Baptism

A ritual cleansing, reserved only for those old enough to be held morally accountable, that both heals and restores the baptized person and formally marks their entrance into God’s kingdom.

Latter-day Saints believe in baptism by full immersion under water. Among other things, this symbolizes forsaking one‘s former sins by burying them (along with one‘s former self) in the water, and arising from the water as a new person committed to a life in Christ. It also symbolically reenacts the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Baptism is the second of the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel, coming after Faith in Christ. After developing faith in the possibility of improvement, both of ourselves and of the world around us, we signify our faith by immersing our entire body (our heart and mind) in the role of Christ. Thus baptism by immersion becomes a symbol for our commitment to assuming Christ’s role in the world.

See also Faith, Gospel.