Well this week was quite a bit different than I had expected. We had been planning for the baptism of our investigator all week long, but in the end it didnt happen. The day of his baptism, my companion and I both felt like we should see our investigator. We began walking to his house and on the way saw him in the street with a freind. He has his earring back in, and his friend was smoking. My heart sank and I immeditely felt something telling me that he could not be baptized that day. We continued to his house and began talking with his mom. After our discussion I had a lot of doubts about him lying to us and the district leader regarding smoking. We waited in the chapel with our Zone leader who was going to give him a final interview. He confessed that the night before his friends conviced him to smoke (just one more before he was baptized) and he did. So our leader told him he needed to wait at least 2 more weeks to be baptized and he left the church angry. It was really emabarrasing ot have to face all the people in the ward who had come to support and tell them we wouldnt be having a baptism. I have never experienced anything like that before! My companion was pretty upset and it took quite awhile to help her calm down.
The same day we went to visit our investigator and he explained to us that he needs more time to prepare, but still believes that this is the true church and will continue coming on Sundays. We explained the power of the atonement and the hope of repentance. He promised us that this truly is the change he wants to make in his life and is going to continue preparing to be baptized in a couple of weeks.
I have been learned a lot lately about the extreme importance of baptism lately. It is the first covenant we make with God in order to return to his prescene one day. It is the way we allow ourselves to repent each week from our sins and continue Enduring to the end. But we cannnot make such a sacred covenant without first excersising our faith in Christ and his atonement and making the nesessary changes in our life in order to be worthy. The baptismal covenant is 1. Enter into the flock of God 2. Be witnesses of God at all times and in all places 3. Serve God and keep his commandemtns and in return we are promised 1. To be forgiven of our sins 2. Have his spirit upon us more abunduntly 3. Allowed to rise up in the first resurrection 5. Given life eternal.
We continue to work dilligently to help people make this sacred covent with God and if our other investigator is prepared she should be baptized this coming Satuirday. I love my area and all of the members in my ward. I feel so privelaged to be serving here and my testimony continues to strengthen and grow every single day.
Thank you for all of your love, support, and prayers.
Have a wonderful week!
Con amor,
Hermana Parkin