March 22, 2010

Hey Everyone!!!-

Wow!!!! So much has happened. Leki got baptized on Saturday as well as another Polynesian named Sionne! It was such an amazing baptism! Leki's Aunt and Uncle who are the only members in her family came up from LA so that her uncle could baptize her. While he was baptizing her, he got so choked up. I can't even imagine not having the rest of my family in the church and then being able to see one of them gain a testimony as strong as Leki's! It was so beautiful! We, as sister missionaries, did the intermission for the baptism. Sister Toomey and I sang while Sister Cutler played the piano. We sang the Primary Songs: Faith, I'm Trying to Be Like Jesus, and When I Am Baptized. We then sang Praise to the man and we ended with Sister Cutler playing through Praise to the Man again while I recited the First Vision out of Joseph Smith History. IT WAS AMAZING!!!!! The Spirit was so strong that I almost didn't get through the First Vision without crying. Before I left home, Liz gave me an embroidered handkerchief with the Portland Temple on it. I loved it, but I felt that I should give it to Leki for her baptism. I think she really liked it! :) (So, Liz if you're reading this, Thank you!!!)

There were some funny stories that happened before the baptism. When we got to the church it was about 2 pm and the baptism didn't start until 4 pm, but we needed to fill up the font. We had told the Elders that we would just fill it up. Well, we got there and had no key to open up the font so we could get in. Sister Cutler then decides to climb over the glass fencing and down into the font and then she thought she'd just open the doors from the inside. As she was climbing in, she totally sliced her toe on something and was bleeding really bad. It shouldn't have been funny, but we were all laughing so hard, because we could see Satan trying to thwart this baptism, but we weren't about to let him! Well, we finally got her toe wrapped up with scotch tape and some gauze out of the custodial closet. We then went to work to fill the font (again!) and realized we didn't know where the taps were to turn the water on. Sister Cutler went looking and i went down into the font to see if I could figure it out. The font is all white tile, but then it had little gold tiles placed in a pattern on the wall. I thought it would be funny to pretend I was on "National Treasure" and that it could be a secret code and you have to push the right gold tiles in the right order to turn on the water. So, me just trying to be funny, I push one of the gold tiles and water comes spraying out of the faucet right at me! I screamed and started laughing! I turned to Sister Toomey, and through bursts of laughter said, "Did you see that?!" By this point I was out of the font and had figured out what had really happened. Sister Cutler had found the taps in the boys bathroom and we had timed it just right so that right as I push the gold tile, she flipped the knob for the water! We laughed so hard! It was very very very funny!!!!

After the Baptism, Leki and Sionne bore their testimonies! It was so fun to see Sionne take on the role of conducting the meeting. I could see that he is going to make an AWESOME Priesthood holder!! They then did a traditional Samoan dance in the Cultural Hall! It was so cool!!!! I just love the Polynesian culture!!!!

I was having a little bit of a rough weekend. I couldn't seem to find joy in anything. Sister Cutler was really worried about me. I couldn't even explain to her what was wrong. Then, as our Heavenly Father always does, He gave me a great Tender Mercy yesterday. Our Single's Ward Sacrament yesterday was based solely on being happy and finding joy! It was AWESOME! I realized that I wasn't opening the door into my heart so that my Savior COULD help me. I got the mental image of Christ knocking on the door without a handle. It's our job to let Him in. It helped so much! I'm now making a greater effort to be positive again! I do love it here and I love my companions!!! Sister Cutler is like a sister to me! I love it! Heavenly Father definitely knew what he was doing when he sent me here to Corvallis at the time that he did. There was a reason I had to go through what I did to get here at this time. Sister Cutler and I have talked about it. She turned her papers in 3 years before she got her call. (and I thought I had it bad!) But had she gotten her call in the normal time, we would not have been here together and she has definitely influenced my mission and my life. I'm sad to see her going home in June, but I know we'll be friends for a long, long time!

The weather here has been absolutely BEAUTIFUL!!!!! I love it here! The sun has been shining and it's been warm! It was a little rainy yesterday, but that was the first day in quite a while! It really is so beautiful here! I love the OSU campus! I'm really considering coming up here for graduate school!

Staci hasn't returned from Spring Break yet, but we keep her in our prayers and I know that the Lord's hand is in her life. She's a strong girl! A true pioneer for her family now and her future family! She will be baptized!!!!! I have faith in the changing power of the Holy Ghost and our Savior's Atonement!

I got a letter from Cammy and the boys! It was so fun to see their drawings and then I got a letter from Parker and one from Dylan! I love hearing from them! They are probably some of my most devoted writers! I'm going to try to get a letter to them all today! :)

We haven't been able to find any new investigators, but we have faith that by increasing our obedience and effort, the Lord will bless us!

Well, I love you and I can't wait to hear from you!

Love,

Holly