This week, most happened on a day basis, so that is pretty much how this week will turn out in the format for emails. hope that everyone is enjoying the end of the school year throughout Georgia, and that everyone has great plans for summer. Here it goes...
Tuesday: Tuesday night was crazy. At the last minute, we were finally able to get someone to join us for going out on splits, and so after our dinner appointment, we went. I went with a Bro. Bradford, and the first stop we made was at the Russel's, a family that we had dinner with last week. We helped them make their list, by listing out all of the non-members and less actives that they know and then studying it out in their minds what step they can take to help their friend. Following that, and fulfilling the promise given by the Lord in Doctrine and Covenants Section 9, you pray for confirmation to know if that is right. After meeting with the Russel's, we taught the daughter of a part member family the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Teaching an 8 year old the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and teaching about faith, I see why the primary song and Alma use the example of a seed. It is something that everyone can relate to, and that is very easy to understand and apply. After meeting with the Dixon's, I had to run over the the Stake Center to give a baptismal interview. Before and after the interview, in the Gym (because it was Tuesday night) it was mutual. And because of the temple Cultural Celebration coming up in the next month, the youth in the Stake were practicing the dance. Unlike years ago when I did the cake walk, the youth here were doing a potato song and dance... It was awesome, and funny how they are going full force and have no shame about being the potato state. There are many things happening here that remind me of when I was 12 years old, and that is something that I thought wouldn't happen. The temple open house is amazing, and the temple at Idaho Falls is beautiful!
Thursday: Thursday was amazing. After a great weekly planning session, we went to a bishop in the Eagle Rock stakes home. The day before we had been calling all of the bishops to set up appointments to talk about the Spanish Work, and this Bishop told us that we had to come by tomorrow. While we were meeting with him they told us about Spanish families that they were working with and inviting to the temple open house, wanted us to explain about the tours in Spanish, then set up a date for us to follow up with them on how it went. The family just did everything for themselves, and we just answered a few questions. Elect members for the Work of Salvation are amazing. After dinner we had an appointment with George. It was very different than one earlier in the week, where it got pretty bold and he retaliated a little bit. Between that time he humbled himself, and saw that what he was doing was sinful. We taught about humility and about coming to Heavenly Father in prayer. The spirit is very strong, and something that I have learned on my mission is that repentance isn't a scary thing, it is a joyful choice. after meeting with George, we went out with a member of the Osgood ward and visited a less-active that is his neighbor. The less-active was married in the temple, but life got very busy and things just became more important than God. I have had life get very busy, but if anyone will study in the scriptures and pray daily, and work hard to attend sacrament meeting, God will give each one of us the strength to do the right, despite the business or the work. Following that we had another appointment with the Oliva's family (ELECT). We come to find out that they tried reading in the Book of Mormon, but it was confusing and hard to understand. Because of that, they instead read out of the Book of Mormon Stories book, because they are seeking for the truth. We then read through the title page and introduction with them of the Book of Mormon, and after focusing in on the answer we will receive by the power of the Holy Ghost, Brother Olivas committed to a baptismal date on the 24th of June!!!!! What a splendid day! We'll have to see if I will be here for it, but I am excited for the family.
Daniel & Dominique: Friday night we had another appointment with Daniel and Dominique. We had plans to go to the temple open house with them last week, but their dog got run over and so it had to be cancelled. But when we arrived, they started talking about the temple because they had gone through with her family the night before. When Daniel (Ex-Military and Non-Member) went through the temple, he talked about feeling warmth in his chest, that started in his heart and then engulfed his whole body. He said that it was the best that he has felt since being a child. And both of them, when they were in the sealing room, had their whole perspective on marriage change. It is something sacred, ordained by God, and in the temple a couple can be married for time and all eternity, and not only for this life. We continued to talk about their experience in the temple and to answer more of their questions with them, we will be going through with them again this next Friday. That lesson just strengthened my testimony on the power of the temple of God. It is the house of the Lord, and being there is an instant gateway for the spirit to come into our lives. Even though I haven't gone to the temple in the past 6 months, next week I will be going to the temple again in Rexburg. This is something sacred and I am very excited to go and have an outpouring of the spirit.
Talk Day: Sunday was super super duper busy. It started off at 9 in the morning, after getting in planning and some personal study. We went to go speak in the Mountainview ward in the west stake. I spoke about charity and how that leads to sharing the gospel. The main talk that I used as a reference point was the one given by Elder S. Mark Palmer of the Seventy, entitled "then Jesus beholding him loved him". After I spoke, and three other missionaries spoke (Elder Velarde, and the two sister missionaries who work in that stake) we ran over to the sageview ward to join in the gospel principles class. In the class were two former bishops, a member of the bishopric, us, and the Oliva's. The lesson was chapter 1, Our Heavenly Father. It was amazing, and the spirit was there teaching me more about my God just as much as the next person. One of the things that stood out to me was about Jesus Christ. To know our Father in Heaven, we can study the life of Jesus Christ, who is the only begotten Son of God. After that class we ran over to the branch for a branch council meeting, and then over to the Osgood building to meet with an Elders Quorum Presidency and the High Priest Group Leadership for one of our wards, and then had to run back to the same building to speak in the Templeview ward. The talk this time was all about neighbors. I used the scripture about the duty to ward your neighbor, and seeing each neighbor as a son and daughter of God, and having that love fill you heart. As we seek to love everyone and see everyone as our Savior and our Heavenly Father does, then we will have love fill our hearts, which casteth out fear, and helps us to share the gospel with them. We had some other great appointments that night, but that was the main bulk of the entire day.
Studies: The scriptures that really stood out to me this week were about the commander Moroni (not the prophet) in the Book of Mormon. First is this one, which just shows what kind of person he was and what kind of goal we can reach.
17 Yea, verily, verily I say unto you, if all men had been, and were, and ever would be, like unto Moroni, behold, the very powers of hell would have been shaken forever; yea, the devil would never have power over the hearts of the children of men.
Then this is the one that really gets me, it was not because of any special talents, or abilities, or anything. But it is things that we can work on each day, and because of our Heavenly Father can be strengthened and made into strengths.
11 And Moroni was a strong and a mighty man; he was a man of a perfect understanding; yea, a man that did not delight in bloodshed; a man whose soul did joy in the liberty and the freedom of his country, and his brethren from bondage and slavery;
12 Yea, a man whose heart did swell with thanksgiving to his God, for the many privileges and blessings which he bestowed upon his people; a man who did labor exceedingly for the welfare and safety of his people.
13 Yea, and he was a man who was firm in the faith of Christ, and he had sworn with an oath to defend his people, his rights, and his country, and his religion, even to the loss of his blood.
Hope that everyone had a wonderful week and that you are having the spirit enter more into your lives as you study the scriptures daily, as you pray often, and partake of the sacrament to renew your covenants.
Love you all so much, and you will hear about what will happen to me with transfers as we finish training this next Tuesday!
Elder Carson Maurice Baker
Pictures: sorry, none this week. I'll get better at taking more.
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