Chad's First Baptism!

Hola Padres!!!!                            31 January 2011

        Well it’s that time again; these weeks just seem to go by faster and faster. We had another really really good week. Everyday this week seemed to be just jam packed with stuff, but isn't that how it is supposed to be on a mission? We have been super busy and still continue to set records every week.

We were so busy this week, we even needed to split. So Elder Hernandez went with a Returned Missionary and taught some lessons.  I went with a 16 year old priest that didn’t speak any Spanish. It was a pretty interesting night. Having to split in this area is pretty impressive, because the area used to teach just a few lessons a week and didn’t ever have enough people or need to split. But this week we taught a total of 28 lessons. Put another record on the board! I know that records aren’t what my mission is about, but it is just nice to be able to look back and to know that I am becoming better and better every single week. Well one reason why our days were so busy and full was because Hernandez had to do a bunch of baptismal interviews. Our district had 12 baptisms planned for last week and we got 10 total! So it was a really really good week in the towns of Hurricane and La Verkin. Well out of those 10 baptisms, 2 of those were ours!!!! Yes, we had two baptisms. Surprise!! It was so weird, because Hernandez and I didn’t know if it was going to happen for sure, so we didn’t tell anyone. The baptisms we had were Mino and Tony. (the same boys that we have the picture with playing the game.)  They had the date set up for a while, but just didn’t know if it was something they really wanted to do, but they chose to do it. The coolest part was that they chose us, Elder Hernandez and I, to be the ones who baptized them. Hence the picture of us all dressed in white! It was a really cool experience, because most of the time being in Utah, there are family friends or relatives that are usually the ones to do the baptizing. So I was pretty stoked about that opportunity to baptize someone. It was the first time I had been in a baptismal font since I was baptized. Weird huh? Well I seriously think that Elder Hernandez and I were put here specifically for these kids, to help them and be here to baptize them. It is such a crazy experience to be a part of this. I still am kind of blown away by everything right now. But it was the cherry on top of the transfer. It has been truly a transfer of miracles. Elder Hernandez and I both have titled this transfer our "Miracle Transfer". We have seen some of the most random blessings and things happen here.

Well with the talk of transfer, it’s that time again, to start another transfer. So that means transfer calls, and new companions, and new areas.  I get to stick around the wonderful town of Hurricane. It is pretty weird because I thought I was getting transferred out of here to go to St. George or something, but that isn’t happening. The sad part is that Elder Hernandez is getting transferred to St. George to open up an area there, so we are no longer companions.  L  My new companion is Elder Lora. He is from the Dominican Republic. That makes him my second straight native speaking companion. The cool thing is that Elder Hernandez actually trained Elder Lora, so that makes us brothers in the mission. (Elder Hernandez adopted me as his other son, because my trainer isn’t the greatest missionary.) So the weird thing is that Elder Lora is technically an English Speaking missionary since that’s where he was called.  We never thought that this was even a possibility, but it happened!  I am pretty excited to be with another native companion, and hopefully we will have another transfer full of miracles.

So, a lot of changes happened back at home in our ward?  So the Snake River Ward? It is a fitting name. Do you still meet in the Burbank Building? It will be a different experience coming home to a different ward, new people, and a Bishop that I have never met. Well I am glad that President Montierth has good comments about me. I would hope that there wasn’t anything less then good things being said about me back home. (We met up with President Ross Montierth at a church meeting and he greeted us warmly and was pleased to know Chad was doing well on his mission.  He said he wouldn’t expect to hear anything less!)

Mom and Pops, glad that you still get out to some social events and got to watch some basketball. (We attended the Burbank vs. Riverview, Coyotes won!!) Dad is always a talker, so I would expect him to talk to Trave. (Trave is Coach DJ Traver, Chad’s BB coach.) It’s good to know that he reads my blog! Shout out to Trave right here!

Well this has been another crazy week and I really enjoyed the pictures of Bry and Chay. They were pretty funny. (We sent pictures of Bryson in pony tails and Chay getting her hair French braided and crying as she needed to sit still.)  Well to explain the pictures I sent: the first one is my last District. The next one is Elder Hernandez and I. The third one should be our photo of Mino and Tony's Baptism. And the last one is Elder Hernandez and I again.

Well I hope you have a good week and that you will be blessed! Remember when you can’t stand up any longer; sometimes you just have to kneel!     My little thought for the week!

Live it, Love it, Preach it!    Te amo! Tu hijo amado!  Elder D