Kenny, the 8 year old boy who was baptized yesterday, decided that
on his way out from being baptized, he was going to swim to the edge of
the font. It was one of those moments in my life when I was torn between
laughing my head off that that was actually happening and being
slightly horrified that that was actually happening. Thank goodness the
mission president arrived after the ordinance was performed... Before
being baptized, Kenny was jumping around in his baptismal suit singing,
"I'm an angel!" Hahaha oh dear it was so precious. This is the same boy
that a couple of weeks ago thanked the deacon for the 'samples' when he
was passed the sacrament. I love that boy and it was so great to see him
and his sister be baptized by the Priesthood Authority yesterday. We
are excited to continue working with this family to help the mother
become active again and continue to help the grandmother progress in her
reactivation. This family can be eternal! We will get them to the
temple. That's what it's all about.
This week we worked again with the same family we have been visitng
for 3 months, from Honduras, whose father wants all of his kids to get
baptized (he is an inactive member, who used to be a bishop), but who
never does anything about it. I get a little bit bold sometimes, and
since my spanish has improved I seem to get better and better about
saying things that surprise even me. As a missionary, my calling is to
help people repent. Repentance is positive. It is change- and people can
only change if they act. So I went against all hispanic manners and I
brought every single one of the men in their family his own shirt and
tie, because they said that that was the only thing stopping them from
coming to church. They didn't show up to church on Sunday...
so we stopped by later in the evening. We saw the dad. His son wants to
be baptized but the father won't let him go to church without him. The
father spoke to us for over 20 minutes, saying all of these things that
needed to come before going back to church. Sister Orton asked him if he
loves God. He said yes. She showed him John 14:15
(If ye love me, keep my commandments.) He told us some more excuses. I
looked at him and said, "Hermano, we have been called by a prophet of
God to help people change. Change only comes when people act. We cannot
continue to visit you and your family because we need to help other
people who are willing to change. You must put God first in order to
receive blessings, no matter what else is happening in your life. Call
us when you are done denying your family of the blessings of the
gospel."
.....
.....
.....
Heh.
I think he understood... he promised to call us in a week, when he had everything 'figured out'. We'll see about that :)
Well I promise I'm not mean, I just know my purpose as a
missionary. And the only reason that I have learned to be bold is
because I know that people only change when they hear it the way it is. I
love God enough and these people enough to sacrifice my own comfort of
warm and fuzzy words in order to help them change, repent, and receive
the blessings of the gospel.
My mission has changed me. I am so grateful to be where
I am, doing what I am doing. We had interviews this week and president
asked me how much I loved the work. I looked him in the eyes and said I
wish I still had 2 years left.
This church is true. I am grateful to live my life in a
way that shows God that I know this is His truth! Can't wait for
another week of being a missionary.
Love
Hermana Millward
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| Kenny and Diana's baptism! |
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| Foote's pond! I love the Foote family!!! |
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