Triple Sibling Baptisim

I have never attended a triple sibling baptism until February 17, 2018, Signoella Branch in the Catania, Italy Stake!

When Zach and Chrissy Finucan were married, Chrissy was a member of the church and Zach was recently baptized.  Zach was from Montana and Chrissy grew up in Monument, Colorado.  Zach was an Air Force Academy cadet when they began dating.  Chrissy was in a terrible automobile accident and broke her back, Zach wanted desperately to be able to take care of her but was unable to do that while he was a cadet.  Zach made the unthinkable sacrifice, resigned his commission and education at the AF Academy, re-enlisted in the Air Force and married Chrissy.   They became active duty Air Force and began their career, which afforded Chrissy the medical care she needed to recover from her back injury.  Through the trauma of the back injury, medical care and readjusting to a new career and new location, inactivity slipped in the back door and they drifted away from the church.  Four years later Chrissy gave birth to twin girls, Kaitlyn Marie and Mikayla Kenzie.  They returned to church to have the girls blessed but were not ready to commit to regular activity. Another transfer in duty station and two year later William Jaxon was born to round out their little family of five. 

In 2017 Zach was assigned to NATO forces to support bring the Global Hawk (Remote Piloted Aircraft) to NAS Sigonella, Italy.  The girls were both ten years old and Jaxon eight, Living in Marani the base housing complex, when Chrissy decided she wanted to return to church with her children and eventually be married and sealed to her family.  The Sigonella Branch meets in the base Chapel on Sundays at 1:30. It only took one Sunday to get things started and the missionaries scheduled to teach the lessons.  This all started to happen about the same time we arrived at Sigonella.  We were excited to become involved in meeting with the missionaries at Marani.  Sorella Cardullo and Abbate schedule the lessons after school, at first Jaxon didn’t want to be baptized but the girls couldn’t get the lessons fast enough.  Jaxon always set in for the lesson but wasn’t ready to commit.  It only took a few days after the girls committed to be baptized that Jaxon decided he would also want to be baptized. 

The date was set and we began preparations for the baptism.  Our Branch President Fonseca wanted to talk to Zach to see is he was interested in baptizing his own children. Zach didn’t want to hold up the baptisms for this kids but he committed to prepared to take his family to the temple at a later date. 

The baptism was scheduled; President Fonseca was out of town so Craig would be conducting the baptism service.  We arrive two hours early to make sure the font would be filled.  The missionaries were already and the Catania church when we arrive with the water running.  We both peaked in and all seemed to be well.  The family arrive and the service proceed, I gave the baptism talk and the branch members and the missionaries filled in the service.  We to the font for the baptism and discovered that the Anziani didn’t secure the plug in the font when they started the water and the water level was just below the knees! Hmmm what to do!!!!  The decision was to proceed so Jaxon went first , he had to be baptized twice , it was difficult to get him under water.  Craig was asked to baptize Makayla so I held my breath hoping and praying this would work out and the girls could make it under the water without a second or third time.  The girls were easier and went according to plan. 

We learned to always check the plug in the font! The Anzani are still just 18-19!

We learned that when you are baptizing three siblings, they really want to see each other baptized so they should all wait together for the baptisms before they change into dry clothes!  All ended well and the ultimate goal was baptism.  It was a bit fragmented and we learned some valuable lessons.