Dec 21 and 28

December 21 - Our baptism was yesterday. Elder Lopez came back from his new assignment in Ontario to see it since he and I are the ones who taught her. It was, of course, a great and comforting experience to see. A soul being adde to the kingdom. One of the sisters mentioned in her talk that Heaven was happy, too. I've never been in charge of organizing as much of the baptism before. That was quite an adventure, but an adventure with a good ending. The robe fit, the water was warm, the speakers were there, and so was the bishop, who baptized her.

That was the main event of the week but a very interesting thing happend on Saturday as well. A man came up and talked to us, he had recently moved and was eager to know where the church was. He had attended three times and really loved it. HE especially enjoyed the respect we showed towards God that he hadn't seen anywhere else and considered our church different from any other. In the end, we were able to set a baptismal date goal with him right there in the street.

Investigator / Teaching summary for the week - 1)We had a good lesson last week with an investigator, and this week, by her request, we'll be talking on the subject of baptism.
2)We are also working with a less-active member, whose husband is a non-member. She wants to re-activate, and we're teaching them these days as well.
3)Then we have one who's hard to know what to do with him. He has a bunch of rather strange questions. Such as whether the spirit world is another dimension. But we're working with him as best we can, and trying to help him understand the simple doctrines. Which just happen to be the most important ones.
4)We are still working with an investigator who grew up Catholic but didn't feel fulfilled there. He also had trouble with bad spirits as a child. We're still in the early phases with him.
5)And there is also the smoker. We have an appointment with him tonight. His wife and daughter are members. He has two other children who have left the house.

Dec 28th - This letter is a little interesting to write seeing as this time I just talked with you a couple of days ago. Good news is our newly baptized member was confirmed in church on Sunday. It was a crazy week but sadly, not as many investigators came to Sacrament meeting this week. But to give an update, we now have two investigators with a baptismal date.

Investigator A visited our church three times in another location and in truth he had a testimony before we even met him. He's also going to try and teach his sons and bring them to church.

Investigator B had a rough and not-sovirtuous youth. But he never felt happy. He has been studying the Bible and had fervent prayer. He quit drinking eight years ago and would like to keep on moving toward and learning more of God.

And our recent convert provided a areferral to a relative who is now being taught by other missionaries and has accepted the baptism challenge.

For Christmas dinner we went to the Bishop's house and ate pusole, a type of Mexican soup and some ham. The bishop gave each of us ties as presents (six missionaries). And the Sunday beforehand, the Relief Society made each of us blankets. Mine is really big and I quite enjoy it!

It feels like I should bare my testimony so: The Church is true. I know it to be. Quite honestly and franklyt, it's the only even reasonable church on the face of the earth. The Book of Mormon is true and the restored truths we hae are glorious. There is a God. He does love us. He knew us before we even came here on earth. He has a living prophet on earth today, President Thomas S. Monson. The apostles are men of God. And I close this testimony in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.