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"I Like to Look for Rainbows" Baptism Talk

photo by Lenda Sar

I found some notes to a baptism talk I forgot I gave back in May for one of my Primary girls. (In fact, it was my first baptism talk, as the rest have all been about the Holy Ghost.) She really loves the song "When I Am Baptized," so I found scripture stories and symbolism related to the lyrics. As the notes were minimal and it was months ago, I did my best to reconstruct the talk here.

"I like to look for rainbows whenever there is rain"

[I briefly reviewed the story of Noah and the ark]. The rain washed away all the wickedness from the earth so it could start anew. After the water dried up, God put a rainbow in the sky to represent the covenant He made to never flood the earth again, and the beauty that results from being clean. Just as a rainbow appears after every rain to remind us of this promise, repenting and taking the sacrament every week renews the covenants we made at baptism and reminds us of God's promise to always forgive us.

"And ponder on the beauty of an earth made clean again"

Just as we find the earth beautiful after a cleansing rain, so can we find the process and product of being cleansed through the Atonement beautiful. [I then shared the story of Alma, a former priest of wicked King Noah]. Those who listened to Alma's preaching and were baptized felt that way:
And now it came to pass that all this was done in Mormon, yea, by the waters of Mormon, in the forest that was near the waters of Mormon; yea, the place of Mormon, the waters of Mormon, the forest of Mormon, how beautiful are they to the eyes of them who there came to the knowledge of their Redeemer; yea, and how blessed are they, for they shall sing to his praise forever. (Mosiah 18:30)
As these people show, repentance and sanctification are beautiful, joyous experiences that lead to beautiful, joyous results.

[Chorus]
"I know when I am baptized, my wrongs are washed away.
"And I can be forgiven and improve myself each day."

Rain leads to growth; plants can't grow without rain. We need the ordinances of baptism and the partaking of the sacrament in order to grow closer to the Savior. After all, the gospel is all about progress.
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