With Petr Bandik (First Baptism)
Hello my dearies!
Looks like Satan stole your email to me again. Bummer. I hope you are just forgetful and not in some sort of grave danger. But I did get to catch up on everything regarding Sister DeMordaunt and the work in Taiwan. Serious Clark--that is incredible! ELEVEN investigators at church!! It's unreal and yet so inspiring! I always want to go out and do missionary work more than ever after reading your emails. I can't believe that Em and Brie are both coming home this month! Yesterday I was just trying to figure out when it was that Brie was supposed to come home...but for some reason I kept imagining that it was only last September that Molls and Beks and I drove up to Rupert for the big farewell. When Beks wrote that in her letter I couldn't figure it out in my head. It honestly just barely hit me that last september I was already a missionary. Time goes by SO SO SO fast! I can't even believe it! Sometimes I feel like all I ever do is wake up in the morning. I used to make fun of all my comps for being tired all the time (sorry Sister Wheeler)...it hasn't begun affecting me during the day so much, but I'm starting to feel it when 6:30 comes around. Some days I have to make myself sit up ASAP so that I don't drift off again.
A side note: For the record, I do have to say this in case anyone who happens to know E. Ingalls is reading my blog: he's really a good missionary. We didn't have to break him of anything, his mother raised him well, I suppose. Looks like we'll have to find another project for the transfer. We'll just stick to preaching the good word for now. :)
So Kaja might be getting baptized on Saturday...I really hope so. I know he knows this stuff--a lot of people get nervous just before baptism. But if he just goes through with it he'll see that it's so worth it--that the fears and doubts are just the opposition that comes right before we have the opportunity to really make something of ourselves--spis, really let God make something of us.
Rosta is wonderful. We visited him at his home for the first time this past week. Afterwards, when we thanked him for the food, he said, "No--thank YOU! You brought a light into my life. I'm happy now." It's amazing to see someone recognize that difference in his own life so soon. Sometimes it seems that I can see the difference in investigators before they see it in themselves, but not with him. He's wonderful. He told his parents about his baptism last night--can't wait to find out today how it went! He's worried they might not like it, but he's determined to go through with it anyway.
Saw Petr for the last time today--he'll be in Vacouver by Thursday! I forgot to get his address, but I'll get it from him tonight.
I'm trying to think of other things to report...not a ton other than the normal missionary things. We've met some interesting new people this week--I hope I have something to report on them next week! I love what Beks said in her email about miracles and how they happen every day. Every contact is a miracle--it's a miracle that out of thousands and thousands of people we missionaries happen to be in the right spot to talk to the right person. Not every miracle here becomes a baptism, which I did not expect before being a missionary. Lots of times God works miracles in our lives and then we choose not to take advantage of the leg-up. But I love that God still works those miracles anyways... He loves us so much that He will offer us happiness, even if He knows we're too silly to accept it. And he won't just offer it once, He'll offer it over and over again. I don't know how many times I've felt that during a contact that didn't end up with another appointment--that my conversation with that person, however repugnant they may have been, was a part of God's plan to prepare them to accept that message later on, from another missionary. A missionary here that I really look up to used to always say, "The next time he/she talks with the missionaries, they'll set up an appointment for sure", never even questioning the odds of that really happening. It's so true those--OF COURSE God will provide them with more opportunities to hear the truth, whether it's in this life or the next. THAT'S how much He loves us. At the same time, it also puts a lot of responsibility on me--to help prepare them/help the prepared by following the spirit promptly. It's challenging sometimes, but oh so worth it. I love love LOVE being able tell people during a contact that it wasn't on accident that we were both here at this time and that we are talking--that God planned it because He loves you and He wants to have a real relationship with you. Because it's true.
Ahhh--the gospel's true! Tell everyone!
I love you all.
Zdravim,
Sestra Dean
P.S. Gayann, I loved the little note! I'm so grateful for your prayers--they mean everything to me. I think that analogy was original. That is, no one told it to me, but I doubt I'm the only one to ever think of it. It just fits too perfectly, right?
Beks: Bacon. Runny=me, every other week here. Doesn't that song say something about ovaries in it? Gotta love Molls! And holy--how do you stay so well-informed about everyone over there?!
Emily Sorenson: YOU'RE HOME!! AHHH! I can't even believe it! It was just yesterday that we were visiting you and getting advice from you in temple square! And then I was reading about you getting lice in Texas! AHH! I love you, I want to hear all your awkward post-mission stories. :)
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