This week has been ausgezeichnet! Our cool, recently-made friend Norman got baptized this past Saturday, and things went pretty smoothly with the whole thing. Well, that is, if you don't consider
the heating breaking with the font-filling mechanism, filling the font ridiculously slowly with cold water, and us frantically carrying buckets of hot water the kitchen to and fro. That also is true if you
fail to acknowledge the fact that he had to be baptized five times before both his name was said right and he was going fully under the water. All in all, it went great though! Many family members and
friends were there to celebrate the memorable, saving occasion, and I could see that Norman was truly happy to take part in the step. It was a great blessing to be able to pick him up as an investigator
shortly prior to this and help in the little way we did to get this man in the water. Not only that, however, but after the baptism we received word that he proposed to his girlfriend shortly following!
What a guy!
Three things we experienced from the baptism:
1. Missionary work is a team effort where all people can rejoice over the salvation of one or more souls together, regardless of if they had a role in conversion or the size of that role if so. The ability to play any role is a major blessing and privilege God gives us.
2. When you're working with a baptismal font that can hold anywhere between 4 to 6 cubic meters of water, trying to fill it up with individual buckets of water is somewhat a behemoth of a job.
3. Water does not have that great of insulation.
In other news, we have hit a rut with some of our baptismal investigators. We have lost contact with one and have been told by two that they are no longer interested in pursuing the church. The others are struggling to make progress. I would like to ask for your prayers in their behalf so that we can properly help them. Thank you for your help already!
Today, I mistakenly carried out a more in-depth study about trials and their purpose in our life. I didn't mean to at first, but I've realized that many of the things I have looked over and read have
pointed towards strength to endure and challenges to face.
I think that one of the greatest gifts and treasures we can gain from the gospel of Jesus Christ is the knowledge of God's plan for us and the path we need to take to achieve happiness throughout it. One of my favorite talks from President Eyring, "Mountains to Climb", given in the April 2012 general conference, poignantly touches on this topic:
"If we have faith in Jesus Christ, the hardest as well as the easiest times in life can be a blessing. In all conditions, we can choose the right with the guidance of the Spirit. We have the gospel of Jesus
Christ to shape and guide our lives if we choose it. And with prophets revealing to us our place in the plan of salvation, we can live with perfect hope and a feeling of peace. We never need to feel that we are alone or unloved in the Lord’s service because we never are. We can feel the love of God. The Savior has promised angels on our left and our right to bear us up. And He always keeps His word."
We may feel at times that the trials we face are bigger than ourselves. We may feel as though we could at any moment be squashed under their immense pressure and pain that they work upon it. The
fact of the matter is that even if our trials are bigger than ourselves alone, there was a Man much greater than anyone or anything who has already endured the same, yet more and all. A decision to
trust the Lord and act in a way that will make us able to access His Atonement will grant us strength to endure and gratitude to praise. We may then be, hopefully, in a position such as Job, whom I studied this week, and who declared: "But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold." (Job 23).
Thank you for the love and support that has been sent! I hope all is well and that the world is getting better everyday, because I can't see the news anymore and I might as well assume the best!
Love,
Elder Wallentine
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