Those who never enjoy the powers of their mind and who are mentally handicapped need no baptism. They too die without the law, and, like little children, they “are alive in Christ” (Moroni 8:12). President Joseph Fielding Smith said:
“The Lord has made it known by revelation that children born with retarded minds shall receive blessings just like little children who die in infancy. They are free from sin, because their minds are not capable of a correct understanding of right and wrong. Mormon, when writing to his son Moroni on the subject of baptism places deficient children in the same category with little children who are under the age of accountability, they do not require baptism, for the atonement of Jesus Christ takes care of them equally with little children who die before the age of accountability, as follows:
“‘For behold that all little children are alive in Christ, and also all they that are without the law. For the power of redemption cometh on all them that have no law; wherefore, he that is not condemned, or he that is under no condemnation, cannot repent; and unto such baptism availeth nothing.’ [ Moroni 8:22]
“Again the Lord has stated:
“‘And again, I say unto you, that whoso having knowledge, have I not commanded to repent?
“‘And he that hath no understanding, it remaineth in me to do according as it is written… .’ [ D&C 29:49–50]
“Therefore The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints considers all deficient children with retarded capacity to understand, just the same as little children under the age of accountability. They are redeemed without baptism and will go to the celestial kingdom of God, there, we believe, to have their faculties or other deficiencies restored according to the Father’s mercy and justice”
(Answers to Gospel Questions, 3:20–21).