What to Know About Baptism and Confirmation Preparation Meetings

A recent update to the “General Handbook: Serving in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints” provides guidance for baptism and confirmation preparation meetings (see 12.1.8).

While some wards and stakes may already hold a meeting like this, the handbook update gives new information, saying:

“Parents have the primary responsibility to teach 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. The bishopric gives direction.”

This meeting is for children in the Valiant 7 class — meaning those who will turn 8 in the calendar year and be eligible for baptism — and their parents and teachers.

The meeting has the following purposes:

• Help children understand the covenant they make at baptism with Heavenly Father and the blessings they receive as they live that covenant.
• Help children learn the importance of becoming a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
• Help children understand the gift of the Holy Ghost and how it can bless them.
• Help children understand that when they partake of the sacrament, they renew their baptismal covenant.

The handbook explains that the meeting may be held during Primary on Sunday, at another time on Sunday or at a different time. A member of the bishopric conducts the meeting and at least one member of the Primary presidency attends.

The meeting may also be held under the direction of the stake presidency and some or all of the wards in the stake may meet together.

Mary Walker, South Jordan Highland Park Stake Primary president, shared what her stake did in January 2025. The children from the stake who would turn 8 and be baptized that year were all invited along with their parents to come to the stake center.

Each ward held an individual meeting with its Primary presidency and a bishopric member to teach about the covenant of baptism. Directly following that gathering, the children went to another room to talk about what their baptism would look like with stake leaders.

“Children were able to see a quick demonstration and see the font that they would be baptized in. It was wonderful to gather together for these meetings, and we heard positive things from Primary presidencies, parents and children,” Walker said.

After that meeting, the ward Primary presidencies were invited to find opportunities throughout the year to teach and create special experiences to teach the children in their wards about covenants and their importance.

Other Resources

The Baptism and Confirmation issue of the Friend magazine from August 2023 is another resource that leaders and parents can use at any time.

This issue of the Friend contains messages focused on helping children understand the covenant of baptism. The special issue has an introductory message from the First Presidency in which they encourage newly baptized children “to remember the covenant you made at baptism and try to follow Jesus every day.”

Meanwhile, the January 2026 issue of the Friend also has messages about baptism.

Primaries who would like to sing “When I am Baptized” in their meetings should know that the lyrics were recently updated to be more doctrinally accurate.