My Three White Dresses
Elder L. Tom Perry shared this poem written by his daughter which she read at his granddaughter's baptism.
My mom bought me a white dress, Not red or pink or blue.
She said it was a special dress Like very other few,
There has been just one before, A dress now put away,
That I wore some time ago Upon my blessing day.
As a little baby clothed In my first white dress,
My dad held me in his arms, There to name and bless.
So pure and clean was I just then, With time to grow and learn
About the Father's plan for me.
My glory I must earn.
Now I've reached the age to judge
The wrong road from the right,
And I am here to be baptized
In this dress of white.
So once again I'm free from sin.
The path is clear to me.
I'll grasp the rod and hold on tight,
I vow with certainty.
Just as mud would stain my dress,
Sin would stain my soul.
The key is to repent or bleach,
For whiteness is my goal.
And if I try my very best,
Then richly blessed I'll be,
Wearing inside God's holy house
White dress number three,
So today I make this pledge:
I'll strive to choose the right,
Through this sacred baptism ordinance
In my second dress of white.
(Linda Gay Perry Nelson, 1993)