Ni hao!
Sometimes when I come to e-mail I forget what was this week, and what was last week, and everything just blends together into time that goes too fast! This week I'll have been on my mission a year. That's really weird.
I really enjoy being a district leader. Our district is doing well, getting some baptisms. The other elders baptized a really solid guy named captain yang, and the sisters have two baptisms this week. And we should baptize indiana jones this week.
We only baptized one of our week A's, Parkson. It felt like Satan was trying everything he could to ruin this baptism. First of all, we went to get our week A nine year old Zeng Wei zhe to the baptism, and he was gone! His family members said he and his mom had all left to go to a buxi ban. it made us and also all the primary leaders that came to the baptism sad that he wasn't there. But Parkson was there and ready to get baptized so we baptized him. I played violin during the baptism, and during the number, the water finished draining in the font, (we should have waited until after the baptism to drain the font, or else played before the baptism) and it made a really loud sucking noise throughout the whole number. And then halfway through the piece my E-string snapped, that was surprising! But I kept playing and just had to make do with three strings instead of four. But overall the baptism went really well.
Last week before the baptism, I was praying, and I just got a really worried feeling about Parkson, our week A. So I spent a personal study just thinking about him. Then when we met with him It was tempting to just say "woohoo, your getting baptized this week, lets just chat for a while or watch a movie." But because I had this worried feeling, I thought longer and realized we didn't know if he really had a strong enough testimony yet. We met with him a couple times and emphasized that he shouldn't get baptized because he was our friend, but because he felt the Spirit when he prayed, read the Book of Mormon, and came to church. turns out he actually had gained a testimony, but he was weak in a couple areas, for example he thought in the future that if he was really tired one sunday, he wouldn't need to get up early to make it to priesthood and sunday school. hopefully we cleared that up with him. Then on sunday morning I was a little bit worried when he didn't answer his phone. But by the time we got to the chapel he was already there in a suit tie and shoes that he went out and bought himself to look nice for church. He's way solid!
As I watched parkson get baptized by one of my other new members, I realized it had been a long long time (since january 1st) since I had seen one of my investigators baptized. I felt the spirit so strong, and I felt like there was nothing quite so sweet as baptism on a mission. it's the fruit, or result of a lot of hard work. Now we've just got to work hard to find more, and to make sure that the "fruit remaineth."
Last week before the baptism, I was praying, and I just got a really worried feeling about Parkson, our week A. So I spent a personal study just thinking about him. Then when we met with him It was tempting to just say "woohoo, your getting baptized this week, lets just chat for a while or watch a movie." But because I had this worried feeling, I thought longer and realized we didn't know if he really had a strong enough testimony yet. We met with him a couple times and emphasized that he shouldn't get baptized because he was our friend, but because he felt the Spirit when he prayed, read the Book of Mormon, and came to church. turns out he actually had gained a testimony, but he was weak in a couple areas, for example he thought in the future that if he was really tired one sunday, he wouldn't need to get up early to make it to priesthood and sunday school. hopefully we cleared that up with him. Then on sunday morning I was a little bit worried when he didn't answer his phone. But by the time we got to the chapel he was already there in a suit tie and shoes that he went out and bought himself to look nice for church. He's way solid!
As I watched parkson get baptized by one of my other new members, I realized it had been a long long time (since january 1st) since I had seen one of my investigators baptized. I felt the spirit so strong, and I felt like there was nothing quite so sweet as baptism on a mission. it's the fruit, or result of a lot of hard work. Now we've just got to work hard to find more, and to make sure that the "fruit remaineth."
Zeng wei zhe didn't make it to church either. I'm glad he didn't get baptized and then not confirmed. He should get baptized this friday no problem. The ward here is so great. they all have taken him in, and provided him with everything he needs to enjoy church.
Bubye!
Elder Vernon
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