Sir, You Shouldn't Be Smoking, It's Bad For You

Hello everyone!

   This week was a great one! We saw lots of success and Elder Berryhill and I are growing immensely. We went on another exchange with the Traveling Assistants. They are mostly supposed to be going with areas and missionaries that may be struggling but Elder Pace said that they went with us again because he wanted to go with me at least once before he goes home in a week. He's a great Elder. He was my District Leader last year when I was in Bloomington 2nd.

   Elder Pace and I found 5 people on our exchange and we are working with them to help them progress towards baptism. Four of them were found by an impression to turn down a street and then Elder Pace awarded them mother of the year awards for playing outside with their kids. Just 30 minutes earlier one of the women had something really bad happen to her family so they told us that we must have been sent by God. It was really cool. Another guy we found isn't really that interested but as we were driving I jokingly said "sir you shouldn't be smoking, it's bad for you." Elder Pace them suggested we turn around and tell him that...so I turned the car around and we told him. It wasn't as awkward as I thought it would be and we were able to get in his house and talk for a bit. Overall it was a great exchange. Anqunette is having some real struggles with the Word of Wisdom and isn't quite sure if she wants to live it. She is still wanting to meet with us but she is moving to Peoria next month. Hopefully she'll meet with the missionaries there. She did ask for the church address in Peoria so that's a great sign. Joyce came back from her vacation and we spent a little time cleaning up her yard for her before she came back and she was so grateful for it. Trying to find little ways to serve our investigators so that they can see that we love them.

   We are finding people, the biggest problem is just getting them to baptism. Find, find and find, eventually someone is bound to be prepared with the more people we find. We are trying to focus our efforts on those whom the Lord is preparing and not spending a ton of time with people that either aren't interested or aren't willing to progress.

   I had the wonderful opportunity to interview three people for baptism this week. Each interview made me realize even more how important baptism is in God’s plan. Everyone was so excited to be baptized and it brought a great Spirit into the interview. I love it when people decide to make a commitment with God and then make the changes necessary to bringing their lives in harmony with His will. It's a beautiful blessing to be a part of it. I have a testimony of baptism and of the importance of the commitment we make with God through baptism. We renew that covenant every time we take the Sacrament and feel a renewed sense of peace and life come into my soul. The Spirit fills me and tells me that what I'm doing is right. I have developed a great love for the Sacrament and it is more than something I just take every week. It becomes a time of reflection and repentance. I rejoice because of Christ's sacrifice and I hope each of you do the same I pray for you all and the pure love of Christ, charity, fills my souls whenever I think of you. You're the best. Never forget it.