It brings me so much joy to see people get baptized! - 12/9/13

Melbourne Mission Moments

Monday again? So crazy! This past week has been good. Not one of the best numbers wise but that happens sometimes. I can't believe there's barely over two weeks until Christmas! This year has gone so fast!

Last Monday my companion and I caught the train in to the city to do some looking around and shopping for a few hours. It was really fun. The weather was BEAUTIFUL and we had a really good time! I love the city! I hope that I get to serve there some day. That night we were able to teach our Egyptian family again. They are slowly making progress. If only I spoke Arabic!

Tuesday morning we went and did service all morning and into the afternoon for a woman in our ward. It was really good. We had 4 missionaries there and we got a ton of work done. I'm so glad we've had some more service opportunities lately. When we can serve people, it's easy to show them that we truly care. Someone once told me that no one will care how much you know until they know how much you care. It's so true. That afternoon we were able to have another lesson with our young woman-age investigator. She is so sweet and she has changed so much in the past six weeks. Hopefully she will decide that she is ready to be baptized soon!

Thursday morning I left early with two other sisters to drive up to the mission home to say goodbye to a sister that was in the MTC with me and is so wonderful. She has been really struggling with her health over the past 5 months and it got to the point that she needed to go home. It was so sad to say goodbye to her. I truly love her and I'm going to miss her! But at the same time, I felt really at peace as we said goodbye. 

Thursday we had Zone Conference! It was so good! I love meetings and the feeling of uplifting and motivation that I have afterward. The leaders in this mission are so wonderful! One thing that was really stressed is using the Book of Mormon is every teaching situation. That is something that I really want to focus on. I love the Book of Mormon and have gained such a strong testimony of its truth, especially since being on a mission. It is our most powerful resource for teaching so I want to use it in every teaching opportunity! 

After our zone conference we went to teach a woman from PERU! How cool is it that I get to teach someone from Peru while I am clear over here in Australia! Phillip, do you have any tips on having success with Peruvians? The lesson with her went really well and she kept talking about that she felt peace! Hopefully she can be our miracle baptism before the end of the year!

On Saturday the ward had a Christmas BBQ at a park. So weird to have a BBQ for Christmas! But it was really good and we had a good turnout. Our young investigator came! She's making lots of friends in the ward which is awesome!

Kangaroos!

Saturday night we got transfer news... and I'M STAYING!! Sister Stevenson and I get to stay together for another transfer! I am so happy! I have been here a long time so I was afraid I'd get moved but I get to stay here for Christmas and my birthday! :) :)

The pure JOY that comes when you find out that you're not getting transferred!
(not planned to be wearing matching t-shirts and matching buns)

Yesterday Noah got baptized! The baptism went so perfectly and Noah looked so happy! So did his mom! I love them so much. It brings me so much joy to see people get baptized! 

Don't freeze at home. Sounds like it's pretty darn cold.

If there's one thing that I have learned here without a doubt it is that Heavenly Father knows and loves His children. I see His hand in my life every single day and I am so grateful for it. I am grateful for this time of year that we get to reflect on the birth of our Savior. I am so grateful for the gospel and the blessing it is in my life.

Love y'all heaps!!

Sister Baker