On this page are some of my blog entries describing our baptism.
Also youtube renditions of the hymns we chose for our baptism, beautiful in their own right. However, the hymns at our baptism were performed exquisitely on piano by his talented musician brother, Adrian.
Link - history about the hymns
Be Still My Soul -- danced by Ad Deum Dance Company
My body won't move this way anymore, and these two can dance it for me
Be Still My Soul, performed by Aled Jones
Be Still My Soul performed by Mormon Tabernacle Choir
Consider the Lilies, performed by Mormon Tabernacle Choire
While it is not Adrian's composition, honoring that he performed this hymn for his brother, Arthur at our baptism
If You Could Hie to Kolob, celtic
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
As promised, details on our baptism
I have had ten days to think about it since our baptism weekend, and now feel ready to write my post about the experience. In between was Mother's Day weekend, in which my two granddaughters chose to spend the day with me and we had wonderful 'girl time'. Given that the baptism weekend has taken on sacred qualities for me and my husband, I will give only the outline, and probably won't begin to try to capture the depth of emotion.
My husband and his two brothers have been somewhat estranged over the years of our marriage. In my assessment, partially for their own familial 'brother' kinds of family relationships, inherent in all families. The baptism served well to bring them together to forge new relationships going forward. Both brothers, by choice, wanted to travel from Utah to our home in Washington (state) to witness our baptisms. Taking it a step further they offered to perform the baptisms. One brother (former ward bishop) baptized husband, and the other brother (in a bishopric) baptized me. I have had my own falling out with the younger brother over a strong difference of opinion which has lasted over the years, making his performing of my baptism all the more significant. This is the same brother who is musically talented, has played the piano all his life, and he performed the music for us that day. His especially soulful rendition of the song we chose for my husband 'Consider the Lilies' was so personal between them, for all of us, and the impact was felt by all in attendance.
Having family as guests in our home over that weekend was a treasure. Although our house is not well configured to be much accommodating to overnight guests, it was still a quite successful weekend. They were accommodating to the restricted geographical circumstances of our home and I applaud them for their willingness to make the best of the situation. We had traveled north to pick up my mother from Tacoma a day earlier, and she occupied the one guest room in the house, and family made do with air mattress and couch in the living room. Friday night we were getting tucked in when the electricity went out (happens sometimes here, fortunately not so often). That added to the 'camping out' feeling that already existed with the camping out sleeping arrangements, except made a tad more challenging getting it set up in candlelight.
Saturday, April 30, 2011, day of our baptism, and we knew to expect some of his cousins who wanted also to be there to witness the baptism. My son and his lady were coming, and my husband's daughter was also coming. In a suprise announcement, our niece, a mother of four little ones, was able with help of her family 'move mountains' to make the trip from Utah. I was planning to prepare a meal for all our guests after the baptism, and the head count started at one number and kept growing. It was exciting and challenging all at the same time. We had eighteen of our family at the baptism and to our home afterwards for dinner. Travelers from Utah, Portland, Oregon, Woodland, WA, and most all were heading out that night, either back the same night to their homes or to a stopover location. Earlier in the day, my sister-in-law suggested a walk and she took photos of interest points in our quaint little community. Appreciating the walk with her as it was rather calming for me.
Sunday, May 1, 2011, day of our confirmation. We went to the Sacrament meeting at our Ward, knowing the confirmations had been planned. With family having performed the baptisms the day before, the Bishop wanted the confirmations to join us to the Ward family, and while respecting it was our choosing as to who would be 'the voice' in stating the confirmations, we had agreed to having a long time elderly member of the Ward speak the words. I really did want the young missionary who has been with us from the start to have a more active role in my confirmation, and I also understood the symbolism of having a Ward member say the words. The confirmations were done, including the young missionary, husband's two brothers, the Bishop, and the elderly member of the Ward. It felt inclusive, covering all the bases, personal, family, missionary and Ward.
It happened to be what is called Fast and Testimony Meeting Sunday, whereby members who feel compelled can have time at the podium to share their faith experience. Knowing how emotional it already was for us, and not likely either of us would be able to get more than a few words out should we choose to share our feelings, it still seemed an opportune time to me for my husband to speak given that his brothers were in attendance and we would not likely see them again in that capacity. Dear husband did decide to try, and words were lost to him, he delivered a sense of his feelings by performing one of his beloved piano hymns, one that he had played upon the return of his mission all those decades earlier in the brother's lives together.
It was a quite moving way to give expression when words won't come.
His brother followed up giving a powerful sharing of his feelings, in which he included what he knows of me in what he shared, catching me by surprise, the singular stand out thing for me he said was acknowledging my personal spirituality. I will hold onto the content of what he said that Sunday for many years to come. A few other people came up to share their experiences, and by then his other brother was seated, waiting his turn to share his thoughts, but the clock was ticking and had ticked away the time by the time his turn came, and I don't know this to be factual, but I believe he abbreviated his talk, probably changed the topic as well. But it is good; enough sustaining emotion had passed that weekend and may blessings abound.
My husband and his two brothers have been somewhat estranged over the years of our marriage. In my assessment, partially for their own familial 'brother' kinds of family relationships, inherent in all families. The baptism served well to bring them together to forge new relationships going forward. Both brothers, by choice, wanted to travel from Utah to our home in Washington (state) to witness our baptisms. Taking it a step further they offered to perform the baptisms. One brother (former ward bishop) baptized husband, and the other brother (in a bishopric) baptized me. I have had my own falling out with the younger brother over a strong difference of opinion which has lasted over the years, making his performing of my baptism all the more significant. This is the same brother who is musically talented, has played the piano all his life, and he performed the music for us that day. His especially soulful rendition of the song we chose for my husband 'Consider the Lilies' was so personal between them, for all of us, and the impact was felt by all in attendance.
Having family as guests in our home over that weekend was a treasure. Although our house is not well configured to be much accommodating to overnight guests, it was still a quite successful weekend. They were accommodating to the restricted geographical circumstances of our home and I applaud them for their willingness to make the best of the situation. We had traveled north to pick up my mother from Tacoma a day earlier, and she occupied the one guest room in the house, and family made do with air mattress and couch in the living room. Friday night we were getting tucked in when the electricity went out (happens sometimes here, fortunately not so often). That added to the 'camping out' feeling that already existed with the camping out sleeping arrangements, except made a tad more challenging getting it set up in candlelight.
Saturday, April 30, 2011, day of our baptism, and we knew to expect some of his cousins who wanted also to be there to witness the baptism. My son and his lady were coming, and my husband's daughter was also coming. In a suprise announcement, our niece, a mother of four little ones, was able with help of her family 'move mountains' to make the trip from Utah. I was planning to prepare a meal for all our guests after the baptism, and the head count started at one number and kept growing. It was exciting and challenging all at the same time. We had eighteen of our family at the baptism and to our home afterwards for dinner. Travelers from Utah, Portland, Oregon, Woodland, WA, and most all were heading out that night, either back the same night to their homes or to a stopover location. Earlier in the day, my sister-in-law suggested a walk and she took photos of interest points in our quaint little community. Appreciating the walk with her as it was rather calming for me.
Sunday, May 1, 2011, day of our confirmation. We went to the Sacrament meeting at our Ward, knowing the confirmations had been planned. With family having performed the baptisms the day before, the Bishop wanted the confirmations to join us to the Ward family, and while respecting it was our choosing as to who would be 'the voice' in stating the confirmations, we had agreed to having a long time elderly member of the Ward speak the words. I really did want the young missionary who has been with us from the start to have a more active role in my confirmation, and I also understood the symbolism of having a Ward member say the words. The confirmations were done, including the young missionary, husband's two brothers, the Bishop, and the elderly member of the Ward. It felt inclusive, covering all the bases, personal, family, missionary and Ward.
It happened to be what is called Fast and Testimony Meeting Sunday, whereby members who feel compelled can have time at the podium to share their faith experience. Knowing how emotional it already was for us, and not likely either of us would be able to get more than a few words out should we choose to share our feelings, it still seemed an opportune time to me for my husband to speak given that his brothers were in attendance and we would not likely see them again in that capacity. Dear husband did decide to try, and words were lost to him, he delivered a sense of his feelings by performing one of his beloved piano hymns, one that he had played upon the return of his mission all those decades earlier in the brother's lives together.
It was a quite moving way to give expression when words won't come.
His brother followed up giving a powerful sharing of his feelings, in which he included what he knows of me in what he shared, catching me by surprise, the singular stand out thing for me he said was acknowledging my personal spirituality. I will hold onto the content of what he said that Sunday for many years to come. A few other people came up to share their experiences, and by then his other brother was seated, waiting his turn to share his thoughts, but the clock was ticking and had ticked away the time by the time his turn came, and I don't know this to be factual, but I believe he abbreviated his talk, probably changed the topic as well. But it is good; enough sustaining emotion had passed that weekend and may blessings abound.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Baptized and Confirmed weekend of April 30/May 1 in 2011
We both were baptized and confirmed into the LDS church this past weekend. I wanted to get a placeholder post in place and will return to write more detail in short time. It was such an intense, moving, emotional experience throughout the weekend and words are just not available to me to adequately describe the depth and sacredness of the experience. The bare bones is the the experience in and of itself is worthy of a post, and the reconciliation elements with my husband's brothers and cousins and extended family is another emotional aspect of the experience, along with my own personal feelings of being embraced into the family and the church.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Cleared for Baptism - April 30, 2011
Had another missionary lesson/discussion last week, March 9th. And this time the young missionary brought with him the mission leader, another young, energetic missionary. We started off the discussion in good hearted and light humor, and as it turned out it was a planned 'interview' with questions put to me that I was to answer...yes, those questions that have concerned me like do you believe Joseph Smith was a prophet; do you believe the Book of Mormon; will you live the Word of Wisdom, and on down the list. Then I was given a samll card with the last questions which are of an intrusive and sensitive nature, and instructions to merely answer yes or no. Uh, more about this in another post, and I could answer no easily enough, yet it was very worrisome to me that if I had reason to answer yes, what would be the next steps, and if I had answered yes, that would mean these young men would now know something about very personal decisions which are not the business of the church in any capacity.
But that is not the purpose of this post. So, I am good to go now in proceeding with baptism, and the young missionaries are most pleased. Next, we are waiting for Arthur's follow up interview with the Bishop. The women's monthly potluck dinner is scheduled for the next evening, and the Bishop is agreeable to doing the interview with Arthur during that time. I had a pleasant time at the potluck meal - the feminine influence was there with beautiful roses on the tables, tablecloths, and a set up for a lovely shared meal.
Arthur and the Bishop showed up after the meal was fininshed (some thoughtful women had taken plates into the Bishop's office for he and Arthur), and Arthur is cleared to proceed with baptsim. Now it is a matter of setting the date. The Bishop was slightly disappointed that we needed to put it out into April, but understands why as we are coordinating a date with Arthur's brothers from Utah to be here for the baptsim. He informs Arthur that one of the young missionaries may be reassigned within the next two weeks and was hopeful to be here for the baptisms.
Next day is the horrific tsunami that did so much damage to Japan. We are on tsunami alert here in Western WA on the coastline which is where we live. Spent an anxious day. The young missionary phones during that day to inquire about Arthur's interview with Bishop, to which I tell him that he has been cleared to proceed with baptism, and the potential date. He is disappointed that the date is out so far, catches himself and rearranges his expression to one of congratulatory rather than disappointment. I tell him that I will see if we can move the date up prior to the other Elder's mission reassignment date, and he is pleased.
Quick exchanges with Arthur's brothers and they cannot be freed up to get here earlier than April, if anything the date is pushed even futher out in April to the last weekend. I phone the young missionary to advise we weren't able to get the date early enough, but would it be okay to phone the Misson President to ask permission that both missionaries be freed up that day to attend. He is pleased with the suggestion, and provides me the contact information, although he is not optimistic that special allowance will be given.
Church on Sunday, which is quiet and uneventful. It was the weekend of the Daylight Savings time change, to switch the clocks an hour forward (Fall Back/Spring Forward). Many were not at church Sunday, likely due to the time changes and their clocks were not yet on Daylight Savings time.
Monday, February 7, 2011
The title of this post initiates the beginning of blogging my impressions as a newcomer to the LDS belief set/church/faith. I wonder if I might retitle this blog as Impressions, and will leave the blog titled as it is for now. It seems I have made a decision to walk inside the LDS faith rather than observe it from outside. In our marriage years together we have not made a visit to the LDS church in our area. We decided to pay a visit two Sunday's ago. We set the ground rules for ourselves, that we would attend the general meeting and leave before the other two meetings that follow. The purpose of visiting the church was to introduce ourselves to Mormons within our community. I found myself quite taken with the speakers at the meeting, a husband and wife team in the function of missioner presidents. Meaning to the best of my present understanding that they assist and help the young missionaries in performing their functions.
She spoke with depth and feeling to the Book of Ruth (biblical), he told an engaging story, and it did not feel to me like 'preaching' in the traditional sense of the word. As I looked around at the people in attendance, I had moments of appreciation that they were people, neighbors living in the region where we live, trying to make their way in the world to the best of their varied abilities. i said to my husband, that I would like to stay and see how the rest of the meetings develop.
It happened to be the 5th Sunday at this Ward (they call their church buildings Wards), and the agenda for the services/meetings differ on the fifth Sunday. The men and women stay together in what is called Sunday School, and then the meeting following that which is a combined Priesthood Meeting and Relief Society Meeting. The men and women remain together, the children go to their various classes.
At the end of the meetings, I said to my husband that I was ready to take the next step towards moving inside, and that step is baptism, so I was ready for baptism. He was startled and quick to recover, knowing our walk is one together, not separate and his appreciation for the male role of attendance to his wife, indicated he would be baptized, he first, and then he would be in position to baptize me. Thus began for us a new aspect to our journey together. As I continue to write in this blog, I hope to write some of my initial impressions of the experience as a newcomer to this church. It has been a week since that announcement, and it has been a week full of high wind emotions, The Storm, which in it's own right is neither good nor bad, but is in fact a storm, the culmination of climatic events in the weather that come together to create conditions that generate a weather storm.
