The highlight of this week? Katherine got baptized yesterday! It was amazing. But before I get to that, I'd like to share some other stuff that happened this week.
On Tuesday we had our Zone Conference up in Nazareth, and it was amazing. One of my favorite quotes was from President Anderson, who said, "Don't confuse activity with productivity. Just because you're busy doesn't mean you're being productive." So true! Just because we have busy lives doesn't mean we're getting things accomplished.
Also, we had the opportunity to get iPads on Tuesday as well. (For those of you who don't know, there are a couple missions in the world testing out iPads right now for use in missionary work.) It was pretty hilarious trying to get them all set up and stuff, because it took quite a long time. But it's been a very interesting start to hastening the Lord's work through the technology that He gave us. I must admit that I'm excited about it, but there's also a lot of pressure to be able to use the devices wisely and obediently. I have a testimony that technology will most certainly move the Lord's work forward!
Thursday we got snowed in, so we spent all day putting in information on our iPads (which we only got a small fraction put in, haha). We were going stir crazy, and the only time we got outside was when we went out to shovel out our car, then proceeded to have a snowball fight, then we rolled down a hill in the snow.
We had a couple amazing lessons with Kelly (see last week's email/post if you forgot who she is)! We taught her over the phone twice (because of the snow), and it was amazing to see how ready she is to accept the gospel. We talked a lot about the spirit world, and she was so relieved to hear that there's a place after death where everyone will get the chance to hear the gospel. We were also able to meet with heron Friday, in which we taught her the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She kept asking a bunch of questions, and I kept having the thought to talk about the temple. So I paused and said, "Can I show you something?" and I whipped out a picture of the Washington DC temple that I had downloaded earlier that day. She knew what it was immediately. We then started talking about the purpose of the temple. Kelly said, "you know which one is my favorite? The Logan temple." I was shocked for two reasons-- that she actually knew different temples, and two, because of the two pictures I downloaded, one was the DC temple, the other was the Logan temple. So I showed her that one as well, and we talked about how baptism was only the first step, and that getting to the temple was after that. Her jaw dropped. I couldn't really figure out how to read her reaction, but then she said, "Baptism is only the first?! I'm so excited for more!!!"
Then on Sunday morning we called Kelly and she was talking about how her friend who is Mormon was flying in that week and she was going to see him. She then asked us, "What's the soonest I can get baptized? Like, can I get baptized this week??" We had to explain to her that there were a couple other things we had to go over with her and that she needed to go to church before she could get baptized. She quickly asked, "Well, what more is there?" So in ten minutes we did mini lessons on word of wisdom, tithing, chastity, following the prophet, and more. Never on my mission have I had an investigator want to know all the commandments pretty much from the start! What a miracle!
So, back to Katherine's baptism. It was amazing!!! All week she kept calling us and telling us how excited she was. So on Sunday she showed up and she was so, so happy. When her baptismal program started, she was super thrilled. Her grandson, JM (he's 10), gave a talk on baptism, which was so cute! Then we helped Katherine into the font, and before she went in she was beaming. What's amazing is that her son, Brother Widrig, was able to baptize her. She was so overwhelmed and joyed, and the Spirit was just so strong. I was nearly in tears because of how happy Katherine looked. Then afterwards, Sister Spanogle gave a talk on the Holy Ghost and how it's also known as "the Comforter," and she gave Katherine a homemade quilt! We didn't know Sister Spanogle was planning on giving her a quilt, so Sister Wilson, Sister Wiehl, and I started tearing up because it was so touching. We then performed "Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing," in which I played violin, Sister Wiehl played piano, and Sister Wilson played the flute. I was so nervous!
This week was amazing. Katherine is an amazing person, and it just is a testimony to me that the Lord is preparing all sorts of people to hear the gospel. I didn't expect a woman in her 70's to be so willing to be baptized, but then there was Katherine. How wonderful! I can testify that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the only way to be truly happy. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Love,
Sister Singleton
Katherine and I!
(I love my hair, too! Haha. Sister Wiehl did it. )
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