On Saturday afternoon we got to meet the couple who will be serving in our current callings for the next 18 months. The Singletons are a wonderful couple from Idaho Falls. We were at the office straightening up our desks so they would not realize how unorganized we are – or at least I am – when they arrived. We gave them a quick tour of the office and then we headed off for some lunch. After lunch we took them to their new apartment and helped them unload their car. They then did some unpacking and a quick nap before we showed them where to do their shopping.

 

On Sunday they went to the Fort Lauderdale Ward. They made it there with no problem. They are not going to have any trouble with getting around once they figure out Florida driving. Maybe it would be better to say if they survive figuring out Florida driving habits. On Monday they came into the office and we spent a couple hour before staff meeting teaching them about their new calling. Basically I just turned things over to elder Singleton and he quickly learned how to pay bills – one of the things he will do almost everyday. They both have great attitudes and seem to have good computer skills. They are eager to learn. We are thinking in two or three weeks they should be able to do almost everything so we can spend some time traveling around the mission and of course start packing…not an easy task when we brought so much from home and accumulated more once we were here.

  

On Sunday we picked up this beautiful young family for Church. Their 15 month old daughter, Summer, just was not willing to smile for a picture. At the end of today’s staff meeting I saw the Anderson’s holding hands as we sang the closing song and had to take a picture. I am going to have to check pictures from when we first got here but I think President Anderson’s hair is getting a little grayer. Sisters and Herrera and Judkins came in so sister Judkins could finish up the things she needed to get her driving privileges. I had to take a picture of sister Herrera’s very pretty tunic.  It was a strange p-day as they were the only missionaries to drop in. Usually three or four companionships come by. Even the APs did not show up to use the computers for their e-mail.

With the same attitude as Ammon that all glory goes to God for preparing people to accept the gospel, the mission had 42 baptisms for the week and are on track to reach 200 for the month. But no matter what the number the important thing is that these sons and daughters of God have started down the straight and narrow path that can lead to Eternal Life. Our prayers go with them that will continue to keep the commandments so they can enjoy all the blessings that the Lord has for them.

President Anderson’s letter taught about how missionaries are the happiest and most successful when they plan and work with diligence under the influence of the spirit. Here are the experiences he shared this week as once again the mission had 42 baptisms for a total of 121 in the first three weeks of March.

““When Ammon was his happiest, he was busy, engaged, and working his hardest to bring souls to Christ.

I love how you are teaching our new missionaries our culture of obedience and the importance of working hard:

 

“On my first night here, the assistants challenged us to invite everyone to be baptized. I was determined to do just that. It was around 8:00 pm and we had just finished praying before we went out harvesting. As soon as the prayer was finished, we turned around and there was a man walking his dog. We contacted him and left a blessing with him right there. He was the first person I invited to be baptized, and he accepted! It was exciting, but I didn’t think too much more about it since we had to pass him to another area. However, at the stake wide baptism on Sunday, this man was baptized! God really does put us in the path of those who are prepared and willing to follow His example and enter the waters of baptism.”

 

I love how hard you are working in planning with faith for your investigators to be baptized:

 

“This week, my companion and I have really sought to plan with the Lord and to really tune into the Spirit as we plan. Weekly planning, nightly planning, and comp studies have changed so much and are so much fun as we really strive to be innovative with the Spirit. Katrina was very nervous about religion and was not sure about being baptized again. Each day as we planned her lessons we prayerfully selected the commitments that we would extend to her and the doctrine she needed to understand in order to keep those commitments. As we did she started keeping the little commitments! She loved the Mormon Messages and we found that as she understood true doctrine that she would invite herself to keep the commitments. It is the best! She invited herself to be baptized! I love helping people seek learning by faith. Teaching by the Spirit is the ONLY way to go.” 

 

When you work hard, you get what you pray for:

 

“We had been praying all week to meet a family and we finally did!  When they first answered the door, we asked if we could come inside and leave the blessing with them, and they let us in to say the prayer.  We got on our knees and the whole family was together and my companion offered a simple but powerful prayer.  After the prayer the spirit was so undeniably strong.  We testified of what they were feeling and that God had sent us there and invited them to be baptized.  The dad then chimed in and said that he had been praying for his family to get closer to God and that he had been asking God to send him messengers.  He bore testimony to his whole family that we were sent to them by God.  It was incredible!  They came to church on Sunday and are preparing for baptism!”