My Baptism (Part 3 of 4)

My Baptism (Part 3 of 4)
The meeting began. Sister Hughes led us in a song.

Come follow me,
The Savior said.
Then let us in,
His footsteps tread....

There was an opening prayer and few people spoke to us about faith and repentance. Then it was time for the actual baptisms to take place. The baptisms were to be performed according to ward and since we belonged to the seventh ward, we had to wait a while. The organist played children’s hymns while we waited our turn. Then it was time. My family and I walked to the back of the stake center where the baptismal font was located. My family took their seats on folding chairs placed in front of the font while Dad and I went through a door for the dressing room.
Inside the dressing room was another door that opened to the baptismal font. Dad opened this door and I could see the deep water down below the tiled stairs that led to it. Then a man announced, “William Duncan Loveless the Fifth will be baptized by his father, William Duncan Loveless the Fourth.”
My dad walked down the stairs first. Then he turned around and reached his hand out to me. He guided me down the steps so I wouldn’t slip on the wet tile. I gasped a bit the water was fairly warm but it came all the way to my chest.
We wadded slowly to the center of the font. Dad stood facing the people who were watching while I stood at a right angle to him. He held his left arm in front of me. I held his wrist tightly with my left hand and he secured my right hand in his large hand. My right hand was pointing toward my nose so I could plug it quickly when it was time. We had practiced this several times before.
Dad then raised his right arm to the square and said my name followed by the baptismal prayer, “Having been commissioned of Jesus Christ, I baptize you, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.”
Without hesitating I plugged my nose and Dad placed his hand on my back and gently lowered me under the water. When I came up a
second later, I knew I was baptized!