Hey, I'm in Indiana: an UBER eventful week!

Hello World!

This has been an UBER eventful week!

First of all, J GOT BAPTIZED! He's the Pentecostal preacher that Sister Howard and I found last August. And last I'd head he was messing around with drugs. Wednesday afternoon we got a call from the sisters in Bloomington telling us he was getting baptized on Saturday and wanted us to come! The story is that they had prayed to know when to see him, and went on Easter. When they got there, he said he'd been waiting for them. He told them he just needed to do it. He knew it was what God wanted him to do, and he just needed to get it done. I think he had to get special permission, but it's done now. And what courage he had. He told his family, and they were not happy. And outside of church people, they're everything he has. So it was really a great experience to go be there, and to see him again.

Next is D. She was a lady we met about a month ago, who had been given a Nauvoo Pageant CD but really wanted "A Mormon Bible," which we gave her. She was unable to meet again because her husband is very much against religion. Her brother contacted the mission office to tell us to go over that day (Friday) because she'd been reading the Book of Mormon and had a lot questions--turns out she was also stayed home from work because she was sick, so he knew we'd catch her. We invited her to be baptized. She agreed, and we set a date for May 24. When she came to Stake Conference, she let us know it'd have to be postponed a week because then her brother could come baptize her. What a miracle she is. She is so prepared, and she's sane too! So that's really cool.

Then there is J. Her son and mother-in-law were baptized last year, but she backed done because of the Word of Wisdom. We met her the week before last because we were trying to help her mother-in-law get back to church, and we started teaching her too. Last night we invited her to be baptized, and she agreed. So she is preparing to quit smoking and aiming to get baptized in June.

In other news, we had exchanges with a sweet set of sisters. And it was exhausting. The previous exchange had been invigorating because the sisters were just so teachable, so faithful, and so happy. These Sisters were a second transfer trainee and her trainer. I had the trainee, and we wandered through a neighborhood to talk to people. We found a wonderful lady named S and told her about the Book of Mormon. She said she would definitely read it and pray about it. Then it was the trainee's turn to talk to people. She didn't know how. She didn't realize that this was something that missionaries did. Aaaand suddenly we understood why they've only found 2 new investigators in the past 11 weeks :/ It's just hard because it's not her fault at all. Her trainer (who I love dearly) just enjoys struggling. She has all the tools she needs to be a good missionary, but loves to let her situation control her. She only has two transfers left on her mission, and I hope she can figure things out before then.

And that's partly why Mission Leadership Council was awesome. President spoke a lot about faith and sharing miracles: "Remebering may be the highest form of devotion" If we remember how Heavenly Father has blessed us, it can get us through times of personal spiritual drought. And sharing those miracles helps bring/restore faith to others. He also gave us a ladder diagram, where the bottom were those with little faith who let their situations mandate their happiness and success. And at the top were those who exercised their faith despite their circumstances and made success. It made me really think about my faith, and where I was on the scale. I hope when the other sister sees it, it will open her eyes as well.

This transfer has been like the greatest adventure. And I even have some pictures to send home! (You're welcome mom ;)

Me and Sister Howard with Jonathan post baptism