Week 61.... Baptisms and Thankfulness!!!

Finish strong, Elder Anderson!

We had cambios (transfers) this last week... and the news is... I will be staying with Elder Anderson for another cambio. Which means I will be killing him ;) He will be finishing up here in about 3 weeks…the 15th of December. That also means that I will be staying here in Los Angeles, Villa Obispo for 3 months more. I am super excited. When we received the news, I was shocked. I thought I was going to leave this area, even though I just got here I didn’t think they were going to keep us together for so long. It was a great call that we received. We are both super excited to stay together and I will be with him until the end. Elder Anderson is one of my best bros. It is going to be a dope cambio. 

As for other news this week, I thought I would tell you a little bit about the baptism we had last week. This baptism was by far one of the most spiritual experiences I have had here in Chile. A couple of weeks ago I wrote about a little girl named Emilia and how great of miracle it was to find her and be able to begin teaching her. Well while we were teaching here, we were also able to get in and teach the family. And like I have said before, this family was a really active family, they had been sealed in the temple and have all been baptized. They fell from the church after the parents had some problems and got a divorce.  There is the mom, the dad, and 5 girls, (ALL of which have kids now). They are all living in the same area, but 2 different houses.  As we were teaching Emilia we were also able to help this family. We have been able to see so many miracles that have come through teaching this family. God has put us in the right situation at the right time. In our time here we have seen two of the daughters change their desires of smoking, and drinking, and have made a complete 180. They have decided to go to church each Sunday and continue to grow closer to God. We know that, that decision came as the spirit entered back into their lives. 

When the day of the baptism came, we knew it was going to be a special day. We showed up to fill the baptismal font. I could feel the spirit enter into the church. I knew this was a special family and that something was going to happen. Later that night we started the baptism. The whole family showed up. It had been 15 years for some of them, since they had gone to church the last time. As they entered the church you could see their eyes light up with joy. They could feel the same feeling they had felt before. We continued on with the program. As we got down to the time where she was to enter into the water, the family was super nervous. You could feel it in the air. Anxious anticipation. My comp. had the privilege to baptize Emilia. As my comp went on to say the words of the baptismal covenant, the spirit testified to each and every person in that room. I have never felt with such conviction the presence of the spirit. As Emilia was dunked under the water and risen up, you could see the pureness of her heart and the pureness of her smile. As she looked to her family, her family could only look back and smile… giving the sign of appreciation. There was not a dry eye in the room. 

You could see that the family had felt the spirit and that they had seen and felt the spirit of the Lord. Since that day they have been more interested in listening to us and have been more dedicated in reading and praying. I know this family is a special family and they have a huge work to do here in this life. I love the way God prepares His children.

Emelia's baptism

Well that was my spiritual experience for the week. I also wanted to share a few scriptures with each of you.. As all of you know this week is Thanksgiving. The Day of Thanks. This week I was able to think a lot more positively and was able to be thankful for all that I have. As I thought more positively and was more thankful I could feel the spirit more in my life, and I felt more of the love of the Savior. I hope each and every one of you feels this same spirit this week.

D&C 78:19:

19And he who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious; and the things of this earth shall be added unto him, even an hundred fold, yea, more. 

I hope each and every one of you have a great Thanksgiving. I am so THANKFUL for all of you and everything you have done for me and my family.