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Baptism

Mormons believe that baptism is essential if a person is to receive salvation and return to live with their Heavenly Father.

People must be spiritually clean and worthy in order to live with God. Through repentance and baptism a person is forgiven their sins and made pure enough to live with the Lord.

Baptism cannot take place before a person knows what they are doing, and it must be by total immersion in water.

Children

Mormon children are baptised at the age of eight (considered the age of accountability).

They are likely to be baptised by their father, who is almost certainly a holder of the Priesthood of Melchizedek, and so authorised to baptise.

(Holders of the Aaronic Priesthood may be authorised to baptise as well, but unless they are converts won't be old enough to have any children to baptise.)

Ceremony

Baptism is laid down in the fourth Article of Faith of the Church. Children and adult converts go through the same ceremonies.

Baptism ©

Baptism is by total immersion in water and the saying of prayers. The ceremony is simple and unpretentious, and usually family and friends attend to share the joy of the event.

Both the person being baptised and the person carrying out the ceremony wear simple white clothing.

Meaning

Total immersion carries great symbolic meaning, including being washed free from sin.

Being submerged and rising out of the water is a symbol of the person's faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It also represents the death of the person's old life and their new birth to life in Christ.

Immediately after baptism the person is confirmed into the church by prayers and the laying on of hands, when they get the gift of the Holy Ghost (also called the Baptism of Fire).

Mormons regard the gift of the Holy Ghost as a spiritual compass that will guide them through life.

Once a person has been given the gift of the Holy Ghost they are able to receive the continuing inspiration and guidance of the Holy Ghost. However, the Holy Ghost only provides guidance to people who are faithful and want his help.

Conditions

Before a person can be baptised they will be interviewed, usually by the local Bishop or equivalent official, to make sure that they have repented of their sins, have faith in Jesus Christ, and understand and are willing to obey the laws of the gospel.

Converts

A convert must be re-baptised even if they have already been baptised into one of the 'mainstream' Christian churches.

Find out more

• Mormon ordinances
• Baptism of the dead