angels know about baptism

In ancient times Jesus himself taught that it was necessary for a person to be baptized in order to enter into the kingdom of God.  He taught the importance of bapizm by his example.  At the beginning of his ministry, he went to his cousin John whose birth and ministry were foretold by an angel.  John had been given the authority to baptize people with water from an angel. But John told everyone that he was preparing the way for the messiah who would come and baptize them with fire and the Holy Ghost.  Jesus acknowledged John's authority by traveling to where he was and accepting baptism from him as a way to fulfill all righteousness.  After Jesus came up out of the water, John heard the voice of God from heaven saying, "This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased." and the Holy Ghost descended upon Jesus.

Later Jesus gave his apostles, the power to give the Holy Ghost. With the priesthood given them by Jesus Christ they were able to do all of the miracles he did.  After Christ's death and resurrection his apostles tried to establish churches. They knew that someday the gospel of Jesus Christ would be taught in all the world and Christ would return to reign on the earth as Lord and King.  But first there would be a falling away. The apostles would be killed and the church would be taken over by men who did not have the priesthood of God. The dark ages were a difficult time in the history of the world.  The Bible barely survived. Reformers protested and tried to fix the church.

Change came slowly.  The Bible was translated into English and the printing press made it accessible to the people.  America was established as a land with religious freedom where religious differences were openly debated.  In the spring of 1820 Joseph Smith, a fourteen year old boy prayed earnestly and asked God to help him know which church to join. He was visited by God and Jesus Christ and told that he should join none of the the churches on the earth.  Joseph Smith was told that he would in time help establish Christ's true Church.

Three years later an angel visited Joseph Smith and told him where to find an ancient record written by people who lived in America from 600 BC to about 400 AD.  They had come from Jerusalem and knew about the Old Testament Prophets.  They brought the Bible with them that contained the prophesies of Isaiah and Jeremiah.  Their own prophets continued to write scripture in America.  They lived the law of Moses, but they knew that Christ would come.  Their record is another testament of Jesus Christ and it explains the gospel of Jesus Christ more clearly than the Bible does.  It teaches the importance of baptism by water and the baptism by fire or the Gift of the Holy Ghost.  It explains about priesthood authority and how Christ also gave that authority to his disciples in America when he visited them after his resurrection.

When Joseph Smith read this record and prayed about baptism, John the Baptist came to earth as an angel and gave Joseph Smith and his companion the authority to baptize with water.  He told them that they would receive the power to give the Holy Ghost from Peter James and John, who would also come as angels. As disciples of Jesus they had received that authority directly from Jesus Christ.

When people believe that Jesus Christ restored his true church to the earth through the prophet Joseph Smith they feel a kinship with others who believe the same.  Even though many of them have already been baptized in another church, they want a baptism that will be recognized by Jesus Christ and they want to receive the Holy Ghost.

Hi, I'm Sister Babcock

My husband and I are Mormon missionaries in the Caribbean.
(for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)

We left our children and grandchildren in the States so we could share the gospel of Jesus Christ full time for twenty-three months.

I have loved the Book of Mormon since I was a child. It is one of the first books I remember reading. It helps me feel close to Jesus Christ and increases my trust in my Heavenly Father. Knowing that God speaks to prophets today matters to me. He still cares about the world He created and He cares about me. The atonement of Jesus Christ will eventually take care of all of the unfairness in the world and show that God is both just and merciful.

We try to be respectful of the religious faith of the people we visit. Most of them are already Christians. We want to add to the truth they already have.

Following Jesus Christ

The Savior’s teachings have influenced my life. Knowing that families are eternally important has shaped my life as a daughter, a wife and a mother. The Lord has helped me have the courage to create a family and establish a home of my own. It is easier to have children and trust in the future if you believe that God cares about the world and has a plan for it.

I think it gives others courage when I have the courage to share my weaknesses and strengths with them. It would be easier to be shy and self conscious but people need friends. We are more alike than we are different. We can help each other if we are honest about who we are and if we are open enough that we can show our love for each other.

The Word of Wisdom

We teach a health code given to the Prophet to protect and bless people in our day. Following the Word of Wisdom helps me keep my body free from the effects of alcohol, tobacco, coffee, tea, and drugs. I try to eat meat sparingly and have made an effort to increase the amount of fruits and vegetables in my diet. Sleep and exercise are part of it as well. But the most important effect is on my mind and spirit. It is easier to feel the influence of the Holy Ghost on my thoughts and feelings when I keep this commandment.

Why and How

We go on missions because we love the Lord and His Church. As my husband approached retirement, one of our goals was to have enough money to pay for a mission. There is no salary but blessings. It is our contribution. The church paid for our flight to the islands and will pay our return fare, but we have been blessed to be able to pay for all food, rent, and household expenses here as well as all the fixed expenses back in the States. The Church actually provides us with a car,but we pay a fixed amount monthly for the privilege plus our own gas.

A Typical Day

On a typical day we study the scriptures alone and then together. We plan our day and prepare lessons to teach. I practice hymns on a keyboard -- they are desperate enough to need my rusty talents in church meetings. We try to encourage members of the church to attend meetings and teach those who want to learn more about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We do community service one day a week and support activities and programs put on by the local congregation. My husband helps provide leadership and wakes up at 5:00 every morning to support an early morning seminary class for high school students.  I have substituted as a Sunday School teacher and also help the women teach the children and young people on Sunday and go with them to make week day visits.

We miss our family very much, but we are happy to share our missionary experiences and communicate with our children and grandchildren through E-mail and blogs. We will miss the birth of at least two grand babies, but we hope that our example of service will help our children want to be good and serve the Lord in their own lives.