Two Baptisms, A Wedding, Transfers, Bucking Hay, Nerf Gun War, Cherry Picking you name it we probably did it.. :)
Safe to say it was an AMAZING week.. so let me back up!
** Warning- There will be pictures all over this email because I'm sure some of you just want to see the pics!
Okay so Monday it was our last P-Day together as a Zone :( and we decided to have a Nerf war was it EPIC indeed it was! We have some awesome members who gave us some Nerf guns to borrow and we went to town district vs. district. Perfect last P-Day. This week we knew we were going to be soo busy. And we were super grateful to be apart of the lives of the people here in Nampa.
This week was sooo HOT! Wednesday our investigator Dan was getting married. They asked us to come set up so we did. Except it sort of turned into us setting up however we thought it should look so we kind of had free reign.. call us wedding planners! It turned our super cute though. It was 102 that day as we were setting up.. that was my first with the hundreds in dry heat whew! The wedding was beautiful and it was awesome to see their family and friends there to support and love them. The next day was Dan's baptism and what a long awaited day for his family. Her bore such a beautiful testimony on how he supported his wife in going back to church and was just going to support and then it became about his growth and desire to learn. Dan has been waiting for that moment for so long and it was so wonderful to feel his spirit and see the joy on his face surely as well in his heart. Such a blessing to work with him and to see how the gospel blesses families.Dan had 8 sister missionaries teach him over a span of a year. All of us were there. And a huge ward family was as well! I know that the gospel will continue to be an anchor in there marriage and family.
We finished teaching Francisca the lessons this week and it was a huge blessing to work with her. She was a referral from the ward. Some young women's girls reached out to her two years ago at school and over two years with the fellowship of the ward Francisca was able to get baptized this week. She truly is amazing.. something funny she said in our last lesson. We were teaching about the the ten commandments and we talked about good language and not taking the lords name in vain in speaking and action. And she said "I'm gonna tell my sister, she can take all the curse words and make a sentence" i had to write it down! Francisca is late for everything really its so bad.. hah Soo we were ready for her baptism and she needed to be there at 5 because the baptism was at 6.. So we set things up and were waiting and waiting and then ward members starting arriving and no Francisca. We called and she didn't pick up the phone it was the most stressful experience ever.. 5:30 came and went.. and we were all waiting pacing up and down the halls of the church.. finally she called us and told us she was waiting for her parents who are not members to come to her baptism but because friends were over the opted not to come.. the sadness in her voice was evident and I knew how hard it was going to be as she said so.. "I'm coming alone" We waited for her to get there and with puffy eyes she got dressed and some sisters from the ward came in to help her and reassure her of their love. We sat with her through her baptism.. no parents or family but the amazing ward family there to support her. Such a powerful baptisms the tears with flowing and the spirit was so strong. That amazing ward has cared for and hosted lessons, invited and invited and loved her. The power of reaching out with love was evident at that baptism. How important is heavenly father children to him? there are too many reasons to count. Every time I sit and watch those who I have been blessed to teach enter the water of baptism.. every time the power of the spirit is so strong as it whispers "its means everything to me". How grateful I am for the example Francisca is of following what she knows in her heart to be true and being converted enough to act on it. Even when her decision was not supported by her family. Do we truly understand the power of Nephi's words in 1 Nephi 3:7? With all the surety and strength of my soul I truly do.
The previous week I finished our mission president challenge to read the Book of Mormon. I saw this quote this week that testified of why we offer the book of Mormon to friends and family, why we invite those we love to find out more about the things we believe and know to be true "Our desire to share the restored gospel of Jesus Christ with you is a reflection of how important these truths are to us. Some of you may respond, “But I already believe in Jesus and follow His teachings,” or “I am not sure if God really exists.” Our invitations to you are not an attempt to diminish your religious tradition or life experience. Bring all that you know is true, good, and praiseworthy and test our message. Just as Jesus beckoned two of His disciples to “come and see” (John 1:39), so we urge you to come and see if the restored gospel of Jesus Christ enlarges and enriches that which you already believe to be true." - Elder David A Bednar We also did service as a zone this week on a ranch and I got to experience some things I haven't before.. such as bucking hay and brushing horses it was pretty fun. The cherry trees are growing like crazy here so we have gone picking three times already. I love mostly anything free..so it was perfect. This week we had transfer calls and I have been transferred to Nampa West. Super sad :( I'm going to miss trio life and my awesome companions. We loved serving together. This week is my halfway mark and we are heading to the temple on Thursday i'm super excited!
Hope everyone has a great week
Much love,
Sister Cleveland
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