Hello Errybody!!!!

So you'll never guess what happened this weekend! Well you probably can because I told you what it was last week, but CHRIS GOT BAPTIZED!!!!!! YESS!!!!!!!!! I have never been so happy in my life! It was so amazing and so special! It was a completely booked week, and an even busier weekend! We were stressing Friday night because we didn't know how many people were going to be there and who was setting up and no one was bringing any treats and we were like AHH! Some of the members from the ward and the Elders Quorum were over at Alexis' house at 9 that morning to finally help her move out (FINALLY!), and then we had to book it home to get changed and finish getting cupcakes frosted for the baptism, then we booked it over to the church where our ward mission leader was filling the font, and Chris was already there too with his son. We started setting up the room for the baptism and we were so worried that he would feel bad because it wasn't going to be as nice or well attended as Alexis' was.. but everything worked out great! Quite a few people showed up that had helped Chris and there was such a sweet spirit! When he came up out of the water there was just a minute where he looked up at his 3 year-old son John and just smiled the biggest smile ever! It was so touching! Then we went back and finished the rest of the ceremony, and the spirit was truly present! The next day he was confirmed and it was just as amazing! During the sacrament he was able to renew his covenants for the first time! Yesterday was also the primary program and it was soooo good! Seriously the most spiritual primary program ever! And hilarious because that is just how little kids are. 

Here are the tree stooges! Larry, Mo, and Curly!!! 

 

I don't want to compare Chis' baptism to Alexis' because they are both different people that took different journeys and they were different experiences, but Chirs' baptism was so much more of a relief! I think it is because we had to work so much harder with him and it took him a lot longer to take this step that made it that much more rewarding. Honestly, when he went in for his interview I was scared out of my mind! I don't know why or what I was afraid of, but it was such an amazing feeling when he came out and was ready to go! I love this work so much!

Lets see.... what else has happened this week.... well the area book app on our ipads crashed, so we got to use paper planners for a couple of days! That was super fun actually haha I might just do that from now on. Oh yeah! And guess what else was a miracle at the baptism?! Stephanie came! She is one of our investigators, only we have been really sad because she hasn't really contacted us or let us come and see her in a long time. We have dropped by a couple of times, but she has never been home. Apparently she has been really stressed with some things in her life lately, but we invited her to the baptism and she came!!! It was such a blessing, and the fact that she came and still loves the gospel and talked to us after such a long time tells me that she is prepared and elect. The only problem is that because she is still in high school, her parents wont let her get baptized until she moves out, so that is really hard and we aren't quite sure what to do about that... but the Lord knows!

Anyways, the weather here is off and on cold and warm. Last week it got pretty cold, but then today it is super beautiful again! So I don't even know what to do... Oh yeah! funny story, so last P-day after I wrote you guys, we went over to a chapel to play some sports and stuff, and when we got there all the other missionaries were running out of the building! We were like 'what?' and then we heard the smoke alarm going off and saw smoke billowing out of the building!!! then we were like "WHAT?!" And we asked what had happened and apparently one of the elders thought it would be funny to put an explosive in a pumpkin. So they made it and put it in the oven to bake and it caught the pan on fire and they had to use the fire extinguisher to put it out! Everything was fine, but two huge fire trucks showed up and that's when we decided to cha cha out of there real fast.... Hahahaha it was super hilarious though. Not for the elder though.... As the white handbook says "In all ways be wise and mature in your conduct."

The Holy Ghost is an amazing gift. It really is. I never thought I would have one of these experiences, but last night we had an hour to go contacting, so we prayed before we left, then got in the car and just started driving. Literally the spirit LED us to where we needed to be. We had driven on the road a thousand times, but we parked and started walking to the houses to knock, and then there was a girl walking out of her house named Kellyn! It was awesome! We talked to her and gave her a Book of Mormon, and got her information, and it was awesome! That whole street was just a miracle!! We placed like 5 other copies and had lessons with them! It was an amazing thing. And the coolest thing was that it wasn't as if the Holy Ghost said "you need to go here" or "talk to that person." I wouldn't even say that it was big or strong or noticeable enough to be called a feeling or thought or prompting, but it was! It was the most subtle thing in the world, like a soft nagging picture in my mind of where we needed to be, but when we talked to those people, it was undeniable that we were led there. I love being obedient!! I am so thankful for the gift of the Holy Ghost! If it is a good thought, DO IT! That is what I have learned is a prompting!

Well, I guess I should probably cha cha.... but can I just say that I have never seen so many huge piles of leaves in my life? There are so many trees here in Jersey that shed so many leaves that it is ridiculous!! There are so many that people don't even bother raking them up or bagging them. They just blow them all onto the street into HUGE piles and then street sweepers come and vacuum them up. It blows my mind... just like leaves blow in the wind...

Love you all a boatload!!!!

Sister Baine!