This week I had my first REAL convert baptism! On Saturday, January 22, Eva was baptized as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints! It is remarkable to see her progression over the last couple of weeks as she progressed towards the date. She was so ready to be baptized, but as always, there is opposition in all things. The last few days before she was baptized, she doubted herself, thinking that she wasn't worthy to be baptized. But she continued to fight through her temptations and was able to overcome those challenges.
Saturday night Elder Ouassil and I attended the missionary fireside, where Patrick Kearon, of the Quorum of the Seventies spoke about the atonement to investigators, returning members, and recent converts. He compared it to a beautiful park, which was on top of a landfill. He told the people that you could bury your rubbish (sins) in the landfill and that the savior would make it beautiful again. It was a really neat lesson on the atonement, from one of my now-favorite general authorites!
At the meeting, Elder Kearon asked audience members how they felt when the missionaries taught them. A microphone was passed around to volunteers. One woman compared the spirit to warm clothes out of a dryer, another said it was like coming home. Then in the front of the audience, Eva raised her hand and stood up. She said that her missionaries (I can't believe that I am anyone's missionary!) made her feel comfort. "Brilliant!" Elder Kearon said, in his British accent.
As a missionary, I am so happy to see how she feels about the gospel and the happiness it is already bringing her. She saw sister missionaries at the meeting and said that she went home that night and prayed about it. She wants to serve the Lord on a mission, helping people get out of the hole she was once in. I can't wait to see where she is in a couple of years as she makes friends in the gospel and continues to progress.
Lastly, we had a couple of miracles this week. On Tuesday we got a referral of a less-active man and his girlfriend who would like the missionaries to teach them lessons again. We went over and invited him to church, which he hadn't attended for many years and he actually came the next day! I am hopeful for now that we can continue to teach them. His non-member girlfriend even showed up at church!
The real miracle happened after church. There is a less-active woman in the ward who is allowing her sister, who is also in the ward, to take her son to church. Sister Polk, who is the sister, came up to us and told us that Jack, who is the son of the less-active woman, would like to be taught and baptized AND that his mother was finally okay with it. It is good to see this less-active woman's heart begin to be softened.
As always, the church is true.
~Elder Fetzer
Elder Fetzer, Eva, Elder Quassil
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