So
I guess the big news this week was we were supposed to have a baptismal service for
Carmen on Saturday. It was quite the experience. Elder Cruz and I went to the
chapel to begin filling up the font at 3 o'clock, because it takes about 2
hours to fill and the service was to be at 5, and then we went off to some
other appointments. We went back to the pension to grab my baptismal clothes,
because I was to do the ordinance, and pick up Carmen to bring her to her
baptism because she lives across the street from us. We got to her house at
4:45... and no one was there. We waited around for about a half an hour and she
still didn't show up. We didn't know what to do, so we just decided to pray. As
soon as Elder Cruz finished the prayer, we received a call from the other
Elders in the ward saying that Carmen was already at the chapel waiting for us.
We didn't know why she was there because we said we'd pick her up... but we
didn't complain. We then ran many many blocks to the chapel. Because we were so
late, we decided we would do a joint baptismal service with the other ward in
the chapel and the missionaries from another area. When it came time for the
ordinance, we found out that there was a problem with the drain, and the
problem was that it wouldn't stop the water from draining out... so we didn't
have a full font. Well, we were going to do the baptisms anyway, so we decided
to make do with the water that we did have. It was about 2 and a half feet...
so I needed to perform the service on my knees, and Carmen needed to sit down
in the font. The problem was, Carmen is 64 and has bad knees and bad hips, so
that was impossible. She was basically laying/floating in the font with only
her head and neck above the water. I recited the prayer and went to submerge
her, but she was kind of fighting me for air and thrashing around a tad bit...
so we had to do it over again to submerge her whole body completely. This time
another Elder from the other ward came into the font to help hold her up during
the prayer and this time it all worked out. Despite all of the things that
didn't go as planned, it was an incredibly spiritual experience and Carmen is
really happy. She was confirmed a member of the church yesterday and received
the gift of the Holy Ghost, and it is incredible to see the faith that she has.
It was a really good experience, and I have quite the story to tell of my first
baptism in the mission. As Elder Reina and I were changing out of our baptismal
clothes after, he laughed and said, "vamos a bautizarles si o si!"
(We are going to baptize them yes or yes).
We
got a reference from a member this week that was incredible. He accepted
everything, and in our first visit he honestly said, "what more do I need
to do to be baptized?", and "I want to read all of the Book of Mormon
and I'll start reading tonight." He has a smoking problem, but yesterday
after our lesson on the Word of Wisdom, we gave him a blessing to help him stop
smoking, and he said he isn't going to smoke anymore and everytime he has the
temptation to buy a packet of cigarettes he is going to buy bread instead. It
is really cool to see that the Lord is preparing people to hear our message and
as we are obedient and try to do our best and follow the Spirit we can help
these people come to Christ.
The
Spanish is coming easier every day, and the members in my ward are shocked...
jaja. I am really enjoying the mission right now and I love studying and
preaching the things that have brought me the most happiness in my life. The
church is true.
Elder
Garrett (Argentina)
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