Baptism is often taught as the way to become clean. It is, and so much more.
When we are baptized:
* We become part of the fold of God, to be called his people
* and are willing to bear one another’s burdens,
* and are willing to mourn with those that mourn
* 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
As taught by the prophet Alma, these elements of our first step on the covenant path, are not “either/or” — they’re “and.”
That means it’s possible to comfort, mourn, bear, become AND stand.
Witnessing WITHOUT bearing, mourning, comforting isn’t keeping our covenant.
Bearing, mourning, comforting WITHOUT witnessing isn’t keeping our covenant either.
A definition of love that doesn’t include all of these elements is one that is incompatible with our covenants.
Gut check: as His people how are we doing?
“And now when the people had heard these words, they clapped their hands for joy, and exclaimed: This is the desire of our hearts.”
(Mosiah 18:8-11)