you cutie pie!
My tag-along-cute-side-kicks! Good thing they found sticks to play with along the way! What good sports they were! Just love my crew!
I hope this sweet girl will always remember the special feelings she felt as she prepared for and made the choice to be baptized, just like Jesus was, and confirmed to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. I hope you remember the pure happiness and joy that will always come from following the Savior. So many blessings lie in store and unfaltering strength as you keep your covenants, remember who you are and always strive to honor and serve Him! :) We love you so much sweet girl! Hope this helps you to always remember this SUPER SPECIAL day! :)
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