We had a Baptism!

Oh wow - I don't know where to start with this week. We had plenty of miracles and they are still yet to come.

On Monday - one of the members in my ward gave Sister Evans and I a free hair cut (she cut it dry - I had no idea that was a thing now). She also surprised us with a free meal, which was delicious.

We had a lot of miracles happen on Wednesday. We stopped by Jena's place, and we asked her what offended her (because she dropped us last week). She did not like how we asked the #4 question (Have you ever committed a serious crime?...Have you ever participated in a homosexual relationship?) and she was told by many pastors who she called up, to ask if  their churches asked those questions. They said it sounded like a job interview. We told her we ask those questions because we, as a church, believe in honoring, and sustaining the law and we also believe in repenting of our sins before we are baptized. We also told her that if we are not inviting her to come closer to Jesus Christ, then we are sorry and we promised we would do better. She is now an investigator again and we set up a day and time when we can come and see her (to say it in brief).

We also received 2 referrals from the Zone Leaders, and the Hermanas.

Also -- on Thursday -- The sister training leaders dropped off their trainee, Sister Gowen. We got to spend a day with her while the training leaders went to their training. When they came back from training, they told us how this whole mission is going to be changing the way we teach. We are going to start teaching in 10-20 minute lessons, without using most of the details in the pamphlet. If the person read the pamphlet, that counts as a lesson. We are going to start teaching with the pamphlet, but we will be focusing on the pictures. And, one of the biggest surprises to me, was how we are going to introduce ourselves using this phrase: "Hi, we're your [sister] missionaries!" And possibly, "Did you know you had [sister] missionaries?" and how we are here to help them come closer to Christ. Also, they said we will be getting ipads, and that we will be using an icloud to store our information (and I was very happy about the icloud, more than the ipad itself).

The Elder who is in charge of the proselyting department said that our Mission President is one of the best and he wishes that there were more Mission Presidents like him.

He also told us that our mission was going to be a practice run for this new style of teaching; he said we would have more investigators, and more baptisms, sooner, rather than later. He also told us that 1/12 would get baptized instead of 1/40-something, so that will be a great change.

Also ---

The greatest miracle of all happened!

PAM GOT BAPTIZED ON SATURDAY! She very prepared and we had a lot of the ward members help out. Sister Baker (our Mission President's wife) came for the baptism. I got to watch from the sidelines and I cried after Pam started to walk up the steps. Her countenance was definitely different and she was glowing. She has now made her first covenant with our very own, loving, Heavenly Father. The spirit was so strong, and I am so excited with how quick she had made the decision to be baptized. She wants to start doing baptisms for the dead when she visits a friend in Texas, which is in June (those who are baptized can immediately start doing baptisms for the dead). She wants to help those on the other side make their covenant with God since they didn't have that chance to get baptized while they were alive.

A member made a great chocolate cake, and there were some other refreshments as well.

Right after, though, there was a wedding going on about 7 pm, which we had no idea about until after the baptism. These people were going to get married, and then they had plans to move down to Florida the next day to be with the rest of their kids, since they couldn't leave the state. The wedding was very sweet, and I listened closely to what the Bishop was saying.

He talked about:

-How spouses should not magnify/focus on their spouse's weaknesses, but to focus on their strengths, and magnify those

-Both spouses are equal in value

. . .

Also - Pam got confirmed on Sunday, and my goodness. Sister Evans and I sat up next to the organ (because Sister Evans had to conduct the music) and we saw Pam beaming by the time she sat down after the confirmation.

. . .

I know this gospel is true, and I certainly know this church is true. I wish everyone can experience the joy the restored gospel brings - there is so much peace, joy, and  comfort when we come closer to Jesus Christ.

This is the only church that believes in marriage being eternal - even going beyond death. What a sweet blessing that is - knowing that families can be together forever, and that there is more to come after this life.

I am so glad that we have access the Atonement - we can be forgiven of our sins, and not a trace will be left on us; we can also access the enabling power, too.

With the restored gospel, death has no sting, and we can all strive to reach the fulness of our potential. Man is nothing without God.

I hope that someday, more and more people can experience the joy that comes from the fulness of Christ's gospel.

I will never step down.

"For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ." - Galatians 1:10

I will not falter.

-Sister Marshall