Transfers!!!

Hello,
So this week is transfers, and things are changing up, but looking on this past week here is some news. It was pretty exciting and things are progressing really well working with the members and teaching the people we already know.

Olivas: We had two lessons with the Olivas this past week. On Tuesday I was on splits with a member of the ward, Brother Nukaya. We went and taught the Olivas, and Izzy's older brother was there. He has been through a really tough time and Izzy invited him to join in on the lesson. We reviewed and taught again the role of the Book of Mormon in conversion while reading through the introduction and when we read the paragraph of "We invite all men", Alan, the brother, said that those words just made him feel something amazing and just spoke to him. He is moving to Boise, but for when he is taught over there, he is absolutely ready to hear the gospel. Then our next lesson was this past Saturday where we had breakfast with the fellowshipper family, the Buxton's. We had pancakes, others had eggs, and then we had our lesson. We taught more of the commandments, including the 10 commandments, Keeping the Sabbath day holy, and talking about receiving answers to our questions. Izzy has been expecting a huge answer to come, but has not focused on if he has already received lots of small ones. He and his family have completely changed, they have been much more like Christ and just radiate with the spirit. We have a lesson tonight with them, and he is getting baptized the first of July!!!!


Exchanges in Arco: So this past Wednesday I was in Arco the whole day. I went up to join Elder Crosby on Exchanges. It was pretty interesting, because Arco is a city with less than a thousand people, and so the whole city was pretty interesting and pretty small. It is one of the smallest cities that I have been in on my mission. After studying and planning and getting lunch, we headed out and walked quite a bit. One of the most amazing things that happened that day was AJ. We met him while walking and he has had a tough life full of foster home and moving and everything like that but is now stable in Arco. He was uninterested, but we invited him to the City/Ward barbeque (just hamburgers and hot dogs) that night. The last thing we had for the night, which was also our dinner was the BBQ, and it was well attended. About a quarter of the city attended, and there were a lot of non-members and less active members and it was just a good social gathering. AJ also came and at the end of the party thanked us for inviting him. Then we made the long drive back to Idaho Falls for the night. Fun day in a small town.

Nelson: We taught Nelson again this past Friday and went through the end of the Plan of Salvation, and some good news came up yesterday. He now can go to church on Sundays! He got permission to leave work for a couple hours each Sunday, even though it isn't his day off. There will be more about him next week, but it was just really exciting news. Thanks for everyone's prayers for the people over here.

Sunday and Transfers: So Yesterday was a very very busy day. It started when  we attended a ward council at about 7:00 in the morning. After the ward council we met with the Young Men's President for the same ward, stayed for the sacrament, and then ran over to the Sageview Ward. There we met with the Young Men's President, and then attended the Gospel principles class with the Olivas. The lesson was about the creation of the earth and something that Brother Friedman, the teacher, taught was more about the Nature of God and of Christ, and why Christ is called the Father of the Son. Father can be synonymous for Creator, and that is why Christ is called the Father of Heaven of Earth, because that is what he created under the direction of Heavenly Father. He is also the son of the Father, and so just like us, we are both Father's (not me yet) and Sons. After that class we went to the Branch Council and then attended the Spanish Branch. Yesterday was fun during the branch because I translated the talks into English for a couple of people in the branch who didn't understand Spanish. The talks were given by the sister missionaries in the branch and the first one was ok to translate. The second one was done by a sister who is from Spain but is originally from Argentina, so she had a mixed accent and that was a lot harder to understand. After the branch and finishing studies we had dinner with the Romero's and then went to a family we started teaching last week and they dropped us. It was perfect timing though because when we left the appointment we got our transfer call. I am staying here in the Oakland Valley Branch on the West Side of Idaho Falls and am going to be joined by Elder South from Texas. Elder Velarde, my greenie, is going up to Terreton. It's been great serving together here and I'm excited for everything that will change and how it will all progress. It was a crazy week and very busy.

Thank you so much for your emails, support, and prayers. Hope that everyone had a great Father's Day, and next week when I email I won't be 18 anymore, haha!

Email me with any questions that you have. Have a great week!!
Love,
Elder Baker

Pictures: None so far for this week. I'll be better for this next one.