Things have been
great this week! Lots of changes, but I think they’ve all been good ones. Sunny
Arizona has been exactly that. It’s supposed to get up in the 80s this week!
Can you believe that?! Beginning of February and 80. Pretty beautiful. :) But I mean…your winter
storm sounds pretty nice too!
So last Tuesday
was fun! I got to go to the airport and pick up the new missionaries. 10
sisters and 1 elder. Poor guy. It was great though! They are all so excited to
be here. We took some pictures and then went and had lunch with them and then
we left and I went to my temple shift.
Wednesday was the
big day. Transfers! There was an audible gasp heard around the room when President
called my name and Sister Chavarri’s name as companions. It was great. :) We both new and we
were both excited as we had enjoyed being companions before. President told us
it probably won’t be for too long though. Got to make the most of it!
Thursday was good.
We went to teach our investigator that got baptized on Saturday. She is so
awesome! She is the Sister-in-law of our ward mission leader. So ready. We just
talked about her receiving the Holy Ghost after her baptism and it went well.
That same day we had a temple shift which was great because I got to see my MTC
companion who is in the Tempe mission. So cool!
Friday was weird. Sister Chavarri had a temple
shift with Sister Greiner and then I was with Sister Hair (we live with them).
So we both went to weekly planning and tried to do it on our own. Doesn’t
really work too well that way. That night we exchanged back and went and had a
lesson with three of our investigators. It was a great lesson! They were a
little sad that Sister Lattin wasn’t there anymore, but I must have done
alright because when we shook hands at the end he said, “Welcome to the team.” :) So that made me happy!
But what was even greater than that was that they picked a baptismal date!!! It’s
pretty far away, but they have a lot of divorces/marriages to figure out first.
But they are going to be baptized and that’s just so exciting! They are part of
the big family that we taught and baptized the majority of.
Saturday was
great. We went to our Relief Society President’s daughter because she requested
that I play the piano. Then we had a great lesson with another investigator and
we are going to pick out a baptismal date with her this week! Then we went to
our church building and got ready for Carmen’s baptism!!! It was so great. Just
beautiful. I only taught her one lesson so I wasn’t super involved, but it was
still special. They always are. We sang at the baptism and Obispo asked us
afterward if we would sing in Sacrament meeting. Short notice, but we pulled it
together :)
Sunday was great
too. Our investigator Ramon passed his baptismal interview and he will be
getting baptized this Saturday. He is handicapped in some way so what he was
taught was a little different, but he knows it and really wants to follow the
Savior’s example by being baptized. He is just the sweetest man. The song in
Sacrament Meeting went well. We sand Joseph Smiths First Prayer to the tune of
Come Thou Fount. It’s a pretty arrangement.
It’s great to be
with Sister Chavarri again. We just get along well and we both want to work
hard. Not that my other companions and I didn’t! It’s just different. You just
click better with certain people. But I love the work. Oh, so much. I loved
what you shared about that family and how the gospel changes people’s lives. It
is so true! It’s why I’m here. I look forward to July and September and so on
of this year when our recent convert families are going to be sealed. That was
something that got to me the first time I went through the Gilbert temple. Just
being in the sealing room I couldn’t help think of them and just be filled with
love and excitement. This is the best!! I hope that all is well
with you and that you have a fantastic week. Have a happy Valentine’s Day!
Con amor,
Herman Baria
