Preparing for Ordinances
Dear parents,
As found in the Appendix to each Come, Follow Me manual, "Because He loves you, trusts you, and knows your potential, Heavenly Father has given you the opportunity to help your children enter and progress along His covenant path, the path to eternal life (see Doctrine & Covenants 68:25-28)."
As stake leaders, ward leaders, and ministering brothers and sisters, we are here to assist you in this sacred responsibility. We sincerely appreciate your efforts to help your children prepare to make covenants with the Lord and participate in sacred ordinances.
This section of the website is also designed to help you in this effort by suggesting resources that you can study together and other ideas to foster edifying experiences along God's covenant path.
Your fellow disciples,
Mapleton North Stake Presidency
Preparing for a Lifetime on God's Covenant Path
To our dear young brothers and sisters,
We echo the words of our beloved First Presidency, who share in their opening message in the For the Strength of Youth pamphlet: "We love you and we have confidence in you. You are truly among Heavenly Father's choice spirits, sent to earth at this time to do important things."
We sincerely hope that you desire to be lifelong disciples of Jesus Christ. You are part of the Lord's rising generation, including children, youth, and young adults, and He has a great work for you to do! President Nelson has invited "every young woman and every young man ... to enlist in the youth battalion of the Lord to help gather Israel." To our young adults, President Nelson has said, "I believe that if the Lord were speaking to you directly tonight, the first thing He would make sure you understand is your true identity." We share these same desires of you.
Throughout life, especially during your early years, you will face points where you will make important decisions along God's covenant path. These points include moments when you will make covenants with the Lord through His sacred ordinances. This section of our stake website is designed to help you prepare for these important ordinances (such as baptism and receiving the temple endowment). This preparation requires your consecrated attention. As you dedicate your precious time to the Lord, we promise you that your life will be enriched as you draw closer to the Savior, Jesus Christ.
We love you, and we are here to help you along the way. We're also here to help your parents and leaders as they in turn help you.
We know the Lord loves you and is grateful for your interest in making and keeping covenants with Him. A glorious life of Christlike discipleship awaits you!
You brothers in Christ,
Benjamin F. Cummings
Darin R. Eckton
Geoff A. Wright
Mapleton North Stake Presidency
Preparing to Make Covenants through Sacred Ordinances
As you prepare to make covenants through sacred ordinances, these pages are designed to help you organize your preparation. We invite parents, leaders, and individuals preparing for each ordinance to use these resources to guide and focus your efforts.
In addition to the ordinances necessary for salvation and exaltation in which you make sacred covenants, we also provide ideas to prepare for other ordinances that "make it possible for God's children to receive His power, healing, comfort, and guidance." (General Handbook, Section 18.1 and 18.2).
As a reminder, any time you meet with a member of your bishopric or stake presidency for an interview, we invite you bring your scriptures (Eph. 6:17). For youth and young adults, your parents are also invited and encouraged to attend.
Click the links below to view suggested resources and steps to prepare for each ordinance.
To prepare for other ordinances not included below, we encourage you to study the related section of Section 18 of the General Handbook and the associated scriptures.
Although the language in this section is geared towards youth, young adults, and their parents, the guidance is also applicable for recently baptized converts and those helping fellowship them, and we invite those assisting new church members to likewise use these resources.