We have been teaching Ellen, a woman in her 40s who has had a really hard life and her mother took her name off the records of the church so she needed to be baptized again. She has been through divorce and drugs, but since she's been meeting with the missionaries since August, she remembered how it felt to go to church with her Grandpa as a little girl and grew in her desire to be baptized. Her attitude has been inspiring--it was hard for her to qualify for baptism because of her past, with probation problems and such. The whole time she has been patient and persevering, saying, "It's not my place to choose God's path for me, it's just my job to walk it." On Thursday evening, our mission president came to interview her personally, and he gave the okay for her to be baptized! She was so happy she ran out of the interview and hugged us both, jumping up and down with pure joy--President Hansen said at her baptism (which he attended on Saturday) that he'd never seen someone so excited to be baptized in his entire life.
We have been teaching a 14-year old boy named Daxton, who felt the spirit at the 100-year anniversary of Scouting at the conference center and told his uncle he wanted to be baptized. He has a very supportive extended family who have loved, taught, and been examples to him his whole life. He is such a sincere, good boy who desires to do what's right. He reads the Book of Mormon and prays, and he cut his hair (which used to be as long as mine) so he could look the part of a priesthood holder and pass the Sacrament. In his confirmation blessing, his grandfather mentioned that he'd have the desire to serve a mission! He'll be a fantastic missionary, and I'm so grateful to have been one of the missionaries that touched his life!
Both Daxton and Ellen were baptized on Saturday into the same ward, and it was a wonderful experience where the spirit was felt, and families were touched and inspired by their family member taking the step of baptism. Sister Wright-Carruthers and I took care of all the behind-the-scenes stuff, like making the programs and helping the Ward Mission Leader fill up the font, and helping Ellen with her things as she got ready before and after her baptism. I feel so blessed to be a part of these wonderful people's lives, see the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ change their hearts, and learn things from them in return.
I hope you all have a wonderful week!
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