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| Me and my companion, Hermana Climaco. |
Well this week we had a baptism! Her name is Azusena. She only is 20 years old and has a four year old little girl and finally got married to her boyfriend and they are happy in the gospel! Yay! Well I guess the missionaries have been working with her since February. I love reaping the benefits of the work of others! Haha! Well we called her this week to see if we could teach her another lesson the day before her wedding... Needless to say she didn´t really have time with her preparations for her wedding and all so we just went over to her house in hopes that we could somehow help her. When we got to her house she was decorating for the big day. She had put white streamers everywhere and white bows and balloons everywhere. The house looked good considering her white streamers were made of toilet paper. Haha! It was pretty funny but she was happy. Helping her tape this toilet paper to the walls made me feel super bad about how many things I have dreamed up for my "perfect wedding" and there she is decorating with toilet paper--happy as can be. It made me rethink my priorities. But we helped her finish decorating with this toilet paper and taught her a little lesson and left.
The day of her baptism was pretty calm considering the other baptisms I have experienced in the field. Azusena showed up on time, we took plenty of pictures, and were just waiting for the people to show up. We had a combined baptism with the elders and their investigator didn´t show up on time so they left in a panic in a taxi to go and pick him up. Poor guys I know how they feel. But they finally showed up with their investigator and we had a really good turn out from the members. I don´t think the members realize how nice it is when they show up to the baptisms.... It really makes our investigators feel good when people show that they actually care. It makes me feel bad because before my mission I don´t remember attending many baptisms. I should have tried harder to show my support.
Well the member who was baptizing Azusena is a recent convert, as of five years and is the first counselor in the bishopric. So he is a pretty neat guy. But I don´t think he has baptized many people before. He was a little worried before the baptism and asked if it would be alright to practice with Azusena on how to hold his wrist and everything. We told him, "Yeah, that would be great!" and he showed her how to hold onto his wrist and that she needed to plug her nose when she goes under. The practice was good and before we knew it the baptism was starting. We ran in and sang a hymn and listened to a couple of talks and then it was time for the ordinance. Well they must have forgot the practice round.... This hermano was a little too quick "helping" her under the water and she must have forgotten to plug her nose. When she came up spluttering and coughing we all thought she was dying.... It was pretty dramatic. The baptisms down here in South America are always a little interesting.
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| Our baptism with Azusena! I am on the right, my companion is on the left. Azusena is in white! |
Well after the two ordinances we all sang songs as we were waiting for them to get dressed and come back. I was directing the hymns and we sang seven hymns.... SEVEN HYMNS... And these hymns weren´t little short ones like Keep the Commandments they were the long ones like I Believe in Christ and The Spirit of God.... I was a little afraid that Azusena never recovered from taking the plunge and had died in the bathroom but she eventually walked back in and we finished up the baptism. She also bore a nice testimony and said that she was really happy and felt good about everything. She also said that she knew that the church was true and that she was glad to finally be able to call herself a member. So that was really good to hear. It is pretty cool to see these people grow and change and being a part of their change.
I received a letter from one of my investigators in my old area and he wrote me that he was so glad that he was a part of the church and that he would never forget the things that Sister Romero and I taught him. It was pretty special feeling that I actually helped change his life and showed him the gospel. This is why I am here on a mission and this is why I love teaching these people. I love answering their questions and actually having the knowledge to help these people. And now that I am a little better with the language I can actually respond and I am also able to fully answer their questions. It is pretty neat knowing that I can help others with the gospel.
Well this week I had some more food stories. I was at the house of a member and we were eating this soup and it had this weird brown jelly looking thing in the middle. As I was trying to cut this jelly stuff in the middle of the bowl it had a weird cartilage rim around the outside and the jelly was in the middle. I finally managed to cut the cartilage crap and eat it but it just tasted like meat. My companion "doesn´t drink milk" and this soup had milk, so she was saved from the weird jelly soup but after the meal the member asked if I liked the soup. I said of course! And then she told me it was the foot of a cow........ Uhhhhhh I guess it was a good thing I didn´t ask what it was that I was eating because I probably would have lost it!
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| My new favorite food!! A chicken talon! It actually looks pretty good, doesn't it? Some exotic Thai dish! |
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| Just a little nervous with my cute, little friend laughing at me wondering about my new favorite food! |
I also had the privilege of eating another chicken talon this week... This time the chicken foot was better, it was cooked differently and had a sauce this time instead of just being in a soup. So that was okay. It is pretty interesting how powerful our minds are... Because now the chicken feet don´t even phase me. I don´t know what it is but I am not creeped out anymore. I guess my mind just knows that I have to eat it and I am okay with it. If I just chant "this food is good-this food is good" or "I feel good I feel great I feel wonderful" I can do it. Mind over matter and you can accomplish anything!
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| OK!! Here goes! Hey--it isn't too bad!! |
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| This little guy, William helped me out here, I wasn't feeling too good so he ate my spaghetti and rice...I hate the spaghetti and rice and I was feeling a little sick that day. . . don't know what food made me sick... Gee, maybe it was the chicken foot?!? |
Well I have to go my time is up but thank you for all of your love and support. I love you all more than I miss you!
Love Hermana Welch #1 (Jess)
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