The Baptism we had scheduled for last Saturday has been pushed back to this saturday. It will definitely be happening this week and I'll have to include some pictures from it. Our investigator has been getting increasingly excited for it and It has been a real blessing to see her do the things that she's done. Her life has drastically changed in the past 6 weeks. It really just feels like we as missionaries just get to watch it happen. We don't really play a role in it to be honest. It feels like we're more or less just their to watch it happen. Just witnesses of something divine. I guess in reality that's kinda what we all are...
This week I was also kissed twice! Both times caught me very much off guard. and they're both kinda funny. So here's the stories: the first was from a 3 year old girl. Her name Is sophie and she is just the sweetest girl in the world! Her family feeds us every thursday and so she knows us pretty well. She calls us the 'Naries'. And always get's really excited when she sees us walk in the door. Her mom has told us that she will often ask about us throughout the week. Since I've been here, little Sophie has seemed to really attach to me. Every 6 weeks she is DEVASTATED when she learns one of the missionaries has been tranferred out. When ELder Smith left apparently she told her mom "that's ok as long as Jeff is still here." For some reason she calls me Jeff. I really have no Idea why. Although recently I've graduated to where now She'll call me by my real name. So that's kinda cool because I'm the only missionary who's name she knows now! lol but any way, Before we left her house this week I squatted down to tell her that 'we have to go now' She always get's this adorable sad look on her face when she realizes that we're leaving. Her mom started to say something to me so I looked up for a little bit and Sophie ran up to me and gave me a hug and a kiss on the cheek! It totally freaked me out at first! But it made me happy. I love that little girl. I'm going to really miss her and her family when we leave.
The second instance was from a 72 year old Lady that we have been teaching and is actually scheduled to be baptized this month! This week she had a really hard time. She truly get's a lot out from having us over and always seems to be spiritually struck by our lessons. Our lessons with her are always very powerful. This week her family that she's living with kicked her out of her house for a misunderstanding that happened in the family. She had very honest and pure intentions but people got confused and angry and ended up kicking her out. So now she is homeless and living out of a truck. She has Diabetes and can get in serious trouble if her blood sugar get's low. She was living off a bag of candy to be sure that she doesnt die. That night we came home and I went through our cabinets and basically pulled out ALL of our food. (which at the end of the month, really isn't a much. at all.) we had half a can of peanuts, some tuna, leftovers that a member had given us that night, and a little bit of lettuce. Elder Regan then called the mission nurse to be sure that what we were going to give her wouldnt mess with her blood sugar too much, and then we drove all of the food we had left over to her the next morning. She was very grateful. And we went to sleep atleast sort of comforted that night.
So that sunday was her first sunday coming to church! She somehow managed to make it even though she was still homeless and starving at age 72. She got herself to church somehow. Which blew my mind. After sacrament meeting she motioned for me to come over to her. She made like she was going to say something in my ear and then gave me a kiss on the cheek too. All she said was thanks for being their for me. She is the nicest and most sincere old lady I have ever met. It's quite a miracle that we found her. I'm glad she's feeling the spirit and letting God help her through her troubled times. Everything is a miracle.
I love the people here that we visit. I love them more than I have ever loved any stranger before. This work, The saving of souls is truly divine. It is so unbelieveably hard. But the love and spirit that comes from it is unmatched by anything else in this world. Everyone needs to experience it. It's amazing
So those are my stories for this week. Good stuff happens and sometimes weird stuff happens when you're on a mission. And sometimes it's a little bit of both. It's good though. S'all good.
President Hansen extended the assignment for me to be a District Leader this Transfer. So I will be training and Leading a District of Elders. There's a lot on me and it kinda feels heavy. I hope God knows what he's doing because it sure feels like I don't!
I think about and briefly allow myself to worry about some of you back home from time to time. I hope all f you are doing well. I love all yall.
Here's a picture to close with.