This week was amazing! So let's get started. This Saturday that passed we had planned a baptism of Elmano, a golden investigator that we found last week. But the baptism didn't happen as we has planned..... We baptized him AND his wife. His wife Lidia came to church with him and she really felt something, felt peace there at the church among the members and decided to be baptized with him. YES! Before she didn't want to but after going to church and receiving her personal testimony she really wanted to.
Wednesday we had a zone conference meeting with the president and his wife and one thing they mentioned was making the baptismal meetings more spiritual and memorable. So that gave us a little bit of pressure because we knew that they would come to the baptism, because they are in our ward. So we decided to get really organized. We called the leaders and made a program, got videos to show, a musical number the whole shebang! It was pretty awesome.
I was asked to baptize Elmano and Lidia´s nephew baptized her. Unfortunately I had to do the ordinance twice cause he stuck his foot out of the water.... But jokingly afterwards he said the he had so many sins that he had to be dipped twice, haha, it was Great.
After the ordinance we gave an opportunity to Elmano and Lidia to bear their testimony.... It was so spiritual their testimonies. I haven't felt the spirit that strong in quite a long time.
Many of the members commented to us afterwards that it was the most spiritual baptism they have ever been too. And Sunday during testimony meeting many of the members bore testimony of what they felt. I too felt impressed to go up and bear my testimony but before I got to the front bench where Lidia and Elmano were sitting Lidia got up to bear her testimony. I gladly let her go first. She bore an amazing testimony. She testified about the church, and how we believe in a living Christ, she said that she felt the presence of a living Christ among us, in the church, in the classes. It was so strong her testimony that I didn't want to follow it.... haha, I was thinking, alright bishop we can end the meeting now, haha, but I went, and talked about the Holy Ghost and how it really can touch us. I talked about a few instances in my youth that I remember when the spirit touched me, and how clear I remember it. I talked about how I felt at the baptism and how I will never forget how I felt. They really touched me. The spirit is real and it testifies to us when we are worthy and listening. I'm so thankful for the Holy Ghost and how it has blessed my life and the lives of so many others.
I love being a missionary. I love this gospel. I love my Savior.
ELDER RALPH
