Monday, January 30, 2017

Lake Charles- Baptisms

Hello everyone! I know in my last emails I've said I've been having
some crazy weeks, but this week has been crazy y'all! It started out
with a great exchange with Elder Malm, who is an awesome missionary.
While on our exchange we taught  a man who has been
wanting to change his life around. He used to live the thug life until
he left the slammer and took to life on the streets, then he got to
know Brother Floor, a really good member in the Sulphur ward, who
meets in our same building, and he and his wife took him under their
wings. During the lesson, which was on the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and
focused a lot on repentance, he cried a lot, and he usually cries
during our lessons, the spirit tends to do that to people, and at the
end of the lesson he expressed to Elder Malm and I how weird that is!
He told us, "I used to never cry! I cried when I got shot here
(pointing to his gut) and here (pointing to his shoulder) and when I
got stabbed here (pointing to his hand) and here (pointing to his
arm),  but sittin at home chillin with a couple a grown men? Na, I'd
never do that! Not until now, until I found y'all!" So yeah, that was
really cool to hear 😊

We also got to baptize this week! Which is also what made it crazy,
trying to set everything up just right for them, anyone who has served
a mission, you know what I'm talking about. The week of the baptism is
the week Satan really throws all he's got at them! It was crazy.  A lot of things were going on to try and stop the baptisms.
 Meanwhile... On Friday, Elder Dominguez and his companion are trying to get here for the baptism.
 I'll skip,ahead to Friday night, when the baptisms
took place. We got all the preparations ready for it, Rodarius,
William and Joyce were all able to make it, Alexis's salvation would
have to wait for another week. It's six thirty, and the service starts
at seven. The baptismal candidates have changed into their whites, we
got pictures with them, it's all great, 6:45, now rodarius and William
are in the gym with the friends they brought, playing basketball in
their white jumpsuits, still no Dominguez. Seven roles around, we ask
our ward mission leader to stall for time for Dominguez, so we start
at 7:05, opening hymn, I believe in Christ, perfect song for stalling
because it's really long. There's a nice talk on baptism, then we head
for the font at 7:25, still no Dom. Alright, this part is really cool,
Joyce went first, and I had the wonderful privilege of Baptizing her,
she loved it, when she came back up out of the water she exclaimed,
"oooh, that feels so good!" That's what it's all about people. Now
it's Williams turn, he and elder Crim step down into the font, I stay
off to the side at the top of the stairs to watch, and as Elder Crim
is finishing baptizing William, who steps through the bathroom door to
the font? None other than Elder Dominguez himself! He was already
dressed in his whites, he changed in the members car on the way over.
As Elder Crim was coming up he stairs, we all gave each other big
hugs, Elder dominguez stepped down into the font and baptized
Rodarius, and it was all wonderful. No one was expecting him to be
there, so it was a big surprise for all the ward members to see him
back, and we all had a great time.

So yeah, that happened.

To cap it all off, Saturday night Felicia texted us that she would
have to take William, who is eight, to the hospital Sunday because
he'd gotten tissue paper stuck in his ears, but not before she took
them to church to get the Holy Ghost! So they came the next day, along
with Joyce, and they all got confirmed and were sustained as the
newest members of the church and the ward, and elder Crim and I
collapsed in Exhausted  joy, feeling victorious over the forces of
evil.

Also, we had a missionary broadcast this week, I guess there's a lot
of stuff happening with the schedule, I'll tell y'all about it next
week.

This weeks ponderize scripture is 2Nephi 2:28, read it, live it love
it y'all. I sure do love y'all! But I love the Lord more, I'm going to
serve Him with all I've got for as long as he wants me to! Keep up the
good work wherever you are, and remember to have fun too!
Love,
Elder Murdock
 True to the Faith


Baptisms-Happy Day!

Contacting
Eating cake after District meeting

Joyce's Baptism


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