Wow, so we thought we had things more or less figured out with Reyna and a place that she could move in and everything, but apparently not. So she gave us a call Monday and told us the apartments we had found wouldn't work out. So we had some people searching to see what they could find, but nobody could find anything that would open or work out for her before February. We went to play some volleyball for our activity and only played for a little bit before we headed off to this lesson (lessons generally don't happen on Monday afternoons because it's p-day, but it's the only time they could meet). Reyna told us to come over and check out these forms she had picked up from a place she visited so we went out there and found out that she hadn't touched the kitchen in her old apartment! We thought everything had been moved out and that she couldn't be there but somehow she still was. So we had to help her wash her dishes and move everything from the kitchen, the cupboards, and the bathroom. So our P-day turned more into p-hour... She thought she'd be able to move into this other place Tuesday, and she called us about meeting with the bishop to get some help to get that apartment and we told her to go to the church around 7:00 to talk with him. We called her up around 8:30 (hoping she had already done it), and found out she was still at her friend's house and had fallen asleep! So we had to make some calls and make sure the bishop would still be there to help her out. Oh Reyna... Anyways, she got the help she needed but found out the next day that it wouldn't work out.
So the adventure was far from over. Her kids stayed at her parents' place in Coolidge, while she continued to search for places to stay. On Friday we were asking her how everything was going and she simply texted us that she got pulled over by the police and that she would talk to us later. Well that's the last thing we needed to hear! We were stressing out, thinking about all the possibilities and the bad things that could happen. She does have a Mexican passport but we didn't know about anything else, if there would be any other worries or problems. Elder Twitchell was sure somehow she'd be in jail or something and we didn't hear back from her for a couple hours. In the meantime, we got a text from the assistants that Brenda Ruiz (who has been waiting to be baptized because of probation) had gotten permission from the First Presidency to be baptized! I remember meeting with her a little less than a year ago when I was on exchanges here in the Dobson Ward and she was very much a different person. She is happy now, has felt a burden lifted, and is more solid in scripture study and church than anyone I've ever taught. So we raced over to her apartment to tell her the good news and on the way there, Reyna gave us a call. And by the way we had been praying super hard that morning that everything would work out and that it would end that day. It had gone on for a long time and it was super taxing on us physically, spiritually, emotionally, and mentally. We needed relief and we didn't get a single break, especially with a super intense and crazy Sunday and P-day. So Reyna told us that she had in fact found a place and that she was all set to move in! The only problem was that the place she had found was in Tempe, and thus in the Tempe Zone. She said she still wanted to get baptized in the Liahona 5th ward though, but she wanted to get all her stuff moved in that very night. So we made some calls, set it all up with other missionaries, and moved all her stuff from the deserted missionary apartment to her new apartment in Tempe in just a couple hours. It was pretty impressive - Elder Twitchell and I might just have to have our own moving company or something... We had the help of a lot of missionaries, so it made it a whole lot quicker than the last time we moved her stuff. So we moved her in while she and her kids got interviewed for baptism in a nearby chapel and everything worked out! It was a super late, but super satisfying night. She finally had a place to live, and she was still going to get baptized on Saturday.
So on Saturday we confirmed with her that she would need to be there probably a half hour early to make sure everything was good and ready but of course... she ended up coming about 15 minutes late, and then we had to get them all changed for the baptism and everything. I guess that morning was way rough for her, because a couple of her siblings that said they were going to come and support her (her family is still totally against all of this and saying they won't talk to her) ended up calling her and telling her she can't do this because she's Catholic and they tried to convince her to not do it! So she was very alone and very sad when she came to the church to get baptized that afternoon. Her kids were happy and awesome as usual and it was cool because there was so much white! So Rocky was there (who introduced them first to everything - the returned missionary that invited her to church) as well as the president of the branch she went to on the other side of Mesa, President Smith. And those two, as well as Elder Twitchell and I, got to baptize the four of them! So it was just awesome to see so much white there. I guess the boys had also been saying that morning how they couldn't wait and they just wanted to get baptized right then. It was also funny because when Elder Twitchell baptized Obed, he had to do it twice and Obed's twin Ahmed told Rocky that he should mess up so that he could get baptized twice too! The funny part is he actually did. It was probably one of the most incredible spiritual experiences I've ever had. Here was a single mom with 5 kids, having to go completely against her family, who was 100% dedicated to doing what's best for her kids and doing what her Heavenly Father wanted her to. I love hearing those guys talk about how they want to be like us and go on missions and ask us all these questions about it. This family was the main reason I felt like I should and would stay this transfer. I felt the need particularly with them, to see them all the way through and I'm so grateful that I could!
We also told her to get there early to sacrament meeting yesterday and of course she came during the sacrament so we had to do it after the sacrament, but it was so cool to see the absolute light and happiness that came immediately into their lives. Reyna said she was way happy after the baptism but so much happier when she was confirmed. She said all of the boys talked on Saturday about how they felt so much different and how much they liked it. So Reyna, Obed, Ahmed, and Abel did get baptized and they will have to go to Tempe, but we got to see them baptized and confirmed first :)
Jeff and Kendra are still doing awesome and they are going to be baptized this Thursday. We took them to the Visitor's Center this last Monday, watched a short video of the Restoration, and did this cool family walk-through deal that goes through the plan that our Heavenly Father has for families. We took them over to the side that faces the temple and talked about the pictures there and what happens in different places in the temple. Afterwards we went outside and were just looking at the temple with Jeff and Kendra, as well as their fellowships, Zack and Rachel McKendrick. We asked Jeff how he felt as we talked about those things and he said it confirmed to him everything that he had been thinking and the plans that he had for his family. He had a firm resolve and it was a way noticeable difference. We asked he and Kendra how they felt about getting baptized and they said so confidently that they were for sure going to do it. I don't think I've ever heard such conviction from anyone facing such incredible trials. Kendra's parents are still very opposed and won't talk to her, but she says she simply knows this is what's true and what she needs in her life. She's going to do whatever it takes to get there. And then on Saturday we prepared them for the interview and taught them basically everything (doctrine of Christ, word of wisdom, law of chastity, tithing, etc) and they were already living everything but tithing and were very much committed to it. So they got interviewed yesterday and we're going to have another Family Home Evening tonight before they get baptized on Thursday.
Brenda Ruiz has also been waiting for a while to get baptized and she will actually be getting baptized a week from tomorrow! Dobson Ward had 2 baptisms all last year and they're going to have 3 in January!
It's also been amazing to go and visit with the members and get them excited about sharing the gospel. We need a lot of help right now, especially since so many of our investigators are getting baptized, in finding people to teach. We know from experience that knocking on doors and going through potential lists isn't terribly effective, so we're visiting members' homes, sharing spiritual messages, and setting goals with them on how they're going to do missionary work in their own life. Missionary work simply has to be a part of our lives if we want to have a fullness of joy and to have a deep abiding testimony. We have to have faith in the converting power of the gospel and know that the Lord will put people in our path that we can share the gospel with. That doesn't mean that every single person will join the church or accept what we share, but it does mean that our testimony will grow stronger and that we will become more and more the disciples that our Heavenly Father needs in His work. So we're praying by name for the people that our members want to share the gospel with, and we know miracles will come. That's how the spirituality of entire wards and families increase - that is what we all want.
Todo esta bien! We're just looking forward to a lot of finding and some incredible baptisms this week :) Thanks for all your prayers - I'm confident that the prayers of the faithful are always answered.
I love you all! Gracias
~ Elder Carlson
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