Seven Enter In

On Saturday, May 14 Elder Sappington spoke on the topic of baptism, by invitation from Elders Scott and Fernandes, at a baptismal service for seven young converts. Surrounded by friends, family, and branch members, Andre Jacobus, Martin Kassim and five of his seven children – LaToya (age 15), Kristine (14), Emmanuel (10), Christopher (9) and Lawrence (8) – entered the strait and narrow way to become members of the Church and the Diamond Branch in Georgetown, Guyana.

18-year-old Brother Jacobus, who was introduced to the gospel by a young woman with whom he goes to school, has expressed a desire to serve a mission when he is eligible to do so.

When asked how the miracle of today’s baptism of all the eligible members of her family had come about, Sister Kassim – who was herself baptized just 6 weeks ago - simply said, “we pray together night and morning and read the scriptures as a family. Then the children began asking, ‘why can’t we be baptized, Mommy?’”

The names, faces and circumstances may be different but this same scenario is repeated weekly in the West Indies Mission - and particularly here in Guyana - in fulfillment of prophesy by Elder M. Russell Ballard who petitioned the Lord in his dedicatory prayer on February 23, 1990, for a future day in Guyana when “wards and stakes [will] dot the face of this land . . . through the faith of hundreds, yea, even thousands anxious to receive their saving ordinances in preparation to receiving all the blessings of the House of the Lord, even a temple.”

Our hearts were full as we witnessed first hand the truth Ammon taught in Alma 26:37 when he reminded us: ". . . God is mindful of every people, whatsoever land they may be in; yea, he numbereth his people and his bowels of mercy are over all the earth!"