The church changed the missionary dress code a little. Summer time rules for Elders is now year round. Meaning, we dont HAVE to wear a suit all winter (still to church and meetings of course). We are happy about that. Unfortunately, backpacks are now banned starting August 31. Side bags are mandatory. We arent too happy about that one.
Anyway, this week I want to emphasize Moroni 7: 27,37. Our God is a God of miracles. But miracles are based on faith. President Clements always tells us to expect miracles. This is God's work and glory. We are messengers and servants. The Lord will not put us to a task that he wants done and not help us. Anyway, I have spoken of Sarah Schroeder before. She is moving July 27, so we wanted to baptize her the 26th. So we have been meeting with her and she has been progressing quite well. But Elder Berg and I were worried maybe not fast enough. We didnt want her to move and fall through the cracks and be lost, and she said that if she was to get baptized that she would come back here. So we wanted to move forward. Last sunday, Elder Berg and I fasted that we may have the faith to go to where the miracles are (which president tells us to do). So Monday we taught sarah and brought sister schafer along. Sister schafer has been a member for about 3 weeks now. We went through the lesson and it was very well, but sarah still was unsure on baptism. She felt she needed to but wanted to wait. I suddenly had a strong feeling to share a passage in Ether 2 about the Lord telling the Brother of Jared to find a solution to the light problem and come to him with the solution. I was going to relate this to [how] the Lord sometimes wants us to make a decision THEN ask if it is the right one. But the conversation shifted so i didnt share it. I kept thinking I needed to share it. All of a sudden elder berg turned to me and asked me if i had anything to share. He never does this in lessons and he later said he felt he really needed to. so i shared this scripture experience and told her she should make a decision and ask the Lord. what happened next is a testimony to the power of member work and of the spirit. the lesson changed completely. Sister Schafer then took over and opened Sarah completely up, Sarah spilled her hearts concerns, and Sister Schafer bore a powerful testimony that baptism was the start to fixing her problems. It was absolutely incredible. She then said she wanted to be baptized July 26th. Elder Berg and I ran home over joyed !!!! :)
So on Wednesday, we had zone training and President was there doing interviews. We asked him if we could baptize and confirm her on the 26th. He said that was not possible and that converts MUST be confirmed in church. and since she was moving saturday, we could not. He told us to see if she could move her moving date. So thursday we went over and she said she could not move the moving date. Her parents were coming up saturday and moving her out. We watched the talk "Safety for the Soul" by Elder Holland to boost her testimony of Joseph Smith (she was concerned she didnt truly know for herself yet). When we got home we called president and told her she had to move on that date. We asked for permission to do it on the 26th. He said no. Instead, he told us to baptize her on saturday the 20th. As in in less than 48 hours. we were like wUt. But said ok. President waived the church to 3 times rule (in our mission you must attend church 3 times to be baptized. she attended twice, had to miss once for work, but promised to go on the 21st) and said to move forward. So we went over friday morning and told her the baptismal date had been moved up. We prayed with all our might before hand that she would want to. And, she said she wanted to move forward. We then drove over to the church and had the baptismal interview and got her her jumpsuit. We then put together a baptism friday afternoon in about an hour. we have a fantastic ward who was willing to work with us.
Anyway, saturday we arrive at the church at 7:30 am and fill the font, then we went and got sarah, and came back to the church. we took pictures and as we walked to the relief society room, Elder Berg pulled me into the bathroom. He took off his tie, unbuttoned the top of his shirt, and told me he thought he was going to throw up (he had said he had a bad stomach ache earlier). he then turned sheet white, ran to the stall, and lost basically anything and everything in his body. He sounded like he was dying and I was wondering what in the world I should do. It was pretty bad. I was sure everyone in the building could probably hear him dying in the bathroom (luckily someone was playing prelude music on the piano and no one could hear). He then walked out, I gave him some mints, he put his tie on, and he went and baptized her. That's what I call consecration. She said she had never felt so amazing in her life. The next day after church when she was confirmed, she said she had never felt anything so intense and amazing in her life. she moves saturday, but we have set her up with the singles ward info and our bishop is going to call her new bishop and make sure he contacts her.
This baptism went from probably not happening to a reality in a couple of days. Our Father in Heaven is certainly a God of miracles. I have been a part of one of the greatest miracles of my life this week.
Seeing the absolute joy and change in countenance in Sarah after her baptism made me realize more fully what I am out here to do. The worth of souls is great to the Lord. And if we shall bring even one soul unto him, how great shall be our joy, right? This was true joy.
I love all of you and thank you for your prayers. Have a wonderful week :)
Elder Damron
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