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Why is baptism a gate? Because it is an ordinance denoting entry into a sacred and binding covenant between God and man. Men promise to forsake the world, love and serve their fellowmen, visit the fatherless and the widows in their afflictions, proclaim peace, preach the gospel, serve the Lord, and keep His commandments.

L. Tom Perry

The gate of baptism leads to the strait and narrow path and to the destination of putting off the natural man and becoming a saint through the Atonement of Christ the Lord.

David A. Bednar

Baptism is the critical priesthood ordinance which opens the door to eternal life for each one of us. It is the benchmark from which we count our many blessings, because this is when our accountability to follow Jesus Christ and live his gospel begins. And then, each week as we partake of the sacrament we are reminded to “always remember him” (D&C 20:79). What a blessing this visual reminder is.

Elaine L. Jack, ““Partakers of the Glories””, Ensign, Nov. 1996, 76

“Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins, by one having authority, is a true principle, because Christ taught it; Christ obeyed it, and would not fail, for anything, to fulfil it—not that He was sinful and needed to be baptized for the remission of sins, but He only needed to do it to fulfill all righteousness, that is, to fulfil the law.”

Joseph F. Smith, Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith [1998], 63

“Those who seek to follow the Savior will understand the importance of the ordinance of baptism. The Lamb without Blemish saw fit to submit himself to baptism by one holding the authority of the priesthood in order to ‘fulfill all righteousness.’ How much more each of us has need of the cleansing and saving power of this ordinance and the other ordinances of the gospel.”

Dallin H. Oaks, “Always Remember Him,” General Conference, April 1988