March 3rd, 2014

Hello Friends and Family! Weekly update!

 

This week we had two baptisms at the base! Pvt Fuller and Meek! It was the best!

Privet Meek attended church last week, had the first lesson and liked it, he commited to baptisms in two weeks! Well, yesterday, I taught him and his battle buddy, Pvt Nichauls ( who is a member of the LDS Church, lesson three. At the end of it, I asked him if he would like to have the Holy Ghost with him always, he said yes. I then asked if he still wanted to be baptized, he said yes! I then asked if he wanted to be baptized this week or next week, he said this week! So, I started teaching lesson four, all the commandments. Then we went to sacrament, after sacrament, he was interviewed, baptized, and confirmed, all in two hours! It was amazing!

 

Funny Moment: Elder Fenton, a senior missionary (senior missionaries are those who choose to serve missions on their own or as a couple after retirement) helps with the baptisms.  Here is what happens: The troops walk outside the church and everyone who is interested follows to watch. They get baptized in a set up horse troft, used for water. As the person being baptized goes down, being held by the one baptizing, Elder Fenton reaches into the water and pushes down the troops legs so they don't come up! It is hilarious!

 

We baptize the exact same way that Jesus Christ was baptized, by full immersion. Therefore, in order to be baptized like him, we must go fully under the water. Afterwards, I asked a soilder what he thought of the baptism. The soilder leaned over to me, not understanding this concept, and said "It looks like you are trying to drown him!" I smiled and then explained. Oh, I love being a missionary!

 

At the end of church, two pvt's ran up to me and asked if I saw their battle buddies who were late for the bus, I said no. They ran away looking for them with this urgency in their eyes, I then realized that if one person breaks rules, they all get punished. I felt bad for them!

 

This week, I have been finding spanish speakers left and right! The missionaries assigned to speak spanish (the spanish elders) saw our car (It's not hard to miss with the bike rack on the back and pictures of Jesus Christ in the windows) and left a pass along card. It read "Do you know where any mexicans are? Call us! Your Spanish Elders ###-###) Well if that didn't excite me, then I don't know what else would! I decided to be on the look out.

 

This week,  I was able to "run into" many different spanish speakers, speak with them, pray with them, tell them about the church, and then reffer them to the Elders! The Lord uses our talents to bring to pass His works and help others! My companion has taught two lessons in sign language since we have been together, the whole time I just smiled. Smiles are the universal language!

 

Also, tomorrow, I am going on an exchange (when you swith companions for 24 hours in order to learn more about how to missionary work) with Sister Emily Bell! Sister Bell went to seminary with me growing up and tomorrow we get to be companions for the day. It will be so fun!

 

Lastly, this week I have been thinking about the attributes of Christ: Faith, Hope, Charity and Love, Knowledge, Patience, Humility, Diligence, Obedience, and Virtue. I know that as we work on these traits, we become more Christ like. Will y'all choose one and work on it this week?