We had a pretty interesting week with all our investigators who are lined up to be baptized. We have four, who are:
-Sylvia, the mother of one of the members, Jaime.
-Luis and Elena, the couple we had married.
-Sandra, the lady who's got the most faith out of any investigator I've taught.
In
short, we pretty much had to delay the baptisms of all of them. First,
Sandra, who had planned on going to church this week wasn't able to
attend because of a transportation problem from a recent trip she took.
Each investigator needs a certain amount of attendance at the church, so
she falls short just 1 of baptism! Maaan! But she's still going strong
and feeling the spirit!
We had the baptism of
Sylvia this week, but the thing about baptisms is that they have to be
done perfectly or else they don't count. Everything was going well
through the baptismal program. Her son, Jaime, was ready to baptize her
and everything, and it was all perfect...until he asked, "Do I baptize
her with her maiden name or her married name?"
Both
my companion and I looked at each other with an expression that yelled,
"Uh oh!" Sister Sylvia was divorced and with the whole confusion of the
names here in Peru (everyone has at least four names here), we had no
idea, so we took an educated guess that he had to use her maiden name.
Turns
out, according to the mission president, it had to be her married name.
So the entire baptism we had planned out for her that day didn't
count...and she travelled to Iquitos immediately after church the next
day for a two-week visit to her other son. She took the news well, but
both me and my companion were a bit discouraged when we found out we had
to wait two weeks until we can baptize her again. Luckily, I remembered
the quote of Mrs. Cazier from my choir class when she said, "You can't
dwell on past mistakes. Sometimes you just have to shrug and say 'Oh
well'." Oh well. Looks like we'll have to wait a couple of weeks. :/
Now,
with Luis and Elena, we arrived at their house and they were having a
bit of a "discussion". Luis, who was previously an alcoholic, and was
trying his best to stop drinking, gave in due to peer pressure, and
Elena was giving him a hard time about it. Earlier that day, I had
carried a pamphlet of "Proclamation to the World" with me for a lesson
with a less-active family about the temple. They weren't there, so I was
left with carrying around the pamplet for the rest of the day.
I
felt inspired to share the pamphlet with them, and it worked a miracle.
We gave it to them to read together and it, with the Spirit, seemed to
do the trick. After resolving a few more doubts between them, they are
still on the path to baptism!
The Proclamation
to the World really is an inspired document, and I thank the First
Presidency for making it. I know that it has blessed the lives of many
families all around the world for its 20 years like it has blessed the
lives of Luis and Elena. It's truly inspired by God. My experience with
the proclamation was a powerful and spiritual one. I invite all of you
to have a copy of the proclamation in a place in your homes where you
could all see it everyday.
How is everyone up there? What's everyone up to? Is Jim celebrating No-Shave November again? :P
I love each and every one of you! You are all the best!
Love,
Adam
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