Week 40: Raymond

Happy Halloween! 

We were inside tonight but it has been fun talking to family, having a mission zoom call, and eating lots of icecream!

God has given me so many opportunities to grow this transfer, and I am so grateful. I am making a lot of mistakes but I am relying on Christ's atonement and allowing Him to mold me into the disciple of Jesus Christ He needs me to be. 

I have found joy this week in my companions. Hermana Votaw is always kind, loving, selfless, and strong. Hermana Garcia is loyal, diligent, faithfilled, and brave. A few weeks ago, one of my companions received a priesthood blessing from our mission president, and she was promised that this trio would be dear friends not only for our missions, but for our lives. I love my companions. 

We have also found joy helping prepare David for his baptism. David is a 83 year old gentleman who lives with his daughter Dolores. Dolores is a member of the Church but hasn't come to church in quite some time. In July, the missionaries here (one of them was Hermana Midence) found David and began teaching him while visiting Dolores. He accepted the gospel of Jesus Christ and is already part of the ward family. He has attended church and activities almost since the beginning. He was finally able to overcome his coffee addiction through lots of faith & prayers. 

This weekend, his active daughter Maricela and his grandchildren came from Mexico and Arizona to support him in his baptism! It was a joyous weekend for this family. Maricela and his granddaughter shared their testimonies, David sang one of his favorite songs "Los Cien Ovejas" and his grandson in law baptized him. He was baptized about 5 times because he wasn't fully submerged. God is a God of order and commands us to be baptized in the way His son showed us, by immersion by someone holding His authority. I am so grateful to know that this authority and doctrine has been restored on the earth again. Joseph Smith received this authority from John the Baptist and it has been passed down in an unbroken line of authority. 

We could visibly see the relief of the weight David was carrying as he was baptized and received the gift of the Holy Ghost to be with him always the next day. It was a very special weekend for this family. And we know there was a party in heaven of family members who have since passed. 

David's experience reminded me of an experience that the Alma's people had in the Book of Mormon. Mosiah 18:8-11

8 And it came to pass that he said unto them: Behold, here are the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light;

9 Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life—

10 Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you?

11 And now when the people had heard these words, they clapped their hands for joy, and exclaimed: This is the desire of our hearts.

David felt this joy this weekend to enter into the fold of God. I invited each of you to consider how you can feel that same eternal joy, whether it be through being baptized or through renewing your baptismal covenants during the Sacrament. 

I love and pray for each of you!!

Hermana Dudley

1.David, Maricela, y los Wrights antes del Bautismo

2.Hermanas, Rosita, y gixie at the ward Halloween party

3.Keren, Leyla, Matias, and Sami dressed up for the ward Halloween party

4.Jeovani's baptism from last week (Hna Young, Hna Jackson, Brenda, Enrique, Alex, Jeovani)

5.Bautismo de David

6.the sky's are so pretty here at night

7.We had a dinner with the Christensens from our ward and their friend Carmen and got to share the new video of when Jesus Christ comes to the Americas!

8.Zone hike 10/24