September 6, 2011

Hi Family!

Sorry for the late e-mail but all the libraries were closed yesterday due to Labor Day. Holidays are terrible ideas during missions by the way. They totally interfere with our p-days, besides the point, anyway back on topic. This week was full of ups and downs (but that is typical for missionaries). I can't remember if I mentioned that we picked up our old former investigator, Norma, who moved.. then moved back. But we did! We taught her and her mother-in-law was there as well, so we taught her too. Then Norma asked for a baptismal date so we set it for Sept 24, then we turned and asked her mother-in-law if that date worked for her as well, and it did! We were so excited. But at the end of the week the two had a MAJOR fight and Norma decided to leave and move back home. We have lost contact with her mother-in-law as well. Once again the reality of an opposing force is evident. Even though things didn't work out the way we wanted it, I feel we did our part in following the spirit and at least inviting them to come closer to Christ.

We are teaching a few kids right now; I really enjoy it. I could never be an elementary school teacher but we have lots of fun making creative lessons. One girl we are teaching, Emily, is awesome. She is 10 and loves reading so we gave her a Book of Mormon to add to her study. We watched the Restoration DVD with her and later asked if she thought there could be a prophet today. She said, "I am 75% sure that it could happen." Love kids. So honest.

Saturday we got everything all ready for Johnny's baptism. We went to the church and cleaned the font, got a little carried away with taking pictures but hey it got done! And Sunday came and everything went perfectly. The talks and everything were perfect. When he got baptized they said the prayer and they were about to put him in the water and he freaked out. He wasn't sure where to put his hands or to plug his nose. The thought came, "Oh...maybe we should have demonstrated how to be baptized" kinda crucial. Oh well, he went all the way down and got the Holy Ghost during church. The spirit was so strong and we were proud of him. Last night as a celebration we made the whole family gluten free macaroni and cheese. The kids thought they had died and gone to heaven.

I feel so honored to be able to see a baptism while I am in New York. It was a good reminder of why we do this and how it can truly bless others. It was funny to realize that I wasn't feeling what I expected to feel at a baptism. I guess I expected to feel: Yeah! Put a one in our numbers and check it off the list. But I felt peace and the realization that this is only the beginning and we have to be there every step of the way. The journey doesn't end at baptism; it just begins. Now is the test to prove to our Heavenly Father that we really are willing to do what it takes to follow Him. We are so lucky to have this in our lives and I hope that I never forget the people and the miracles that we saw.