Monday, January 31, 2011

2 Baptisms!

Hey everyone! First off I got Brad and Michelle's package. Thank you so much you two, I loved all of it. Thank you Dan and the Bomb Squad as well. I'm sorry that I speak the english of an 8 year old, but don't worry I'm sure it will only get worse. So Mom, quickly yes the meeting was in Guatemala City and we always travel in buses, it's about an hour and a half to the city. Also that is nuts that Kory is in your ward! Tell him I say hi. He wasn't a good friend but he's a good kid, but has a hard time getting out of his shell, he told us he didn't have very many friends growing up. Just talk to him and he'll open up a little. Also I'm fine on everything, except the next time you send anything (it isn't urgent at all) I would love a bleach pen.
Okay so I'm going to fly, and once again sorry for no pictures I'm burning a disc right now to send. So yes! Dorian and Jorge were baptized and it was incredible but I'm going to start with Saturday. Saturday we had the two interviews with our district leader, and Dorian and Jorge were SO nervous. They both did great though and said that while they were both nervous they both felt ready. Jorge requested that I baptize him and Dorian wanted the member that introduced us to him, Hermano Carlos, to baptize him. So, anyways after that, we went to fill up the font, and of course (why would everything go right? that would make too much sense) there was no water because a pipe was being fixes and maitenance had used all the water to clean the chapel the day before. So, we called the bishop and asked him what we could do. He told us he would make some calls and see if he could get someone to bring water from another place in a truck. We waited a few hours and called him back. The driver of the company that could have brought it had already left for his house because he got off early. We had no idea what to do. We went and talked to the two people that were fixing the pipe on a hill above the church and they said that there would be water at 5 in the morning Sunday, so we thought everything was good and went on with our day.
We arrived at 7 in the morning on Sunday to see if there was water, and there was none. Now we really had no idea what to do. I was praying so hard that we could find a solution to this problem that seemed so stupid, but actually was very significant. The bishop made a bunch of calls to see fi there was any other options. Time kept going and we finally had to start church. I was feeling pretty bummed but 15 minutes into Sacrement Meeting my prayer was answered. The bishops wife came into sacrament meeting and told her husband the firemen had agreed to fill the tank of the church and that they would come in half an hour. And so, with two hours to go, everything was resolved, we were able to fill the font and have the baptisms according to plan. Oh except for one thing. Hermano Carlos told us that he couldn't do the baptism because he had to watch his mentally handicapped son and there was no one else to do it, so my companion was going to do it. The thing is during sacrament meeting a kid took his baptismal clothes that were in the bathroom and threw them in the toilet filled number 2 as Mom would say. So it ended up that I had to baptize the both of them.
It is always an incredible humbling experience to be the person performing an ordinance as important as baptism. The spirit was so strong, as they entered and left the water, and while they left a little colder than they entered, they were competely happy and content. Jorge has now expressed a desire to serve a mission and the both of them were asking Sunday if they needed to pay their tithing the day of their baptism. They are awesome. I was glad to hear a burning testimony of Dorian, because we were never really able to have a good discussion with him about what he felt, because of the rushed date. But, he really has a cool story that you need to remind me to write next week. They both have potential to be great leaders in the church, and the drive and desire they have to do what's right really is an example to me. They have incredible faith and I can't wait to see what happens in their future. I have a goal to keep contact with them for all of their progress in the church.
It just reaffirmed to me that this Gospel changes lives. It takes people and makes them better. It challenges them to be something more. I know it's true. I love this Gospel, and want to share it with more people. I have to go bye!

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