Christinah Cross

CHRISTINAH CROSS {[email protected]} is an undergraduate student of Classical Studies with a Latin Emphasis and Linguistics at Brigham Young University. She works as a student assistant at LDS Philanthropies and a teaching assistant for an honors writing course. This is her first publication.

Baptism

Articles/Essays – Volume 49, No. 1

The first time I remember seeing a baptism was at a tiny Southern Baptist chapel in Chiefland, Florida. All dolled up in my frilly pastel dress, white buckled shoes, and lacy socks, my brother and I walked across the hot parking lot from Grandma’s black Mazda truck into the homey brick chapel, each holding a finger of our grandmother’s hand. She had pressed her best dress so stiff she may as well have washed it in pure starch. My little brother’s six-year-old indoctrinated Southern etiquette displayed itself proudly—church was not a regular outing, and he didn’t mind being suited up and shown off. Plenty of others coming into the chapel were in their Sunday best, most of whom gave the air of being “regulars,” but medleys of worn denim mixed with the collared shirts and skirts didn’t seem out-of-place.