Time delay between baptism and confirmation

The zone leaders asked the following question:

Does a convert have to be rebaptised if there is a long delay between baptism and confirmation? I can't see any policy on this and my feeling is that this would be a decision for the Mission President.

Any thoughts would be gratefully recieved.

Baptism and confirmation are two separate ordinances. The only requirement is one must be baptized first before being confirmed. While confirmations are traditionally accomplished at the time of baptism there is nothing that states it should be done within any specific period of time.

simonawright wrote:The zone leaders asked the following question:
. . . and my feeling is that this would be a decision for the Mission President.

Because converts normally are not confirmed at the time of baptism, but later in a sacrament meeting, there is sometimes quite a wait between the two ordinances. But the only requirement I know of is, as Gary_Miller says, that the baptism happen first.

The mission president will be able to counsel the missionaries on the matter.

Actually doctrine and covenants gives us the answer, but the church chooses to ignore it.

D&C 20:68 The duty of the members after they are received by baptism—The elders or priests are to have a sufficient time to expound all things concerning the church of Christ to their understanding, previous to their partaking of the sacrament and being confirmed by the laying on of the hands of the elders, so that all things may be done in order.

I think the manuals are clear in teaching that there is no minimum or maximum period of time between both ordinances. But I think that's just considering the time. If we add that a person after his baptism no longer went to church and drank coffee or broke the law of chastity, to name a few examples, it is not as easy as saying that it should simply be confirmed. I mention this because the General Manual and Preach My Gospel teach that the questions in the baptismal interview indicate preparation for baptism and confirmation (both ordinances). The question about what to do if the person is not ready is even answered, giving the solution that it is better to wait than to carry out the ordinance until the person is ready. It is therefore expected that confirmation will be made as soon as reasonably possible in a sacrament meeting after baptism. And several months later I don't see it as reasonably soon in general cases. Obviously the decision rests with the leader who holds the keys of baptism and confirmation, the Mission President. But I don't think the automatic answer is that you should simply confirm yourself at any time after baptism.