The other day, I was approached at my house by two members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, or Mormons as they are popularly called. They asked me if I had ever heard about The Book of Mormon, and I politely answered that I had, and I was not all that interested in talking to any of it’s followers, thank you very much. They looked a little sunburned and rather thirsty, so I asked them into my house and offered them some water to drink. They accepted and hung out in my living room, drinking their water, and politely talking to me.
Because they were missionaries, they steered the conversation to The Book of Mormon as soon as they could. They asked me if I knew anything about Joseph Smith, the man who is credited with writing the Book of Mormon, supposedly after having it divinely inspired by God. I can not resist a good argument, and I really have it bad for religion, so I sat there and listened to them telling me all about the origins of their Book of Mormon. All I could think of the whole time was the South Park episode about Mormons, the one with the musical rendition of their history and religious story. It was a little hard not to laugh, I must confess.
They told me that, according to The Book of Mormon and the followers of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Joseph Smith was worried because he had no idea which church to follow. He believed that one of them must contain the correct word of God, but as there were so many churches out there in his day. And incidentally, there are even more today, so the problem has only gotten worse since then. He could not really figure out which one he should turn to. The Book of Mormon tells about him going out into the woods in his backyard and asking God what is up with all the churches. God told him that he should form a new church, and sent him the Book of Mormon, which was supposedly made up of ancient golden tablets left on that continent. And of course, in bland predictable style, the followers of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints believe that the Book of Mormon is the only truth. How original.
Presents for any occasion are not always easy to choose. Baptism gifts are especially difficult because the event is quite targeted. It is tricky to find a unique item that represents the special occasion while remaining one of a kind in it’s own right. There are a few innovative options for those who are shopping for just the right baptism gifts this year.
One of my favorite of the baptism gifts is the baby’s first Bible. I love the idea of giving this special present to a little one. In the past, I have personalized the Bibles with a little note of love for the children who received them. The notes themselves make the baptism gifts individual and unique. This was common practice for me until I ran into a significant problem with this practice. I was not the only one who bought these baptism gifts. My nephew wound up with four baby Bibles and even though each one had a unique sentiment inside, the present did not seem to have as much meaning when accompanied by three others.
I started on a quest for unique baptism gifts so this would not happen again. My next brainstorm consisted of frames for the babies’ christening pictures. These baptism gifts seemed like the perfect idea until I attended a christening party that boasted an all time record of five baby Bibles and seven frames. I decided to keep looking. I found the perfect options for the dilemma, I think. I came across an innovative idea in baby gift items during an online search for unique baptism gifts. This innovative present is a hand painted plate that is personalized for each child. What is really appealing about this gift is each one is hand crafted and individual.
When ordering the plate you need to include the baby’s name, the date of the event and a special verse that you write yourself. The verse is another individual touch that makes the baptism gifts one of a kind. This present takes quite a bit of thought but it is worth it in the end. Although I love the idea of the hand painted baby plate, I will continue to look for unique baptism gifts for my friends and family. This is a challenge that I love. For now, I will give the plates as unique presents representing the special events. That is, until I attend a party in which another plate surfaces. I know it will be time to move on.
