FOR

Fiona Claire Joyce

Happy 2nd birthday!

And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you. luke 22:1920

TESTIMONY

15 July 2012 Dear Fiona, s a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I believe that God lives. I believe that he is my Father in Heaven and that he loves me. I believe that God sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to provide us a perfect example of how to live our lives. I believe that Jesus Christ is my Savior. I believe that through his Atonement in Gethsemane, his death on the cross on Golgotha, and his resurrection from the tomb of Joseph of Arimathaea, I will be resurrected one day and have the opportunity to gain exaltation as I apply the Atonement in my life. I believe Jesus Christs sacrifice also makes it possible for us to be an eternal family. I believe that the Holy Ghost is the third member of the Godhead and that he testifies of our Heavenly Father and our Savior, Jesus Christ. These beliefs reflect the Churchs First Article of Faith, written by the Prophet Joseph Smith in 1842: We believe in God, the Eternal

Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost. Our belief in these Beings perhaps finds no greater expression than in the most important and sacred part of our weekly church services: the sacrament. In administering the sacrament, one holding the priesthood prays to God, the Eternal Father, in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ. Bread and waterrepresenting the body and blood Jesus Christ sacrificed in Gethsemane and on Golgothaare blessed and passed to the congregation. Those who partake of it renew their baptismal covenants and, in turn, are promised that they may have the Holy Ghost to be with them. The three separate members of the Godhead come together in perfect harmony in this one ordinance. My dearest Fiona, on the occasion of your second birthday I can think of no greater gift I can offer than to share my testimony of these things. I know that they are true and that as you grow and learn of and understand our Saviors Atonement and the weekly sacrament that represents it, you will find nothing that can bring you greater happiness. I love you, Fiona. I want you to be mine forever. And I know that through the Atonement and Resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ, our family can and will be eternal. All we have to do is keep our baptismal covenants, renewed each week through the sacrament. Love you forever, Daddy

B L E S S I N G

O N

the bread

O God,

the Eternal Father,

we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ,

The Lord Jesus Christ Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world. (3 Nephi 11:10)

to bless and sanctify this bread to the souls of all those who partake of it,

And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. (John 6:35)

that they may eat in remembrance of the body of thy Son, and witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father,
The Crucifixion Jesus Christ voluntarily gave up his body to atone for our sins and so we could be resurrected. See Matthew 27:3544; Mark 15:2433; Luke 23:3243; John 19:1822; Helaman 14:2027; and 3 Nephi 8:522; 10:9.

that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son,

Baptism We covenant to take Jesus Christs name upon ourselves when we are baptized.

and always remember him

Jesus raising Jairuss daughter from the dead See Matthew 9:1819, 2326; Mark 5:2124, 3543; and Luke 8:4142, 4956. When we remember Jesus Christ, we want to serve others just as he did.

and keep his commandments which he has given them;

Moses and the Ten Commandments (Genesis 20) God has given us commandments through Moses and other prophets. Obeying the commandments makes us happy.

that they may always have his Spirit to be with them. Amen.
Do ctrine and Covenants 20:77

Confirmation After we are baptized we are confirmed a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. When we are confirmed we receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

B L E S S I N G

O N

the water

O God,

the Eternal Father,

we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ,

Jesus Christ will return someday And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives! (Doctrine and Covenants 76:22)

to bless and sanctify this water to the souls of all those who drink of it,

But unto him that keepeth my commandments I will give the mysteries of my kingdom, and the same shall be in him a well of living water, springing up unto everlasting life. (Doctrine and Covenants 63:23)

that they may do it in remembrance of the blood of thy Son, which was shed for them;

Jesus Christ in Gethsemane And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. (Luke 22:44)

that they may witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they do always remember him,

The Last Supper Jesus Christ instituted the sacrament to help us remember him, his sacrifice for us, and the covenants we have made with him. See Matthew 26:2629; Mark 14:2225; Luke 22:1520; and 3 Nephi 18:112.

that they may have his Spirit to be with them. Amen.

Do ctrine and Covenants 20:79

And it came to pass that he said unto them: Behold, here are the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one anothers burdens, that they may be light; 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 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? mosiah 18:810

ACKNOWLED GMENT S
Cover and pages 3, 5, 823: Wheat Photo taken 20 July 2010 by Lauren Tucker CC BY-ND 2.0 flickr.com/photos/photographygal123/4812174205 Pages 6, 2434: Rushing water Photo taken 8 May 2012 by Jojo Nicdao CC BY 2.0 flickr.com/photos/jonicdao/7163215118 Page 12: Bread Photo taken 16 August 2005 by Jeremy Keith CC BY 2.0 flickr.com/photos/adactio/34949605 Page 29: Water Photo taken 11 October 2009 by Airdiogo CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 flickr.com/photos/airdiogo/4188182171 All other images from the online Media Library of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints medialibrary.lds.org

And they did meet together oft to partake of bread and wine, in remembrance of the Lord Jesus. moroni 6:6