8/12/13

"but you have not been baptized! " - nacho.

im sorry about all the nacho references. sometimes thats all ya got. BUT ill tell you this much:  ISAAC got baptized!!! it was so good!  (here is a picture of sister Pankretz and I with Isaac.)  Saturday was awesome. we got up early and got ready because we had to be there 2 1/2 hours early to fill the font and so we were there studying and stuff at 7:30.  and then we set up.  a lot more people than i had expected came for it. there was a lot of support fromt he older crowd in this ward. but we also had our other investigator come Keith. so that was good. and he was very well fellowshipped and we didnt even get the chance to talk with him till after the whole thing. so that was exciting.  Isaac doesnt show much emotion but after he came out of the water he was so happy. it was awesome.

then on sunday he came to church and as he was walking down the hall towards the chapel. he had a spring in his step and his countenace was SO different. It was amazing!!! he was glowing!! :) it was awesome. and he was so happy. just a comeplete difference. hes a cool guy. now we just have to work on helping his mom understand the priesthood authority and she will get baptized too! :) 

monday we just had a really relaxing day. but it turned out to be some what of a bummer day because our GOLDEN investigator Gael, called us and told us she was moving. so she moved to Utah on Saturday, to live with her friend Whitney. she did it to get out of the smoking enviornment she was living in and she was facing a lot of persecution and trial living with her friend. we are proud of her and her decision to take her self out of that but sad to loose her to Utah.  oh well. she said she will come back. we dont know when she will be baptized yet but it will be sooner than october :) 

on tuesday we had zone meeting and it was so good! President Fenn is such a good teacher. i just love his lectures and he is just KNOWS HIS SCRIPTURES its amazing.   He talked a lot about faith and about the importance of having good thoughts and focused thoughts. it was really good.  dont know what else to say about that.  haha  

ok on Saturday Sister Pankretz and I went on spits. so we met up with the Hermanas from our area and one sister and one hermana went out together. I dont know WHY they put Hermana Lane and i together because we have pretty much been out the same amount. so here we were two newbies just walking the streets of Aurora IL, and low and behold we ran into a preacher. NOT just any preacher, the preacher from Keiths chruch. (our investigator Keith) . anyways. he had a lot of questions and pushed us and it was a good learning experience. there are a lot of things i can really improve on. but it was good. i was definetly out of my comfort zone. he almost wanted to bible bash with us, but i asked him a couple of questions that made him think. and so he didnt get as contentious. but at the very end he said "i hope you two ladies find the truth someday!" haha we get that a lot. and then he prayed for us. but in his prayer it was very respectful and he just prayed for our safety and thanked the Lord for our Zeal and used the phrase "lord" or "father" or "father, we pray" almost every other word. It was intense. almost made it hard to pick out what his point was or what he was praying for. 3 Nephi 17 .. something like that. avoid vain repetition.   anyways. now i know why.  

but I also learned from this just how important knowing the bible is.  a LOT of people here really know the bible and study it. there are people at both ends of the spectrum they either really know the bible and read and study often or have no idea. its interesting.  Hilary, i keep thinking about how you were interested in seeing how much i would have to use or be confronted about the bible. its a lot. probably 60% of the doors we knock on they bring up something. but the 4 or 5 thai people, or people who tell us they are buddist have NO idea who Jesus Christ is. Its really weird.  one guy was like"  Oh!! is that the guy on TV that they are always telling me about. hes like the one with the beard and the dirty feet." haha his description of him was funny to me. it was sad that that was all he knew about Christ, but hopefully he will come to know of the truth in this life. 

So it was a really good week. I enjoyed it a lot. and I am just loving this ward more and more. they are just so awesome and I love getting to know all the different characters.  It is very similar to home ward. its kinda weird, but in ward council yesterday I felt like i was at home because our bishop is young like bishop Evanson, and the High Priest Group leader here reminds me of Dad. so its fun to see the similarities. anyways. 

Just remember the church is true, and satan will do all he can to make you question your testimony. just build yourselves on a firm foundation in Christ and all will be well. 

love you all!!!

Sister O'Neil