I certainly wont be forgetting this day ever because our investigator, Elena, was baptized! :) We a had a
very special baptismal service. President Zobrist came along with his children
and grandchildren who have come this last week on a visit to see grandpa and
grandma! :)
It has been great to see his two grandchildren and one on the way. The
family is great and we have certainly gotten to know them and president has just
been so happy lately. i mean really happy! haha i was sitting here in the office
the other day and i get this call and its president and he tells me, "Hey Elder
Birtcher! Im down here in Ilo on the beach with my family (yeah, mission
presidents dont have the same rules as us...) and i am so happy!" so i started
laughing and we talked for a bit and he began to tell me about everything that
he was doing and that they were going to go and find a nice restaurant to eat
at....all in all...i finally asked him, so president, is there anything
specifically that you need me to do right now (i thought he might have needed
something due to calling me...) and he goes "nope! just wanted to talk to you,
take care okay. bye!" it was hilarious. my best buddy, President zobrist, was
calling me to tell me that he was super happy! :)
i love president and his family! like a lot! :)
So its been a heck of a time with presidents family coming into town and we
were busy with trainings all this last week. Monday was the training of the
trainers which turned out to be really uplifting and we are excited for this
next group of trainers. We picked up their greenies on Tuesday and debriefed
them as well. This new group is really excited and really fun to have and talk
with! i sure enjoyed it. Wednesday and thursday we were training the Zone
Leaders and Hermana Leaders from all over the mission, and friday we were busy
doing some work here in the area!
I am super happy, even though i am super tired. Our now convert, Elena, is
sure increible. She was so nervous and scared to get baptized even though she
knew she needed to do it. But she prayed a ton! She told everyone today in her
baptismal service that she was scared and stayed up till 3am last night praying
for god to help her be calm and to allow her to have the courage to go through
with it. And that is exactly what she recieved, courage. Because, apparently her
boss, a very anti-mormon person said that she wasnt going to be getting time off
today to come and get baptized, and that she would have to work all day long
till 7-8 PM, and elena told everyone that she had already scheduled an
appointment with God at 3:30PM in the church for her bapitsmal service, and she
would not be missing it. She explained that directly after her baptism she would
be returing to work, and come what may but i am happy. and i know i did the
right thing. She is an amazing woman. it was a testimony builder to me to also
put the things of the world in second place and always put god first, just like
she did.
i am sure proud of her and of another investigator we are working with, her
name is Joanna. She came to church this last sunday after she was invited to by
a friend. Her friend didnt even show up that day for church, but she did and we
got to sit by her and talk and explain just a little bit before the sacrament
meeting started. She is 25 years old, and is just AWESOME! after her principles
of the gospel class, she asked if we could teach her the discussions right then
and there. We were happy to do that, so we taught her the 1st discussion about
joseph smith and the restoration which she just loved. We visited with her
yesterday morning and she excepted to read the book of mormon and go further in
learning. We asked her "hermana, if these things are true, what do you think you
should do?" and she responded that she would continue learning and do what we
asked her to do. And so we said, "well, we would like to invited you to be
baptized..." and she goes, "yeah, sure." she is golden and is loving what she is
feeling and finding. I called her last night and said, hey i know you are super
busy, but we have a bapitsmal service at 3:30 tomorrow if you want to come and
she what its like....and she CAME!! sola. just walked right in and sat down and
then stayed and talked with us afterwards. The members of the ward are doing a
great job fellowshiping her and invited her to stay for a karaokee activity
afterwards! so we are excited to see her in church tomorrow and continue on
teaching her! pray for her!
As for our other guy, fabricio, we finally found him.
we are praying for him and are going
to give him some extra attention in teaching him
.
.
So that is what is happening around here...its been great! i am loving
it!
As for a forecast of what this week holds for us: i really dont know
actually. i had it all planned out, but then president change it all on me on
the last second, so i will have to talk to him on monday and reajust some
things.... but i know we will certainly be busy. as always!
love you guys, enjoy all that is going on back home. know you are loved and
prayed for! nos vemos pronto,
1-4-3
Weston
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