Garry's Baptism and other Miracles - using the word Shattered

5 September, 2011

Dear mom, papa, family, and friends,
GARRY GOT BAPTIZED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

CAN YOU BELIEVE IT!? GARRY ACTUALLY GOT BAPTIZED! It was the most wonderful day yesterday. So many people were there. And it was just wonderful. It’s perfect; this was exactly how it should have gone. Nobody pressured him to come to this point. The Sisters haven't taught him for months now. And so he's done this all on his own, and their family looked SO happy. I couldn't help but cry as I sat on the row. I sat with his family and Sister Pope, we are family. And Maddie was between me and Sister Pope, and just hugging us. Those kids are so happy! And 12 year old Bradley has been waiting to get the priesthood from his dad. And he'll be able to baptize Maddie! It is wonderful. I so badly want to come back for their sealing in a year. Probably not possible, but I can dream, right? Oh it would be amazing! But the baptism was spectacular. President Ogden was there, and not everybody could even fit in the baptismal room to witness the event. But don't worry, we were in the front, kneeling with the children, to make sure he got all the way under! It was wonderful. And Garry looked so happy! President Retallick asked me and Sister Pope to bear our testimonies, because we are his missionaries. Nobody was so attached as us. I could hardly hold back the tears when giving my testimony. It’s amazing to see this wonderful family finally able to progress together! Hip hip Garry!!!! 

It’s hard to even think of anything else actually. I am so distracted by Garry’s baptism yesterday. But we have had so many miracles this week. I’ll try to remember them all. It’s a good thing that Sister Baker and I write our miracles down on a miracles page that we put at the beginning of every week in our planner. So we don't forget the miracles that really happened. 

Many many miracles. 

I may be able to get a harp to play for Charlotte and Mat's wedding. That would be awesome. We’ll see. But it will be good regardless. 

I have played the piano in church in the last two weeks for sacrament meeting. I love playing in church. But as a missionary, I feel like I’m' missing out because I am not able to sit with our investigators. So I will be happy when the usual pianists return. 

Bureh and Hawatu! They are so amazing. They love us coming, and they are such good students! They do their homework. They read and pray and do all that we ask. It’s incredible how humble they are! We love them. Last week we taught them word of wisdom, and Hawatu told us that she drinks tea all the time, and that because of it she sleeps terribly. Only a few hours a night. I don’t' know how anybody lives on that little sleep! Especially with a baby! Well, we gave her the invitation to stop drinking tea, and that we'd bring her tea that she can drink. Well, at our lesson this week, we asked her how it's been going, and she told us that she just drank tea once. And Bureh saw her, and asked why she was drinking tea. She had just forgotten, and from that day she promised to never drink tea again. And she says that she's sleeping better now. Fantastic! They are amazing. They are coming to the multi stake conference on Sunday, and it will be wonderful. He’s changed his work schedule so he'll never have to work Sundays again. Beautiful. 

And then Sumit is amazing! He comes to church regularly now. And we have had some really amazing lessons with him. Mom, you mentioned what a blessing it is that there is someone who speaks Punjab in our ward. But this ward has multiple people from India. And from everywhere else. I’ve never been in such a diverse ward. It’s wonderful! And it's great to bring people of other nationalities to, because they see that no matter where we all are from, we are all family. So Sumit loves church. And even though he gets home late from work Saturday night, he's at church! And he loves it. He raised his hand in priesthood to volunteer helping clean the building for when elder Bednar comes. He’s a right member! But another miracle happened with him this week. He told us yesterday that he was skyping his parents this week, and they asked him what he was doing on Sunday. Usually (before he met us) he'd work in the morning, and then play football (soccer) in the afternoon. But this time his answer was different. He now goes to church! And he told them that hesitantly, not knowing if they would be happy about it. But they were thrilled! They asked all about it. He told them about how we met him at subway and invited him to church, and he came. And he liked it, so he'll come again. And that we are really nice. And they were so happy they told him that if we (Sister Baker and I) ever go to India, we are welcome to stay with them! So nice! We really want to find out how to send the missionaries to them. Because they seem prepared. And his only holdback for getting baptized is because he'd rather die than offend his parents. Apparently in Indian culture, mother comes before God to them. But this is now making the way!  We are thrilled. 

And remember that DA that we did the role-play with the McMorns? And how Cellie came to church? Well she came again. I sat with her in RS, and she loved it. She told me that everything we were learning was how she was raised. And she's so excited to come every week so that she can learn how to be a better mother. Cellie is a professional pianist. But because she has a daughter, and she's single now, she has to find a more stable way of taking care of her family. So she is going to school right now to do something with computers. And she's just so happy to learn all that the church has to offer. Naomi McMorn gave her a hymn book to play the hymns to her daughter Felicia. And she loves it. And we have an appointment to see her this week! OH! And when I was talking to her, while we were checking on her daughter in nursery, she was talking about how in years to come, she's so excited for Felicia to go to primary and learn, and how just happy they are! What a wonderful miracle! And I am sure that Naomi and Joe McMorn are thrilled!! Member missionary work is the BEST. Really. Ideal. 

While we were finding the other day, we met a guy named Chucs from Africa, who was a Jehovah’s Witness. But he was interested in learning about other religions, and he took a Book of Mormon! Miracle! I have met so many JWs and they NEVER take the Book of Mormon. I hope he reads it! He’s cool! 

I don't know if I told you about Azad and Janet. Oh I am sure I did.  Since her priesthood blessing, she's been doing so much better. She lets us in every time now. Awesome. Well, her son, Azad, has been trying to get into detox for the past two years for his drug addiction, and is having a really hard time. And last week, he got a letter saying that he has been admitted in, and that in two weeks, he gets to go into detox! And Janet told us that he reads the Book of Mormon every day, and that when he gets out and stable, he wants to get baptized! We haven't even properly taught him. He just read the Book of Mormon, and knows the effect we've had on his mom! Amazing. We are so thrilled for him! 

Mahdi went to a YSA convention in Manchester last weekend, which is awesome. So he is doing really well. He helped prepare the sacrament yesterday. And he talks to everyone at church. Best fellowshipper EVER. Fantastic! 

We had a district/zone meeting in Coventry this week. And Sister Baker drove. And we ended driving 99.6 miles that day. We were shattered. 

Basically, this week has been fantastic. Exhausting. But fantastic! 

Mom, while I was playing piano at church on Sunday, I looked out at the congregation, and saw Sister Tufts, and she reminded me of you, and it made me homesick. I miss you, and CAN'T WAIT to see you! When you come, we want to figure out a time that Garry and his family can join us in something. Maybe London. Or the temple? Oooh baptisms!!! I don't know. But they want to see us and Sister Pope and her mom. And Garry said we'll see them. So hopefully we can figure it out. If you have any good ideas, you can email them. And if we know any specific days we are somewhere, we can let them know. What do you think? 

I can't believe it's already the second week of September. The time moves so fast, and is swiftly coming to a close. 

Has anyone gotten married or had babies that I should know about? 

Marielle has moved to southern California with McKay, her husband. I’ll be sad to go back to Utah without her there! 

Umm. Anyway, I think that's about it. Transfers are next week CRAZY! So I will be emailing next Wednesday. I’m glad I’ll be staying, if it all works out right. But I’d like Sister Baker to stay as well. It’ll make six months with her. It’s just stressful to get new companions. So I’d like to just keep her. But whatever the Lord wills. 

I’ll be praying for Grandma Clark, and I hope all goes well with her. I’m glad you've been bringing them flowers and bread so much. That’s amazing! I’ve written them a few times.

Love you LOADS! HUPDARO!