97. The Baptismal Interview
- L Rshaw
- Feb 16, 2020
- 7 min read
Updated: Jun 22, 2022
Baptismal Interviews are not like job interviews. In a job interview, the interviewer is looking for what the person can bring to the table. Job interviewers are picky, filtering out one person from a batch who all want the same thing. In a baptismal interview, anybody who wants to join the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and is willing to abide by the regulations that the Lord has established is able to do so. There is room for all in the kingdom of God and He wants as many as are willing to come unto Him. The more the better.
**To review what baptisms are and what baptismal interviews signify, click "Baptism by Immersion".**
*For more specific information on the baptismal interview process, you can read about it here in the "Preach My Gospel" manual which missionaries use.*
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COME UNTO CHRIST
The basic requirements to be baptized are found in the scriptures. The prophet Alma in the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ taught the significance of the Baptismal Covenant at the place called, "The Waters of Mormon":
“…And now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light; Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life. Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you?” (Mos. 18: 8-10)
Modern revelation (D&C 20:37) reiterates these basic requirements of baptism:
“All those who humble themselves before God, and desire to be baptized, and come forth with broken hearts and contrite spirits, and witness before the church that they have truly repented of all their sins and are willing to take upon them the name of Jesus Christ, having a determination to serve him to the end, and truly manifest by their works that they have received of the Spirit of Christ unto the remission of their sins, shall be received by baptism into his church”.
Baptism is how we show Heavenly Father that we want to follow the example of Jesus Christ. We don't have to know a lot, but our heart does have to be in the right place. We do need to have the desire to follow Jesus Christ. The Baptismal Interview is intended as a way to check that the person understands this baptismal covenant and fulfills the spiritual requirements aforementioned. But it's also an opportunity to express congratulations and to let the candidate share their feelings or ask questions in a private setting.
Baptismal Interviews are exciting! Done right, the baptismal candidate should be able to feel the love that the interviewer has for them and the love that Heavenly Father has for them.
MY FIRST BAPTISMAL INTERVIEW
One of my new duties as a District Leader was to conduct the Baptismal Interview for the "baptismal candidates" of those in my District including the Zone Leaders’ (See "4th Area: Las Torres, Matamoros" and "Mission Administration"). It was Friday, November 6, 2015 but it wasn't too cold yet. It was my first week, barely four days in with my new duties, and the Zone Leaders had a married couple who were scheduled to have their baptisms the next day. The wife, Merari, had a strong testimony and desire to be baptized. However, her husband, Eduardo, wasn’t sure that he wanted to be baptized with her but he gave consent to his wife. Since there were two of us District Leaders (Elder Yagual and myself), for the sake of time we each took a person to interview while the others waited outside. Although the husband didn’t really want to be baptized, Elder Yagual was going to talk to him anyway so he would be ready to go should he change his mind (like the situation with J. and T.; see "Hermanas de las Chamoyadas").
Since it was my first time conducting a baptismal interview, I got it easy and interviewed the eager wife. We picked out a room in the chapel building and closed the door most of the way, but not all the way (as per Mission rules you're not allowed to be alone with the opposite sex). I determined in the interview that she was indeed ready to be baptized. She was full of light and her only concern was that her husband wouldn’t join the Church. She feared the possibility of having to attend church alone. Her determination was so strong that she was afraid of the day she might stop coming to church if the loneliness became too much. I can sympathize with that. Of all concerns to have, hers was a humble and almost beautiful one.
Her concerns were marital. Marriage is very much a personal and very real and very important thing. But I had no experience with marriage! (See "Marriage"). I'd never been married before! I was a twenty-year-old kid! I didn't feel qualified to give marriage advice, but she wanted my thoughts. Here I was, just me and her in confidentiality. I was being asked to play Marriage and Family Therapist on what was the night of enormous decision. Literally, her whole future hinged on those following hours between her relationship with her husband and with God (See "One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism"). And here I am feeling like an incompetent child trying to think of what I could possibly say to ease her mind and result in a win-win outcome.
I thought for a long time about what to say. I didn’t want to be egotistical and tell her to get over her worry because I knew she'd keep coming to church with or without him. But neither did I want to give some bold advice that could lead to a damaged marriage. At the end of the day, the covenants we make with Heavenly Father are the most important things we do in life and death. But I'm an extremely compassionate person and I believe that a great part of Heavenly Father's Plan of Happiness is centered on eternal families (See "Eternal Family"), and one of the greatest covenants we make is eternal marriage in the temple (See "Temples -- Holy Houses of the Lord").
It's easy for me to say that I'd put my faith before a significant other since I know covenants are essential to eternal happiness, but I've never been in a situation like that. I can't necessarily speak from experience. But I know the heartbreak that such a personal decision entails. I understand the dilemma that some people have to decide for themselves: If I could only choose one would it be my faith or my family? Nothing is more important than those two things and I would never make that decision for someone else.
I prayed hard to know what to do. That same peace and courage that the spirit gave me with J. and T. returned and I told her with power and authority that “If you move forward with faith in Christ and His gospel and live your life as an example of it, with prayer and patience your husband will join the gospel. It may not be when you want it because he has his agency, but you do your part and the Lord will do His”. We both felt reassured by the Spirit of the Lord that everything would be alright. We finished that interview, told the Zone Leaders that she got the green light, and they and this wife all went home satisfied that night at 9:30 pm. It was a little later than we were supposed to be out but the chapel was just down the street and it was a quick quarter mile jog home.
The next day was the baptism. The Zone Leaders had gone over early that morning to make sure everything was ready to go with them, to fill the font and whatnot. And that was when the wonder happened (See "Our Baptismal Font"). The wife explained to us that she'd shared her testimony with her husband after that interview with me when they went home and he had a change of heart. He decided to be baptized with her too! We were all just bouncing off the walls with joy. It was amazing! I thought of how amazing God was to put words in my mouth, to see the wife do her part, and the Lord fulfill His promise so quickly! I got to see them both be baptized within hours of that experience when I thought it might fall apart.
That was another one of many personal witnesses I had that God fulfills the promises of His servants when they speak with priesthood authority of God by the power of the spirit (See "Priesthood"). Every time I made a promise to someone as representative of Jesus Christ, the greater I felt conviction in my words, “I promise you that if you do X, the Lord will bless you with Y”. There is a scripture that says:
“Search these commandments, for they are true and faithful, and the prophecies and promises which are in them shall all be fulfilled. What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken. Nay I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away but shall all be fulfilled, whether by my voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same.” (D&C 1:38)
For the longest time, I thought that scripture meant ‘whether by God’s own voice or by the prophet’s voice it is the same'. It was a revelation to me when I realized that I was one of those servants who spoke on behalf of Him. That promise applies to more than just the prophets. Whether by God’s own voice or by the voice of His righteous missionaries, it is the same.
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