"Serving From The South": Baptisms, Tattoos & General Conference

Well, we had an awesome week, seriously!

So we have 4 people now on date for baptism, and we hit the mission goals "standards of excellence" every week we report our goals to our leaders. If our numbers reach a certain goal the mission has set, we hit standards of excellence and we hit it with flying colors this week!

So "B", is doing freaking awesome. We teach him 3 times a week. This week when we were teaching The Book of Mormon, he's like "Sisters, I know this. Let me tell you about this cool story I read. This guy Nephi was commanded to go back and get these records of his family, and then he had to kill this guy Laban, which seems bad but it was okay because First the spirit told him, and 2nd its better that one man day than a whole nation perish" then he proceeds to bear his testimony to us of the Book of Mormon... can you say GOLDEN? It's so crazy because looking at him, you would NOT expect that. We were able to watch conference with him and his wife, and then went to a mission fireside with them on Sunday that his wife was speaking at because she is a recent convert.

Then "B" referred us to his mom and his kids, because he wants ALL his family to have the gospel, so we went and saw his mom. We taught her a few lessons and now she is on date for baptism as well. Then "B" called his step dad and was like "So. Mom's on gettin' baptized, I'm getting baptized, when are you gettin' baptized?" So we might start teaching him soon as well.

Our other investigator on date is "A", we just did the stop-smoking program with her last week, and she called us this morning and said she has stuck to the program and is smoke free!!

Then "V", our final investigator on date - we had a great and very spiritual lesson with her. She prayed about baptism and then received her answer right there and cried. We told her to get a journal and write down everything she is feeling and her answer to prayer, so that when satan comes and tries and tells her this isn't real, she can read back and KNOW that this really did happen to her. Then we were able to watch conference with her on Sunday as well.

So our investigators are doing just awesome, so many miracles are happening in this area, and as for me, conference was great. So like I said last week, I was going to pray for specific questions before conference and then try and find specific answers for me during conference...sure enough, IT HAPPENED. Friday night I prayed especially that, #1 someone would specifically address the proper steps to gaining a testimony, specifically of the Savior. Then #2 how to overcome fear, doubt and Satan getting you down... then Saturday, BOTH questions were answered. President Uchtdorf answered as he said that it doesn't matter how big or small your testimony is, there isn't a sign on the church door that says "your testimony must be this tall" and that testimonies aren't a one and done deal, they are a constant effort to work on. He said your Heavenly Father knows where you are and he knows it might be a dark place now, but I promise that day will come and it will be glorious. And then he lists 3 specific steps to gaining and keeping a testimony. So prayer #1 answered! Then the afternoon session, Jorg Klebingat starts his talk addressing doubts and satan and recognizing and addressing those. Then he gives 6 steps to overcome those! IT was a miracle. Both questions answered in the same day.

Ive been running 1-1.5 miles every other day and doing strength training in between and it's been feeling so so good, releasing all those happy endorphins into my system. And... its still sunny! I'm glad the rain hasn't come yet.

This is the last week of the transfer - transfers are next Tuesday the 14th, and I'm so sad. It's gone by way too quick I really just love this area so much and will be so sad if I have to go. MY heart physically starts to hurt, thinking about leaving the wonderful people I have met here. I LOVE these people, I finally know what everyone was talking about when they said you'll shed more tears leaving your mission than you shed leaving home. I never got that, because I love and miss my family SOOOO much, but this love...it's different. It's God's love, seeing these people as sons and daughters of Heavenly Father that I love and want to help. So, needless to say, I don't want to be transferred!

Love you all!

Sister Carina Wawro

PICTURES:

Last week's fun with sisters!

Celebrating Sister Perkinsons birthday!

This is Sister Winward.. she reminds me SO much of my BYU-I roommate, Taylor!

This is our district! The last district picture before the transfer ends.

Decorated district meeting for Sister Perkinson's birthday!

We had some technical difficulties at first so we had to watch conference on the phone while they got it set up on laptop... this is so cool how far technology has come... where we can watch from our phones! Awesome.