Seriously,
sometimes when I look back over my journal of what has happened over the
past few days I just stare in disbelief. It's truly amazing and crazy
all at the same time. I honestly don't know how missionaries do it - but
we do!
Let's see...where to start...MARKUS WAS BAPTISED ON
SATURDAY!!!!!!!
YEAH!!! Sister Deskins and I were able to go and attend
that. I participated in the service by giving the missionary moment with
Sister Snyder. The Spirit was so strong, and Markus just had the
biggest smile on his face the entire time. Partly because he was happy,
and partly because he was really, really nervous! haha Once again, the
most special part of the whole service was when he bore his testimony
after the baptism. He talked about how he knows that this is God's true
church, restored to the earth and how the Book of Mormon is true - and
how he knows all of this because he has prayed, asked God, and received
his answer. Wow. I may have gotten a little teary there for a second but
I quickly wiped it away and smiled a huge happy smile :) it was an
awesome evening. Which was followed by and ADVENTURE to be sure.
So, because I am new to the area, I don't really
know which highways to take to get back home. I know whether I'm going
north or south, but when it comes to the eastbound or westbound freeways
I have no idea - I never had to deal with them down in my last areas.
So, as we were coming home from Markus' baptism at about 8pm, we
approached I-10 and I asked whether we took 10 west or 10
east. She said west, towards Santa Monica. Well......that was incorrect.
We drove through this tunnel and things started looking unfamiliar and
the next thing you know, we're driving right down ocean avenue next to
the Santa Monica Pier! Ah! We knew we went the wrong way so we started
to look for ways to turn around and go back the way we came. WELL
wouldn't you know, all of the traffic lights very distinctly told us we
couldn't make a u-turn, so I decided to just turn left down a street
then turn around and come back out before we got too far away. It wasn't a street I turned down, but the entrance to a VERY
exclusive private club. With security and valets, like the kind
you see in movies/people magazine. So, we just smiled and pulled up to
the giant security/bouncer guy and asked him for directions. He was very
nice and told us how to get back home, and we made it safe and sound in
the end. Hahaha seriously I wish I had a better sense of
direction....I'm learning but sometimes it just gets me in trouble!
Another wonderful thing is that I was able to go to
another baptism on Saturday for a man that I taught way back in North
Torrance named Dan. Dan, had a very frustrating case. He had a testimony, but he just needed
to do something about it! We had, sad to say, given
up hope and moved on. AND YET here he was being baptized yesterday! And let me tell you - he
looked like a changed man and just looked as happy as a lark. It was a very
special baptism for me, and for Sister Johansen who was also there (we
taught him together) Another wonderful thing about this baptism was that
the person who baptized him is a man named Allan. He is very close to
our hearts. He's an older man and is a has learning challenges. While I served in North Torrance we worked with him to read the Book
of Mormon daily and to feel comfortable and confident enough to bless the
sacrament. Just before I left North Torrance, he blessed the
sacrament! He was able to finish reading the Book of Mormon
for the 1st time just after I left, and actually understood a lot of it! Yesterday
he baptized Dan! WOW!! The Gospel is wonderful and truly blesses lives.
I'm really starting to love my new area. We're pretty
close to the visitor's center and the people in the ward are loving and
giving. Once you get to know them they
start to open up to you and trust you. I also really
love the people we are currently teaching. Derrick, our baptism from
last week got confirmed on Sunday, and he was so ready to administer the Sacrament! Oh, my heart just broke when I saw the look on his face as
they said he had to wait until next week. He would have to be
ordained to the Aaronic Priesthood and that could not happen until after the Sacrament this week. He's so excited for the Gospel it's
amazing!!
Well, time is short but I love you all!! Hope to hear from you soon!!
Sister Hensley
No comments:
Post a Comment