Melbourne Mission Moments
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| I love my companion! |
I am so incredibly blessed. I don't know if it is because
Thanksgiving is this month or what but this week I have really noticed how many
blessings I receive and have in my life. I am so, so grateful!
We had a wonderful week this week full of miracles. Heavenly
Father is so good to us!
Monday night we had dinner at Bishop's house. I am so grateful to
be serving in such a wonderful ward with such wonderful people! Even though my
family is far away from me, the members here make us feel like family. Bishop's
family is so great. We had a barbeque with them and the Elders in our ward and also
had FHE with them.
Tuesday morning we had district meeting which was great. Then me,
Sister S, Sister W and Sister F went to the park to eat our lunch that we had
packed. The weather was SO beautiful for the first half of the week. It is
still a little chilly most days but it's supposed to be getting warm soon. But
yeah, we sat in the sun at the park and just enjoyed the sun while we ate. It
was glorious.
Wednesday night we went to teach a boy that we had met on the bus.
He is 16 years old. We sat on his front lawn and taught him the Restoration and
it went so well! His family is Catholic but aren't very involved in church so he
believes in God but doesn't know much at all. It became the perfect canvas for
him to learn about the Restoration. He loved it and was really excited about
the Book of Mormon. At the end of the lesson his mom came out and listened in.
She was really interested too and we have a return appointment with them for
this week.
Thursday we had another lesson with our 12-year old investigator.
It went really well! She was able to open up a lot and we were able to know
what her concerns are. And guess what! She prayed at the end of the lesson.
We've been trying to get her to do that ever since we met her and she finally
did. It was so good.
Our biggest miracle of this week: Last week when we were tracting
we met a guy who said we could come back. Then, on Tuesday night this week, we
walked past their house and he was getting ready to leave but I guess it
clicked in his head and he said, "Oh, you are Mormons. My partner goes to
your church. Come back tomorrow night and see her." So we went back
Thursday night. He wasn't home but she invited us right in. She is the
sweetest person and so cute. After just talking to her for a few minutes and
building a bit of a relationship I asked her how long she'd been a member of
the church. She told us that she had never actually been baptized. She started
investigating the church about 10 years ago when she was dating a member. She
started sharing her experiences and her testimony with us and it was amazing.
She knows so much and she knows the gospel is true and has such a strong testimony
of it. She talked about how she hopes that her mom is listening to Joseph Smith
in the spirit world and how she wants to go to the temple and be baptized for
her mom. About 6 months ago she got online and ordered her own set of
scriptures. She expressed to us her desire to be baptized and the whole thing
felt surreal. This is the kind of thing that missionaries DREAM of. She said
the most amazing prayer which made me want to make my prayers more sincere. It
was amazing. She is a little worried about her partner and the way he feels
about everything and she has been working out some issues and things with him
this week but she is praying about when she should get baptized and we are
going to be hopefully setting a date with her this week.
On Saturday we went to see another investigator. He was getting
ready to leave to see a friend in the hospital so we couldn't talk to him long
but he did tell us that he hasn't read the Book of Mormon at all yet. That was
a real bummer. Hopefully we will see him tomorrow and help him understand the
importance of the Book of Mormon.
Church on Sunday was really good! A boy in the ward just got home
from his mission on Saturday night. He was serving in the Paraguay Asuncion
mission. He said that Jordan [Sis. Baker’s cousin] was his Zone Leader there. Small
world. We were really excited and surprised that our 12-year old came! Her mom
drove her and even came in with her to make sure she got to the right place. She
loved church and the young women welcomed her so perfectly! We were really
excited about that. We have an appointment with her tomorrow and we are hoping
to set a baptismal date with her!
Last night we went with a couple brethren from our ward to see our
sweet friend that had the brain tumor and her mom. A bone has come dislodged in
her head so she had to have another surgery this morning to get it screwed back
in and is going to be in the hospital for a week. When we got there only her
mom was home and she was on her way back home with her aunt. I gave her mom a
hug when we went in and she just held me really tight and started to sob. She
is really struggling. As a single parent and having so much happen with her
daughter she has been so stressed. It was heart breaking. We just let her talk
and cry and gave her the love that she so desperately needs. The brethren from
our ward were able to give both her and her mom blessings which was really
good. Even though we haven't been able to teach them a whole lot, I have no
doubt that they are going to be baptized one day. The mom hugged me really
tight last night and said, "What am I going to do without you? I am going
to be really sad when you leave." It broke my heart. One day after all of
this is done and over with, I hope they are going to remember the Sister Missionaries
who really cared and that they will want to learn more and join the church.
This morning my companion and I left at 6:40 am so we could go up to the
hospital and sit with the mom while they waited for surgery. I could tell that
meant so much to her.
Dad- I was thinking about the events from a year ago [Sis. Baker opened her mission call Nov. 9, 2012. Her grandma Baker
fell and broke her hip the following day and then passed away five days later.]. I am going to buy some helium balloons on Friday and send them
up to Grandma. I know she made the right choice in letting go and I know that
she is happy up there. I have felt her with me several times out here and it's
been a tender mercy. I love her. I'm glad that Grandpa is doing so well.
Phillip- Sounds like it's piping hot down there. It's not hot here
yet but apparently January and February will be brutal. We'll see. Keep working
hard and enjoy the beautiful dogs ;)
I am so so grateful to be a missionary. It is the biggest blessing
that I have ever received. I'm grateful to have such an amazing family! This
church is true. I know it.
Love
y'all heaps!
Sister Baker
Sister Baker
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