Olivas: So a lot happened with the Olivas family this week and so this will be taking up a large part of the email. The first lesson that we had this week was last Tuesday. It was the first lesson with Elder South and the Olivas since he got into the area. The major topic of the lesson for that night was about temples and families. The major topic was about how the ordinances of salvation connect families and that is all possible through the Temples that we have on this earth. That because the Priesthood has been restored to the earth, families can be sealed together for time and all eternity and the ordinances of salvation can be offered to those that we love and have passed on before us. We also talked about the law of chastity. After teaching the lesson for the night and following up to see if Izzy has received a witness, he testified that he had. We reviewed the questions for the baptismal interview and talked about the program for his baptism and how everything would work. The next time that we met with him was that Thursday for his interview. He Passed!!! Afterwards we showed him the room where the font was, and talked more about his baptism. The day after that we had another lesson, but this time it was at the Visitor's Center. We watched with Izzy, Christina, and Izzy's older brother Alan, Days of Harmony and Day for the Eternities. They are two newer movies about the Restoration of the Gospel and they are powerful. After finishing the first one we stopped for a minute and asked a few questions, and they just wanted to watch and learn more, haha. After the videos, we taught about callings and home teaching and continuing to learn and serve in the Church. Then the big day came. Last Saturday we printed out the programs and the Baptism went amazingly. Bishop Nukaya and I gave talks on Baptism and the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and Brother Buxton performed the Baptism. Izzy was just joyful and was the happiest I've ever seen him. The next day for his confirmation was awesome too. Bishop Friedman confirmed him and during the Gospel Principles when we were talking about what makes us feel joy, his baptism and confirmation were brought up by his wife and by Izzy. It has been a major blessing to teach them and to see them change and repent. It will be exciting to reteach all of the lessons and to take them to the temple to do Baptisms for the Dead. Then in one year, the family will sealed for time and all eternity. It's just been a week of amazing joy and the spirit in so many lessons that we've participated in.
Sunday: So Yesterday it was a really really crazy crazy day. It started off with a meeting at 7:00 in the morning, which was the PEC for the Sageview ward. Immediately after meeting with the council, we went to meet with the Stake President of the IF west stake, President Jacobson. We updated him on the Spanish work and about how meeting with all of the members and all of the bishops in the West Stake. After meeting with him, we went right back to the Sageview ward for Izzy's confirmation. After his confirmation, we stayed for part of the Gospel Principles class. We talked about the second pillar of the plan of salvation, the fall of Adam and Eve. It was pretty amazing. Then we went to the Osgood and taught the Young Women's about how to reach out in love and share the gospel. Then we went and met with the High Priests of the Osgood ward and taught about how to work together, Members and Missionaries. Then we met with the High Priest Group Leadership of the 39th ward and followed up on the Work of Salvation. Then we ran over (in our car) to the Spanish branch and it was an amazing testimony meeting. Pancho (who I've talked about before), got up and bore his testimony for the first time. It was amazing and the spirit was strong. All of the testimonies were very simple, basic, and powerful. After that we tried calling a lot of members, because we had an appointment in the boonies of Osgood, we finally found someone that was able to take us and join us for the appointment. He didn't speak Spanish, but we translated him when he was sharing his testimony of us having a prophet on the earth today and how prophets have always been God's way of dealing with His children on the earth, and how that continues into these days. Then we went over to dinner, and it was getting a little bit stormy. This is when the dog on the loose comes into play. There were 2 black German shepherds who were running in the street and so Bro. Johnson, who we were eating with, came out and was able to get one and put it in his back yard. The other dog of the duo was scared stiff. We then spent about 45 minutes running around the neighborhood trying to get him so that we could bring him back to his/her owner. Along the way when Elder South and I were running down a street chasing the dog down when someone else just joined in the chase, and it was when he brought his husky out of the car, and after many prayers, that Bro. Johnson opened the back door of his car and the dog just ran up and hopped in. He then took them to the pound. Dinner was good and we had some brown cows for dessert. Then we met up with Brother Preciado from the branch, and went out for another appointment in Osgood, with Jorge. Jorge wasn't home but we tried a couple of doors down from where he lives and met someone who moved into the apartments 5 days earlier, Max. He is from Lima, Peru. We started talking to him about his religious background and got into a conversation about the Restoration and about scriptures, how we believe in the Bible and the Book of Mormon. He had a lot of great questions about the scriptures, mainly about the footnotes. He would read a verse, see a footnote, and immediately turn to the footnote and eventually just get lost and wouldn't know what was going on. Then we met with a young mens president before we ended for the night and headed in. It was a crazy day and the night's sleep that followed was deep.
District Meeting: So we had district meeting this past Tuesday and it went very very different than I expected. It started out normally and after doing some accountability we got into the training that was prepared by our Zone Leader, Elder Chamberlain. We watched a video from the District about meeting with bishops, talked about each of the things that we needed to change and do to more fully work with and serve the bishops in each of our areas. Following the training, we had a demonstration by Elder Woods, and we practiced. It is always fun to role-play and to evaluate what you could do better, but up to this point the meeting was pretty normal. President Nelson, our mission president, had called me the day before and asked to come to my District Meeting and told me that he would do interviews after we finished up. I also asked him to teach about 5 minutes on charity, but because of his scheduled and having to travel down from Rigby, he was running a little bit late. We had already finished everything for the meeting, and we couldn't end yet and so we watched another video from the district about working with members. After we watched that video, someone had the idea to sing the closing hymn and then wait for President before having the closing prayer. So, because we needed a good long hymn, I elected that we sing "a poor wayfaring man of grief", and we got through all 7 verses. It was actually amazing to sing the entire song. Each verse is about doing the things that Jesus taught us to do during the sermon of the mount. After we sung all 7 verses, president arrived and taught about the necessity of Charity. It was a funny, cool, and learning experience and actually was very spiritual.
34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
Work of Salvation: So a lot happened this past week working with members. One of the coolest meetings that we had was with a primary presidency for the Osgood ward. We went in and asked how we could help and they immediately were on board. We are going to teach about honesty in sharing time and participate that day in primary. Then we taught a little bit about the work of salvation. We taught that the Primary Presidency have Priesthood Authority and the stewardship to receive revelation for those in the primary, under the Priesthood keys that the Bishop holds. They can access the power of the Melchizedek priesthood and receive revelation and who in the primary are ready to come to the gospel, which are ready to come back, and which children are ready to make an influence in their homes and to bring back their parents to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This work is amazing. This is something that we are doing with all of the leaders in all of the wards that we are serving in. We ask them to pray and receive revelation on who in their stewardship (Primary, Young Men's, Young Womens, Elders, Relief Society, High Priets Group) is ready at this time to accept or re-accept the gospel. It is exciting and even though it takes a while to get going, the spirit is there every time that we testify of this inspired revelation on how to work with Members and member leaders.
Studies: Because of how much the spirit was in lessons that we had and during the day for the week, and especially the joy that accompianed Izzy and his baptism and confirmation, this is a scripture that sums up how I felt in this past week. This is all found in the 18th section of the doctrine and covenants. I know that this is true, because this gospel that has been restored is the way to joy and to return back to the presence sin mancha before our Heavenly Father.
10 Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God;
11 For, behold, the Lord your Redeemer suffered death in the flesh; wherefore he suffered the pain of all men, that all men might repent and come unto him.
12 And he hath risen again from the dead, that he might bring all men unto him, on conditions of repentance.
13 And how great is his joy in the soul that repenteth!
14 Wherefore, you are called to cry repentance unto this people.
15 And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!
16 And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!
I love yall so much and hope that everything is going well for each of you. I keep you in my prayers, and I know that yall will be able to serve and help others to come unto Christ.
Have a great week, and don't forget to write!
Love,
Elder Baker
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