A recent update to the Comprehensive Handbook: Service in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints provides guidance on baptism and confirmation preparation meetings (see 12.1.8).
While some wards and stakes may already be holding such meetings, the latest edition of the handbook includes new information, including:
“Parents have the primary responsibility of teaching their children about baptism and confirmation. To support them, the Primary presidency plans a baptism and confirmation preparation meeting near the beginning of each year, with the bishopric providing direction.”
This meeting is for children in the Valiant 7 class (meaning children who have turned eight years of age in the calendar year and are eligible for baptism), their parents and teachers.
The purpose of the meeting is to:
Help the children understand the covenant they make with Heavenly Father when they are baptized and the blessings they receive when they live out that covenant. Help the children learn the importance of membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Help them understand the gifts of the Holy Ghost and how they bring blessings. Help the children understand that partaking of the sacrament renews their baptismal covenants.
The handbook explains that meetings may be held during Sunday Primary, at other times on Sunday, or at different times. A member of the bishopric presides over the meeting and at least one member of the Primary presidency is present.
Meetings may be held under the direction of the stake presidency and may bring together some or all of the wards in the stake.
Mary Walker, South Jordan Highland Park Stake Primary president, spoke about what her stake did in January 2025. All children in the stake who turned eight years old and were to be baptized that year were invited to come to the stake center with their parents.
Each ward met individually with the Primary presidency and bishopric members to teach them about the baptismal covenant. Immediately after that meeting, the children went to another room and discussed with their stake leaders what their baptism would be like.
“The children were able to see a simple demonstration and see the font they were baptized into. It was great to be able to come together for a meeting like this. We heard positive feedback from the Primary presidency, parents, and children,” Walker said.
After this meeting, ward Primary presidencies were invited to find opportunities throughout the year to teach or create special experiences to teach children in the ward about the covenant and its importance.
Additional resources for preparing for Baptism and Confirmation
Baptism and Confirmation in the August 2023 issue of Friends magazine is another resource available to leaders and parents at all times.
This issue of the Friend includes messages focused on helping children understand the baptismal covenant. This special issue includes an introductory message from the First Presidency, encouraging newly baptized children to “remember the covenants they made at baptism and strive daily to follow Jesus.”
Meanwhile, a message about baptism is also published in the January 2026 issue of Friend.
Primary members who wish to sing “When I Am Baptized” in their meetings should know that the lyrics have recently been updated to be more doctrinally accurate.
