Baptism Baptism Baptism!!!

M got baptized!!! And it was really good! But more on that in a bit! Actually. To be totally honest, a lot of this week was kind of just leading up to M's baptism.

Monday night at the Lamprey's was as crazy as it ever is. The excitement of this week was that Elder English and Sister Horne both left (Elder English with a priest named T, and Sister Horne with another Sister missionary's companion [then the other other Sister was with a member of their ward]) because they were going to a pass off lesson for a person that we met; The daughter of the less active member that we have been working with that I told you about last week. So that left Sister Higley and I with the Lampreys as our companions! We had a good lesson with M about being yourself no matter the circumstance you find yourself, and not trying to hide who you are to fit in with the crowd. We also talked about service and how serving others blesses people. It was a really good lesson, and when he got back, Elder English said that they had a good lesson where he was as well.

Wednesday was really exciting, because we had M's baptismal interview! It was really good, and M passed it! Then Wednesday night we went over to D our less active member, and talked to him about progressing in the Church (getting ready for the Melchizedek priesthood, going to the temple, and about patriarchal blessings). About the time we were talking about the patriarchal blessings, we get a text from M telling us not to leave because she is almost back home, and sure enough, a few minutes later she runs in very excited carrying a 6 pack of root beer and cream soda. So we all had some soda and caught M up on what we were teaching, and she was very hyper the entire lesson (I think it was the sugar in the soda).

Thursday we had a lesson with an investigator we have been teaching for a while that I actually don't think I've mentioned before. His name is A, and he is part of a part member family where his wife and daughter are members (both of them converts, the wife for a couple years and his daughter for about a year). They got in contact with the church because of his son, who was doing scouts, and was the one that originally wanted to get baptized, but at the time neither of his parents were very supportive, so he still isn't at this point (but we have the missionaries where he lives going to go teach him, or at least I hope they are). So we had a lesson with them about the Book of Mormon and where it came from, because we have been teaching the lessons again in more detail to make sure that it is being retained. It was a very good lesson! Before the lesson really started A showed me a picture he took of the temple this last week because his wife and daughter went to do baptisms for the dead, and he tagged along and spent time on the temple grounds while they were inside.

Picture of the San Diego Temple taken by A

 Friday we had a surprise. This week is transfer call week, and normally they do that on Saturday night, but Friday morning they said they were doing it on Friday instead! So the results are in......Elder English is gone! And so am I! And so is Sister Horne! The only survivor is Sister Higley! And they are making Carlsbad 3rd a Sisters only ward!

Now. For the really exciting part...M's baptism!!! The service itself went really good. And M was very excited when she came out of the water. Elder English was the one to actually do the ordinance, so when he pulled her back up, she said that her first reaction was to give him a hug, but then she remembered he was a missionary, so (she says awkwardly, but no one really noticed) she just turned and gave thumbs up and a little happy laugh to all of us on the other side of the glass. And then was in a fit of giggles even after she went back into the changing room. After the baptism we had a ward missionary social at our ward mission leaders house, but we hijacked it and turned it into M's celebration party instead. It was really fun! Except when M found out 3 out of 4 of us were transferring. That was a bummer because then M was sad for a while. Sunday was good, and M's confirmation went really good. Though I was very nervous (I was the one who was actually doing the confirmation) because I really don't like talking in front of people!

Well the scripture I have is from Mosiah 18:10-11, and this is right after Alma the Elder has explained what the promise of baptism entails. "Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you? And now when the people had heard these words, they clapped their hands for joy, and exclaimed: This is the desire of our hearts." And I thought of this because of how M has been about getting baptized, and especially her reaction after actually getting baptized. You can tell that this is truly what she wants! And to continue on in the chapter, the second half of verse 30, "...how beautiful are they to the eyes of them who there came to the knowledge of their Redeemer; yea, and how blessed are they, for they shall sing to his praise forever." I know that M will forever remember that day and how she felt.

Talk to you all next week from a new place!

Love,

Elder Wixom