Bueno- Well this week was a way good week - We had baptisms!!! It was really sad - I actually typed out almost everything that happened this week and the computer apparently discarded it... But it was sweet to see this family baptized this past week. Gloria and Ricardo Juarez (a mom and one of her sons) both got baptized this last Wednesday and it was cool to be a part of it. It was somewhat interesting because last-minute all these branch leaders told us they couldn't make it and couldn't make the program, so we had to hurry and put everything together. We still played the piano him with the right hand and me with the left, and the branch gets a kick out of it. Nobody really knows how to play the piano and I'm sure it's funny to see us sitting way close together with our hands across our body to play. It's tough not knowing when exactly he's going to play the notes, but I'm pretty sure it sounded solid. That and the water was like ice - the water heater at the stake center is having issues and the water literally feels like glacier water. It makes baptisms fun. And Gloria was really hesitant to get in because she doesn't like the cold (nobody around here knows anything about the cold), but she eventually did very slowly and it all worked out. We were kind of stressed out though because Eugenio, the 15-year old son, told us that he was having doubts and that he just didn't feel like he was ready. We really talked to him and testified about everything, and had him pray (while we were praying like crazy!), but he had just thoroughly convinced himself that he wasn't going to go through with it that day.
So... a couple days later I went over to his house with a member from our branch and we were just teaching the Restoration again to the family. Eugenio out of nowhere asked if he could tell me something - he just simply said,"I want to get baptized". I told him that he had come to the right people and that we could take care of that :) it was cool, because we had actually reserved the church and the font for the very next day! We had scheduled a baptism, but it had fallen through. So Eugenio got baptized the very next day, and it was amazing to see the difference in him between Wednesday and Saturday. He was so sure of himself and so confident that he was doing the right thing. He said that he had woken up that day happy, just knowing that baptism is what he needed to do, and he didn't even question it. The Lord really does answer prayers!! So his baptism was also interesting because not only was the water ice cold, but it was also really low and Eugenio is a big dude. Like at least 3 times my size. Anyway, I was baptizing him and I ended up having to do it three times to get him completely under the water (a toe or something kept popping out). It was funny though and he was completely cool with it, because he kept on telling his family how he was extra baptized and super clean. For him, it was definitely something special.
Another highlight for the week is that Elder Lindquist and I have a 3rd companion! His name is Elder Martinez, and he's a way cool elder from San Diego (like maybe 3 hours away! pretty close). We took him out tracting and OYM-ing yesterday, and it was way cool to see all of his greenie fire. i was thinking about it yesterday, and thinking about how we all need to have that greenie fire ALL the time. We have to have the faith that the Lord prepares people, and we have to have the faith that they will accept the gospel. It can be so easy at times to get used to rejection and assume that almost everyone is going to keep saying no, but when we have that faith and that enthusiasm people can tell and will respond differently. I've definitely noticed recently that your sincerity and enthusiasm matters a whole lot more than what you say. People feel that difference and when your excited and happy, it gets them thinking (and totally catches them off-guard).
One thing that's also funny is what happened at sacrament meeting on Sunday. We have this investigator Omar, who is actually getting baptized this Friday because he finally quit smoking!! Anyway, he apparently really doesn't like bread so that's his only complaint about going to church. He keeps asking if they put a cracker in there for him and if they're going to have kool-aid instead of water. So Omar asked Elder Lindquist who was in charge here and how that all worked. So he talked all about the leadership of the entire church and how it all worked. Omar just said,"that's cool...so who do I need to talk to about putting a cracker in there??" That was all he cared about, and it made me laugh.
So yep, work is going good, and I'm fairly sure I'm getting transferred next Wednesday and that's why they only sent 1 instead of 2 visa-waiters. It'll be sad to leave Yuma, but I think I'm ready for a change - something new! I'm excited though, and we're going to finish up strong!!
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