She has wanted to be baptized for a while, but she didn't feel like she was prepared or ready to make that commitment, until about three weeks ago. We had been encouraging her to pick her own date, but she hadn't done anything about it. Then, three weeks ago, she looks at us and said, "I just need to get baptized." Sister Richardson and I looked at each other, then said, "Yeah, you do! How does November 9, or November 16, or November 23 sound?" "November 16. Yep. That just sounds right."
So, two days ago, Ashley was baptized! She was nervous, of course. We were nervous too! It was the first baptism for both of us, so we were kind of uncertain about how to go about doing stuff. But we set up chairs, cleaned and filled the font, baked cookies for afterwards, bought a thing of flowers, and made the gym as pretty as we could (the font is in the gym). Also, bet you never thought about who has to clean the font between baptisms! Answer: The missionaries. It was disgusting. So many dead (and alive) bugs. Also, fonts should come with instructions. Seriously.
Anyway... the baptismal service was nice. The sister missionaries (us) spoke. Ashley was baptized by Brother Pierce, a member of the bishopric. She bore her testimony afterwards, about how she knows that this is the path she needs to be on. We sang "A Child's Prayer" with her daughter. The bishop welcomed her in the ward.
The one thing I was a little disappointed with was that there were only a handful of people from the ward who attended the baptism. Amanda invited her friends and family, which was awesome, but I thought it would have been nice if more of the ward had showed up to support her. (There you go, Mom! One thing that ward members can do to support the missionaries)
Afterwards, Ashley said she almost felt weird because she felt so different :) She said that she could tell that there was a difference already, in how she felt and thought. Then yesterday, she was confirmed. It was so stressful: she's perpetually late, so she didn't come to sacrament meeting until 9:30. We were so worried. But she did come, and she was confirmed a member of the Church. It was just a great experience. Amazing.
So, ways that members can help missionaries...
1. Be really welcoming to investigators and recent converts. Go up and introduce yourselves. To you, it might seem like they're being overwhelmed or that too many people are going up to them. And yeah, for some people, it might be too much. But, speaking as a missionary, I'd much rather have an overwhelmed investigator than an underwhelmed investigator. And be kind. They're new to this. They are usually trying their very best, and they're going to be worried about being accepted and welcomed. Help them out. I would have been soooo happy if someone had come and sat down by us during sacrament meeting, because Ashley had her two little boys, and the two year old was misbehaving, so she had to try to hold/control both at the same time. We help as much as we can, but we can't hold kids!
2. Be willing to go out with missionaries and help them with lessons. We love that. Love love love. Having members along is awesome. Even if you just give a brief little testimony, we so appreciate it. But more importantly, it allows you to build a relationship with our investigators (see number 1) so that they feel more comfortable at church. And you can get a new friend! Everyone wins! Get invested in these people's salvation.
3. Help the missionaries find people to teach. I almost hate the word referral, because I think that some members think that we're going to go hunt these people down or something. I promise, referring your neighbors or friends is not that scary. Here's the ideal situation: you're talking to your friend and the gospel comes up. You share one of your beliefs, like "Well, I know that my family can live together forever." The friend asks, "What do you mean? Do tell more!" haha. You discuss it a little. Then you say, "I have some friends who can teach you more about this. Would you be willing to come to my house (a couple of days later) and we can all sit down and talk about this?" The friend, ideally, agrees. (Even if they say no, you're being a good missionary!) Then you tell the missionaries, invite them over, you all sit down for a lesson. Then you feed them dinner ;)
4. Introduce people to the missionaries. If you bring a nonmember friend to a ward activity, or to church, or whatever, make sure you introduce them! Missionaries are usually very friendly people, they'll do a lot of the talking, but they can't know everything or talk to everyone (but we'll try!).
5. Give them rides. Limited miles stink. Anyway, the biggest thing, #1 way to help missionaries, would be to go to lessons with them.
Other highlights from the week: Biking is painful. My legs sometimes feel like they're going to fall off. But it's also really fun. It was really cold (below freezing) at the start of the week. Then yesterday was at least 78 degrees. Weather here is nuts. I've spent more than 50 days in Poplar Bluff, and it's been more than two months since I left on my mission!
I've officially graduated the 12-Week Training Program in 7 weeks. I always have known I'm precocious ;) Haha, ok, not really. President Morgan told Sister Richardson that we should move faster back when Sister White was still here, because he wanted her to finish before she left for Argentina. But now we will spend one less hour in the morning studying, and instead head out at 10 AM to proselyte.
Overall, it was a great week. Some down times, but good times. I felt that this week I knew what those amazing missionary scriptures in D&C 18:15-16 meant:
15 And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying
repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me,
how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!
16 And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have
brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your
joy if you should bring many souls unto me!"
I realized that this wasn't just talking about our joy in heaven, it is also talking about the joy we will have here and now. As I witnessed Ashley get baptized, get confirmed, even just being at church with her, I felt so happy. It's almost overwhelming how much happiness. I just want EVERYTHING for her and her family. I didn't know that it was possible to feel so much love for someone I met only 8 weeks ago. But I know that we can receive the gift of that pure love of Christ, when we seek it.
And of course, when we are talking of D&C 18, I also have to quote verse 10: "Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God." Returning to the theme of member missionary work: That's the point, I guess. That's the thing that we really do have to remember. Every soul is valuable. We should do everything we can to help every soul, because that's what Christ would have us do. I'll wrap up with that, I guess. Love you all! Send me lots of letters! :) Love, Sister Barret
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| Bike Riding...in the rain! |
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