Youth Temple Trip - Medford Temple

This weekend we took our youth to do baptisms at the Medford Temple. It was an awesome experience for me. For several of the youth it was their first time to go to the temple to do baptisms. Baptisms for the dead, is an opportunity for youth to stand in place of those that have passed on and be baptized in proxy for them. This allows those that were never baptized during their lives to have a chance to accept that ordinance in the afterlife and still continue their progression toward exaltation. This way, those who never had a chance to hear or accept the gospel while alive, are not completely condemned for eternity.

One thing that I was impressed with was an 18-year-old young lady that switch cars and rode home with my 12-year-old daughter and the other two 12-year-olds that accompanied us. I was so impressed with her example and kindness extended to those young girls. She was very much a factor in those girls remembering that day for the rest of their lives.

I think that in so many instances today, older girls have no time for the younger ones coming up. They are either too busy or too good for them. This was definitely no the case for this young lady. She was SO encouraging and kind...it left an impression on me. I spoke to my daughter after dropping the other off at home and I said, "You can learn a lot from that young lady, that's what being a leader is really about."

I think that leadership in the church, isn't about separating yourself from those that you serve. It is about getting those you serve to want to follow you and become better people. I hope that my daughter wants to grow up and keep working to be better. I am thankful that she has examples like this young lady in the church.