Oct. 18, 2010

So this week I hit my four month mark on my mission! It's crazy how fast it happens. The last couple weeks especially have flown by, which is crazy.

First let me say that we didn't get to go to Apple Hill today... Which is sad. We found out that it's about a half hour outside the Mission border, and our District and Zone leaders said we couldn't go. It was very disappointing to both us and the Less Active Family that was going to take us. Hopefully, this doesn't damage the relationship we've built with them. :) But I know that we have rules for a reason, so we didn't go.

This week has been really busy. We were gearing up and preparing San for her baptism on Saturday, which went so well!!! We met with her almost every single day this week, finishing up the lessons, and helping her prep for her interview, which she had on Thursday and passed with FLYING colors! She was so excited! The Baptism on Saturday night was a whole other kind of experience. I'm not sure I know even how to talk about it. San's husband came, which is pretty incredible. Afterwards he said that it was a nice experience, and not what he was expecting at all, since he was raised catholic. Bishop Summers performed the baptism (wearing my tie - YAY!), and right after San came out of the water, she was glowing, and so happy. She said she felt light, like she could fly away. Napa and Bro McArthur offered the opening and closing prayers, and they REALLY brought the spirit. I just think it's incredible that Napa, who has never prayed in public before in her life, and who isn't even a member till the 23rd, gave a touching, sincere, heartfelt plea for the spirit to be present, and she gave thanks for the gospel in all our lives. Well. It was over for me right at that moment. I was pretty much teary eyed for the rest of the service. lol. Then, yesterday, she was confirmed a member, and that was amazing too! The whole ward has really come out in support of her and her decisions to join the church. We're having a chili cookoff on Saturday, after Napa's baptism, and San, Napa, and Hieu (who I'll talk about in just a second) all signed up to bring stuff. It's so cool!!!

Hieu also came to San's baptism. She was the first one there, along with her kids. It was a pretty cool thing for her to come to I think. Afterwards, I asked how they liked it, and Hieu wanted to know if they're all like that. Then she said, "At my baptism, I'm going to have everyone who comes sign the program, so I remember who came." Can you believe that! We've only met with her twice! Her kids, ages 11 and 12, both also really liked the baptism. Eva, the 12 year old daughter, said that she got kind of emotional. lol... All three of them came to church. It was amazing to see how the ward really embraced them. The young women pres. Sis Bourgeouss, came and took Eva to Sunday School, and then didn't even need to introduce her to anyone because it turns out that most of her friends from school are mormons! Sis. Sobieralski, the primary pres, took Harold to Sunday School, and hooked him up with a few of his friends from school too. Hieu really loved Relief Society (and I thought it was especially awesome that the lesson was on Baptism... :) And she really liked hanging around afterwards for a little while, meeting everyone, and hearing how much Eva and Harold enjoyed themselves. She's already planning on bringing the kids to mutual on Wednesday night, and participating in both the ward trunk-or-treat, and the stake youth activity -- both on Saturday night, after Napa's baptism, which she's also planning on attending. It's so great!

We had exchanges again this week. This time I went to a different ward and Sis. Wallentine came her to be with Sis. Silva. It went okay for me, but I really missed the lessons that Sisters Silva and Wallentine were teaching in my absence. Apparently, the investigators and ward members who went to the lessons missed me too. I guess the lessons didn't go so well, and that's sad, but It's nice to hear that I'm making an impact in this area, and that people miss me when I'm not around. I especially love that almost everyone in the ward recognizes Sister Silva and I as an awesome team, who work hard. They trust us, which is amazing. And we're seeing miracles because of it! The work here is progressing. We'll have two baptisms in October (Joe's Mom decided to push his baptism a couple weeks) and so we'll have at least one in November. We're hoping to set a date for Hieu and her kids for the end of November as well. So we'll have 4 more. That's six in the six months I will have been here, where this ward hasn't seen that many converts in 3 years. Miracles really happen when people catch the vision of what missionary work can be.

I love it here! I love my mission, I've decided I REALLY love seeing my favorite people be baptized! It's so special!

Anyway. I've got to go. I've rambled on long enough. I've attached some pictures from the baptism, and Jared and Daniel you should pay special attention to the tie that Bishop Summers is wearing!

The one of Napa and San in the focus of the picture also has Hieu in the background. :)