Elder Golle and I are still in the same district so we will see eachother often, and Elder Moreland is super cool. This is his last transfer so he is going home in august! Just like Elder Golle and I, Elder Moreland and I get a long really well and its really helpful that we completely understand eachother and our thoughts when we are planning or teaching!! One cool thing I really like is that we always speak Tagalog to eachother throughout the day except when I dont know how to speak correctly, its super important... OR when we want to tell a funny story and we want to tell it in English! (Its usually the last one) haha but it is really good!! Most of the week was spent helping Elder Moreland get acquainted with the Branch and the area but I will sum up this email in our story of Saturday, hands down one of my favorite days in the mission field.
So background story, we have these two investigators who's uncle is the Branch President, their mom works in the middle east so they live with their grandparents and come to church every week, love the teachings, and are so so smart. Cara and Zed are their names, I think i have mentioned them before.
So their mom, Caroline, has not allowed them to be baptized, she isnt a member but about 10 years ago almost all of her family joined the Church and she was hesitant. We found out last week that Cara and Zed are moving to the middle east with their mom for a couple months and then coming back to their grandparents and that Caroline was coming here for a couple weeks first to visit. We had planned to speak with her and the kids about the baptism and see out her reasoning. We talked to her the first time on Wednesday, she was super nice and said that she would ask her children what they wanted to do and to come back Saturday. So here was the plan: If she says yes, their baptism and confirmation at church would be July 2nd and 3rd, then they move July 5th, and come back next February.
When we got to their house she told us yes, she was okay with them being baptized here, and that she wanted to find the church nearest to their house and the missionaries near their home as well where she lived so that they would have members they can meet and ask questions/ learn which is AWESOME. She is 100% supportive and willing to help the children grow which you need to have before you can be baptized!
One BIG problem: They are moving back to her house on June 28th.. And you have to be confirmed on church when you are baptized.. Which meant that the baptism had to be that day, Saturday! Now the small problems: Its pouring rain (darn rainy season) they need to be interviewed by our zone leaders to make sure they are ready, the Branch President is at a meeting in San Fernando (one hour away) and we have to call our Mission President because they are children so President Balledos needs to give us the okay. But we dont have a phone because of transfers.. Its also 4 pm and the sun sets at about 7.
We got a lot of work to do!! So when the going gets tough the tough get going and we go to work!
We started off using a neighbors phone to call everyone and figure out if this is possible, then we went back to our house to get everything together and wait for the zone leaders. While we were waiting it started raining super hard, it was about 5:50 and they still werent there.
Elder Moreland and I decided to say a prayer in which we asked our Heavenly Father to help us out, because we needed it. Elder Moreland prayed for the rain to stop just for enough time to have the baptismal service in the Sea and for the zone leaders to arrive.
About 10 minutes later the ZL's arrived and we went to Cara and Zeds home. As we took a trike to the home the rain stopped. And when we got to the house the Branch President was there and all of their family as well. Cara and Zed passed the interview phase and we got dressed for the baptism. Their mom was super excited and very happy for them. The baptism was beautiful. At the sea, the sun was going down about to disappear, but the lightning on the horizon illuminated the whole sky, with strikes about every 3 seconds, it was insane. After the baptism, we had their grandfather give a testimony and as he did, he turned to Elder Moreland and I and told us that he had been dreaming of this day since Zed and Cara started living with them. He never though it would happen, and was so grateful with tears in his eyes he said "Salamat, salamat, salamat" (Thank you, thank you, thank you). The whole day was tough, stressful, busy, and I was worried like crazy. But seeing Cara and Zed have huge smiles on their faces and their whole family together for the baptism.. words cant explain how amazing the feeling was.
I know that the gospel of Jesus Christ is here on earth and was restored through Joseph Smith, I know without a single doubt that Our Father in Heaven was watching over us that day and made it possible for Cara and Zed to be baptized. Never have I felt so much the hand of God in my life, giving me the ability to help others come unto Christ than that day. I am so grateful that I have the chance to be a servant of The Lord and Represent Him in His work. I love being a missionary, I love the Philippines. And I love you all. Have a great week! And I cant wait to talk next week!
Crazy Pictures but a crazy week so it fits!!
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Elder Pitt
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