From Judaism to Jesus Christ — Part Eight
Baptism into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
by Nancy Goldberg Hilton

We are called to repent and be baptized. Through modern prophets we receive instruction and the authority and power of God on the earth to perform a valid baptism and to confer the gift of the Holy Ghost — a gift that lasts beyond death. From this first step we can begin the special journey that leads us back into the presence of our God.

I knew I wanted to be baptized. I understood that this ordinance asked me to make a covenant with God: to take upon myself the name of Jesus Christ, always remember Him, and keep His commandments. If I did that, I would always have His Spirit to be with me. My life before baptism was not without blemish, but now I had a new chance to start fresh and be forgiven of my sins. What a great and everlasting blessing.

My heart and mind had to be right before the Lord, for He knows us so well — He can read our thoughts and the intents of our hearts. If I were to partake of the cleansing power of our Lord through baptism, I had to be completely truthful about my life. Repentance is not done in a day or a single moment; it is a continuing process of forsaking our sins, changing our lives, seeking forgiveness through His atoning sacrifice, and contacting those we have hurt to make amends. It is not just words but action, and it requires our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

On May 30, 1996, I was baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I was then confirmed a member of the Church and received the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands by a priesthood holder who had the authority of God. I remember the words that coursed through my mind at that moment: I am home. I knew that this was true.

© Nancy Hilton 2011
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