Baptism!

June 16, 2014

Life is good in Rawlins! This week was great. We are able to get new investigators every week. Helping them to progress in the hard part though:) 

Katelynn was baptized this week!!! It was such a neat day for her and her family. And for us:) Her mom is a member but the rest of her family is not. But, even though her step-dad and brother are not religious at all, they came to her baptism and stayed for the whole time. There was such a neat spirit there and I know that they both felt the spirit. In the Lord's timing I know the rest of the family will be able to learn. Katelynn is such a special girl and really is striving to do what is right. This is only the beginning though for her. There is so much more for her now. But with the Holy Ghost she will be better able to move forward making the right choices. 

Another neat experience this week was teaching A, the lady we tracted into who was my HS secretary. She had us come over  this week and we taught her the first lesson. Hearing her story it is so neat to see how the Lord has been preparing her to come to this point her whole life. There have been so many good influences in her life over the years. Many friends who were members of the church. I see that all the time with people we meet and talk to and realize even more how important our examples are to those people around us every day! Always remember, even though you may not feel like anyone is watching or learning from your example of living a Christ-like life, people remember you and the spirit that you carry. It is so important!

Bummer situation of the week, the A family contacted us again this week and said that she had talked to her husband and that he didn't feel ready to switch churches. She sounded pretty crushed. She wants this so badly for her family! Keep praying for them. In the Lord's timing all will work out. Her cousin might still be interested though. We will continue forward. 

Funny story. So we were at a member's house and one of the little girls had a bowl of ice cream and wanted to show me a neat trick. She was trying to do the thing where she tips the ice cream upside down really fast so it stays in the bowl, but she did it too slowly and so all her ice cream fell on the ground! I couldn't stop laughing for a couple minutes. It was so funny. It reminded me of something one of my sisters would do. 

This week I have felt more like myself than I have in a long time. I think it takes me a transfer to get adjusted and start being myself. I really am loving Rawlins and the wonderful people here. Sitting in church yesterday, I just looked around and felt so much love for these people. Wow. Everyone has their own struggles and testimonies in this gospel. I never realized how much the members need the missionaries too and how much I can learn from the members as well. One thing that Sister Z and I do during the day is talk about things that we have learned on our missions so far and what we are learning now. It has really helped me to see how much good this mission is doing not just for others, but for me! I always heard how good it would be for me, but I didn't realize how much I would really learn. About myself, about others, about how the Lord has set us Him church and this gospel, about the importance of the little things,the importance of visiting and home teaching, just how perfectly this church is set up. The people running the church are not perfect but the church and the gospel are true. I'm not saying I don't have my days when I have doubts come to my head and questions. But those are normal. They are there to help our testimonies grow stronger as we act upon those questions and pray to know the answer and gain a stronger testimony.

Oh! I forgot to tell you all that I spoke in Sacrament meeting last Sunday. I spoke on the talk by President Holland that is in the Ensign this month. "The Call to Be Christlike." I was able to share some personal experiences with the ward about how to stand up for what you believe and not to check your religion at the door. It is hard but so worth it! Check out Elder Holland's talk:  https://www.lds.org/ensign/2014/06/the-call-to-be-christlike?lang=eng

Let me know what you think:) I'd love to hear some insights!!!

 Two fun things that Sister Z and I have been doing to help our companion unity. We are reading Preach My Gospel together in one transfer and also making video blogs every night at the end of the day. They are super fun!  Well, I better get going. But know that they are so many other miracles that I don't talk about that happen daily. I am well taken care of and there are wonderful people all around me. I am learning lots and feeling lots and becoming better every day. I love you all!!!! Keep smiling! 

Love,

Sister Karissa Young 

Katelynn's Baptism