Okay, well yesterday was
the best day of my mission!
Behold! Garry Barnes was
baptized!!! The chapel was packed - there was not a free seat. In
attendance were the Evesham Branch, the Barnes extended family, two bishops,
the stake president, the entire branch presidency, the mission president,
and eleven missionaries. Sister Clark and I got to sit on the front bench
with the Barnes family along with Sister Stucki and Sister T. Garry's sister in
law (Wendy's sister) gave the first talk. She started talking about eternal
families. Sister Clark and I had Maddy Barnes, the youngest girl, six years
old, snuggled up between us. I leaned forward to look at the faces of Harrison,
Harley, Bradley, Wendy, and Garry, all sitting one after another. The oldest
boys were still fasting. Wendy had tears in her eyes; Garry in white, in his
baptism clothes. There was another talk, and then a multitude of children stood
up to sing the "Armies of Helaman" and then it was time! Garry got
dunked! At the beginning of my mission our area president came and told us to
wake up early every morning and visualize the person we wanted to baptize. He
shared with us a verse from Ether 12:19 "and there were many whose faith
was so exceedingly strong, even before Christ came, who could not be kept from
within the veil, but truly saw with their eyes the things which they had beheld
with an eye of faith, and they were glad." For months I woke up to visualize
Garry's baptism, and yesterday I truly saw with my eyes the things, which I had
beheld with an eye of faith, and I was GLAD! I even made green jello, which we
gave Garry a huge bowl of and forced him to eat it! Victory! But anyways, the
baptism was beautiful, and while we waited for Garry to get changed Sister
Clark and Sister Stucki and I were asked to give our testimonies and then when
Garry came back some of Wendy's family sang a beautiful song and President
Retallick welcomed him into the branch. "As branch president I now get to
give you assignments and my first one is for you to come up and bear your
testimony." Garry stood up, and was able to explain that there was no
thunderbolt, no flash of lightening. The thing that got him were the
experiences that he had recorded in his journal, of times where he had felt the
spirit, and he could not deny the things he had written with his own hand. He
simply thanked everyone for their examples of living the gospel. That’s all the
gospel really is. It's making our lives good. It's bringing joy and peace and
happiness to our lives by bringing us closer to the Savior and teaching us the
things we should do. Garry was able to make the leap of faith and decide for
himself and it was truly amazing. I cannot explain the joy that filled my
being.
To top off the day, I was
also able to see my very first convert.
It had been one year since her baptism, and she's still active in the
church! Again words can't express that joy I felt when we embraced.
Also! Tell Grandma Maurine
that I played the piano for sacrament meeting in Banbury! Yes! There was no one
else available, and bless them, they actually let me attempt! Scary man. It was
my crowning piano moment.
I also got to hold Brad and
Jessica's new baby boy! Sooo cute! I met him when he was two days old. It's so
cool to be around family. Truly, truly.
Also, Sally Earley, who was
baptized a month ago in Evesham, has been called to serve as 2nd counselor in
the Relief Society presidency! I got to see her yesterday at Garry's baptism
and her countenance was radiating.
God is so good. Everything
is possible.
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