Week 40!

Hey family!

This week we had a baptism! It was really great, I can definitely feel the love of Heavenly Father for these people and for us missionaries as we are able to witness their baptism! It is interesting how things worked out with preparing the font. In this area we have a font that is outside, in like a cement box about 9 feet by 9 feet and is required to be squeaky clean for baptism. Well, when we uncovered the font we found that ducks have been swimming in it for the past few weeks so lets just say that it was a bit messing and took us a while to clean until it was suitable. There was a lot of feathers and duck poop and the water was a gross green color. The smell was awful and I wish that you could have seen my companion's face, it was so funny! Our last baptism here also had a lot of preparation with the font. We had no water! The water faucet was broken. We didn't know what to do but the neighbors were very nice and let us use their water pump at almost a impossibly slow pace.  We had help of some of the young men in our branch and we worked in an assembly line to use the neighbors water pump and buckets to carry the water into the font. It took us 2 1/2 hours to fill the font!. Both of these experiences were memorable and made things a lot more interesting!
All of this reminds me of the work and spiritual preparation that us as missionaries take to help those we teach prepare for their baptism and the enduring conversion we must have. As missionaries we do all we can to help people clean the "duck poop and feathers" teaching them how to use the atonement and clean and scrub and rinse out the bad habits and affects of sin. We teach them how to repent and stay clean and then filling up the clear clean water of their testimony, bucket by bucket. Helping them learn to always retain a remission of their sins. It is definitely our choice if we will keep the water in the font clean or invite the ducks to come swimming again. But I know that as we live the gospel we will continue to feel clean and be worthy to receive the blessing of the temple and eternal life.

Anyway, It is wonderful to be a missionary! Even when things are hard, even when things do not go as planned. I know that Christ is always there, no exceptions. He loves us and will help us. He teaches us and blesses us according to our faith, desires and obedience.

I know that God is very aware of each of us and our needs!

I love you all so much love your emails and support! 

You are in my prayers,

mahal kita,

ELDER MURDOCK