Waters of Baptism

Fun facts this week: 

1. A brother in this ward, Brother Clayton, served in Roseburg on his mission for 4 months back in the 70'.s

2. We went from the furthest area and the largest in the mission to covering just Beeville and now the sisters cover our old area, but we lost our car, now it's just a bike area. And I'll be staying for six more weeks! 

3. We were biking out to this place called blueberry hill, kinda ghetto, and on the way out these crazy dogs tried to kill us while on our bikes! Well on the way back they tried to cross the road to terrorize us again when God stuck them dumb by hitting them with a car and chasing the others off. Legs flew off everywhere it was crazy!  

This week was crazy! I know Grace is a truly special daughter of God because Satan has been trying so hard this week to stop her from being baptized! Early in the week she had family and friends calling and texting saying different things along the lines of how they wouldn't be talking to her anymore if she was baptized by Mormons and different stuff like that. But Grace being a stud, she responded to them all just with love she didn't even tell people off. Then she fell and banged up her knee and she wasn't sure if she could do it this week because of the injury. We gave her a priesthood blessing and when the day for her to be baptized came around she was good to go. On our side we had problems with different member stuff saying it couldn't happen this week, but after a lot of discussion and teamwork we got that all figured out. Then we had other people we had been working with to get out of the drug life take diving leaps back in and tell us and "religion" off. Then we had everything from printers and copiers not working for the program, to the water not working to fill the font, to my bike tire literally blowing out all at once half an hour before the baptism. Anything and everything that could go wrong did. The hardest trial of all came when we had to tell Grace that she'd have to remove her piercings to be baptized and if she wanted to be able to go to the temple some day. For Grace she wasn't sure she could do it. She had given up so so much to prepare to be baptized and all so quickly she wasn't sure that she could give up those. To fill you in Grace does piercings for a living and loves them to death. So she told us it'd take time. Well three days before we came over one night and she asks us "see anything different?" She had taken them all out! 

Saturday Grace was baptized. Her husband Scott spoke at the baptism on the holy ghost and shared one of the most powerful testimonies I've ever heard. This entire family is changing so much and to see Scott go from not having been to church since he was 13 and his wife not being a member to them sharing this moment and preparing together to go to the temple has been the most special rewarding experience of my mission thus far. 

I love this family so much and I know that in one year they will be sealed together in the House of the Lord for time and all eternity! I love this church and this gospel. Our Father in Heaven really knows what's best for each of us and has provided a way for us to return to live with Him again! The church is true, the book is blue, and Grace is a Mormon! I love you all soo much!

Our peeps weren't home for their appointment, so we left them a message.