August 15, 2016

So not a lot of time this week again. We are going to the open house with our investigators today, so we have to do lots of things before we can do that. Some crazy stuff that happened this week I have relayed in the email to dad. Absolutely crazy and exhausting, but missionary work is still super awesome! 

I was able to baptize Spencer on Saturday, which was super awesome. It was cool to be able to see his expression as he came out of the water. He kept describing it to me as being born again, like he was new, which was so cool. 

Funny story, I brought an extra white shirt to Spencer's baptism, because I knew I needed to change afterwards. Obviously. Then I lost it somehow, and we searched all over the church building to find it, with no success. Eventually, I just had to get over it and wear my wet shirt. We tried to wring out the water as best we could, but it was still pretty damp. About an hour and a half later, (more drama with Amanda) we were closing up at the church building and I found my white shirt hanging on a door handle of the primary room. Random. But of course, at the point, the shirt I was wearing was already dry so there was no point in changing. Of course. 

On exchanges they discovered the fruit of the tree of knowledge... apparently not so tasty.  

Spencer's Baptism

Amanda, Elder Hatch, and Elder Bush about to go disc golfing on p-day

At zone meeting, we sang Ye Elders of Israel, and it was a duet between me and another sister missionary. Our companions joined in on the chorus. Someone took a video I think so I'll try to get that for you. I didn't do very good but it's okay because we had fun. That is a lot of languages for choir, but it sounds like An awesome Christmas program. 

It'll be hard with dad gone, but I know you have an awesome ward family, and awesome actual family too. Plus, and most importantly Heavenly Father is there too. You are amazing. I always like to brag about my mom to everyone, and everyone I meet says you're a saint and it's true. Homeschooling 8 kids while your husband is active duty in the army is no easy task, but you have done it before and you've got this.

I think you are humble enough and ready to receive it. I'm so glad you are my mom because you are such a great example to me of relying on the Savior. You teach me to have faith in the Savior, no matter what. What is awesome is by following your example, I am trying to strengthen my testimony every day, and every day my testimony becomes more and more "unshaken", no matter what the adversary tries to throw at me. I know that through the grace of Jesus Christ I can turn any and all of my weaknesses into strengths someday. 

Jesus the Christ is such an awesome book! I read it every day and I'm on page 423 now. I learn so much about the Savior and about our Heavenly Father when I read it. It's some good stuff.

In other news, this week we tried to help Dave Miller, one of our investigators, gain a testimony of the Book of Mormon by fasting with him. We started our fast on Saturday night and ended it Sunday right before dinner. It was a cool experience for me, and when we closed our fast we talked with him and I asked him two questions that came to my mind. I asked him "Do you have the faith to receive an answer of the Book of Mormon?" And "Do you have the faith to not receive an answer right now?" It was cool to see him think about that, because his faith is so strong. I know he can receive an answer and he is just striving to do the Lords will. I feel like he may already have gotten an answer, he just doesn't know he has. The experience was really good for me too, and it really strengthened my testimony of the Book of Mormon. 

I love your randomness! I look forward to it hahaha I'm sending a letter to Gideon this week, and a letter to Reuben this week, and so on. I hope you guys like the letters. :) I'll need pictures every week. You'll understand when you get the letter hahaha 

I love you so much Mom!