Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.

One of the footnotes sent me over to 2 Ne. 9:41

The way for man is narrow, but it lieth in a straight course before him, and the keeper of the gate is the Holy One of Israel; and he employeth no servant there; and there is none other way save it be by the gate.

2 Ne. 31:17 teaches us that the gate is repentance and baptism by water:

For the gate by which ye should enter is repentance and baptism by water;

The narrow way and strait course mentioned in 2 Ne 9:14 is, of course, the “strait and narrow path” mentioned in 2 Ne 31:18

And then are ye in this strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life; yea, ye have entered in by the gate

I share all this because I found it interesting that in 2 Ne. 9:41, Jesus said that he is the keeper of the gate, that he employs no servants there.

Jesus alone lets us through the gate to the strait and narrow path that leads to eternal life. There is no bishop keeping the gate. There is no prophet keeping the gate. There is no elder keeping the gate. There is no priesthood holder there. Just Jesus.

During the talk on baptism, the speaker quoted Mosiah 18:9

Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, 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 that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life—

She used it to indicate that one of the things we covenant to do when we are baptized is to mourn and comfort those who need it. Except, we don’t actually make that covenant at baptism.

Consider the next verse:

Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you?

Notice the difference in wording?

In verse 10, we see the actual covenant: serve the Lord and keep his commandment. In verse 9 (and verse 8 for that matter), what read is what led the people to the waters of Mormon.

What the speaker taught is—at least in my experience—a common teaching. I have seen and heard many people teach that comforting others is something we covenant to do, but the text doesn’t support that teaching.

That being said, I’m not advocating that we have an excuse to ignore people who have burdens, mourn, and need comfort. If I’m reading the text right, it seems that these desires sound like prerequisites for baptism. And that is not something commonly taught in the church.

The instructor started off by noting that the topic of baptism seems basic and hard to delve into, but I think our discussion disproved that position.

He started off asking the class to share how their view regarding baptism now compares to our view of it when we were baptized. Several of us shared our thoughts, and it was interesting that all who did were baptized at 8 years old.

Common throughout the comments was the idea that no one really understood with much depth what they were promising to do, that it was a simple understanding. The in-depth understanding came later.

We then explored for a significant portion of the class the idea if understanding coming at a later date. During that exploration, we discussed the following concepts:

Being born again happens twice: at baptism and an undetermined point in life when we are converted.

If baptism (by water or fire) is like birth, then the conversion process is like the embryonic stage of development.

Sanctification comes not at baptism but through the Holy Ghost.

Just as we don’t abandon babies just born, we shouldn’t spiritually abandon new converts.

Satan cannot tempt young children.

Jesus being our father.

I love our elders quorum.

Vatican vs Salt Lake

In an effort to block posthumous rebaptisms by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Catholic dioceses throughout the world have been directed by the Vatican not to give information in parish registers to the Mormons’ Genealogical Society of Utah.

Also:

Mormons have been criticized by several other faiths — perhaps most passionately by the Jews — for the church’s practice of posthumous baptism.

Any thoughts on this?

[Little children] cannot sin, for power is not given unto Satan to tempt little children, until they begin to become accountable before me. (D&C 29:47)

If one can begin to become accountable, does that mean accountability is a process? That a child is fully unaccountable at 8 years old minus one day and fully accountable at 8 years old?

• It’s a commandment
• To follow Jesus’s example
• As a sign of our covenant to mourn with and comfort others
• As a sign of willingness to keep the commandments and remember Jesus
• Because we want to be children of Christ
• As a symbol of starting a new life
• To live in heaven

Can you think of others?