Super Bowl of Baptisms!!

Sister Sims and I getting ready for Brayden's Baptism!

The Calaways with The Hutchens Family, who introduced them to the Gospel but moved to Utah. 

They flew in to baptize them!

Justin Hutchens, Elder Urban, Dave, Cannon, Cierra, Caylie, Kim, Sister LeStarge, Sister Sims 

WE BAPTIZED 6 PEOPLE THIS WEEK!!!!

    Sister Sims and I had an incredible week filled with baptisms. We baptized our 10 year old investigator Wednesday night and our family on Saturday night! The first baptism was more something we set up for because they family made the program. We were so excited though when his Grandfather baptized him! He will be confirmed this comming Sunday because he was out of town for the Sunday following his baptism. We can't wait for him! 

   Saturday night was probably one of the best days of my life! We got to baptize a family! We were a little more invoved with this one because we made the program! It went like this:

Song

Prayer

Musical Number

Talk on Baptisms 

Baptisms

"Half time show"

Musical number

Talk on Holy Ghost

Musical number

Welcoming

Song 

Prayer

  Now I'm not trying to brag or anything but it was called "The Super Bowl of Baptisms". It deserves that title! Did you see we had three musical numbers?! The talks were incredible too!! Although they had a fantastic turn out of over 100 people the greatest part was when they went in the water. They went in order of Father, Mother, Daughter, Daughter, Son. I think everyone in the room was tearing up, even me! When one of their daughters came up out of the water she asked "What is this feeling?" ITS THE SPIRIT! That's when I lost it! This is how the Gospel is suppose to be! Families getting baptized! Making covenants together! Changing their lives together! Its beautiful! This family has changed my life and the spirit has changed theirs, I am so blessed to have been a part of their baptism. They were also confirmed one after another on Sunday. What an extraordinary time to witness each one receive the Holy Ghost and be blessed. But wait! It didn't stop there! After Sacrement the Mother and Father asked my companion and I "Where are the tithing slips?" I almost started balling again! What an amazing obedient family! The Lord prepared them! I got to hear the Father bear his testimony on tithing that he gained from watching his Grandfather pay tithing for years. He fell in love with the way the church distributes its tithing and knows its a commandment of the Lord. I also got to hear him bear testimony of prophets he said "I know Mr. Monson is a prophet" Mr. Monson! I love that! He went on to explain how he loves that we have prophets in the Latter Days, that the Lord loves us enough to send us a guide. I wish you could all grasp the idea of  how incredible this family is!

   While at their Baptism the bishop warned them not to fall away from the church because of imperfect member's who may offend them. Someone corrected the family on their clothing (which for some members of the family was the best they had). That night the wife went out and bought a dress for herself to wear to church the next day! Took everything I had not to chew out that member for her correction. People learn in time what our standards of dress are, you just need to give them a little time. I love this families desire to be obedient though! On Sunday the Mother realized she forgot to buy a slip for her dress! So with her desire to keep the Sabbath day holy she sent her Son who wasn't baptized to the store! Haha! That's what I call a loop hole...We can't wait to have this family progress toward the temple together! In two weeks we hope for them to get in and do some baptisms for the dead. We heard that if a family makes it to the temple 2 weeks after baptism its a 100% retention rate! We will get them to the temple in the next two weeks! Especially if their already paying tithing! I love being a missionary and I love having the mere privileged of serving the Lord in his vineyard!

Love,

Sister LeStarge