Smiling Faces, Beautiful Places: Week 58 - Latta, SC

Buenos dias! How're y'all doing? This week has been pretty good! We had some great things happen but not too much to report on so I'm not sure how long this email will be!

First we had exchanges... again... and I again stayed in Marion. I don't think I'll ever go to another area for an exchange! Hahah. But Sister Dougherty (My STL) and I had a great time here in Marion! We found this guy, R and he's totally elect! He knows like half of our branch and said he'd be willing to come to church! After we found that out, we invited him to be baptized on September 6th and he accepted! He even came to church on Sunday! The branch members were fellowshipping him perfectly! Hopefully we'll have another baptism coming up shortly.

Later in the week, Sister Parker and I did a 15 Step to Stop Smoking lesson and the lady, C committed to every step (which is super important). She didn't have any cigarettes or lighters to take away... So we took her ash tray. That's the first time someone actually let me take their ash tray so that's kind of a great feat!

So time for the news that y'all are waiting for... BROTHER J WAS BAPTIZED! Cue victory dance! Sister Parker and I were so excited! Brother J was just one of the most elect and most prepared people I've ever run into. R, our recent convert, did a great job baptizing him! We were so proud of both of them!

So yesterday, we were waiting for Brother J to come to church... It was 9:45 and I was starting to get worried that he wouldn't show up... Then it was 9:55 and he still wasn't there... Then at 9:59, literally the last minute, he showed up! I was pacing in front of the church. Haha. I'm sure it was all because I prayed for patience the night before...

After church, we saw Brother J and he was like "I feel great!" But apparently there was more to it than just him having the gift of the Holy Ghost! I guess he was interviewed and the ordained him to be a priest in the priesthood meeting as well! No one even told us! We were shocked! But he's so excited for all of this! He's just so great!

And as if that's not good enough... There's some more great news! To give you a back story, our mission sends out baptism/confirmation texts every Sunday night of the people who were baptized throughout the mission and guess what? W R FROM WEST COLUMBIA WAS BAPTIZED THIS WEEKEND TOO! Sister Parker and I were screaming! I was so happy. It reminded me of Alma 29:14. Sure I wasn't there for the baptism, but someone I taught and came to love had finally got baptized! I was happy that Sister Johnson and her new companion were able to help him enter the waters of baptism!

Pretty good week, eh? Oh by the way! Yesterday in Sunday School, we were talking about appropriate Sunday activities so we can still keep the Sabbath Day holy... One of the activities was writing to missionaries. Just throwing that out there ;) Well that's it for now. I hope y'all have a blessed week! Love y'all!

- Sister Amy Christensen