Sunday, March 6, 2016

Baptisms X 3

            This weekend we had the opportunity to attend three baptisms, which we love to do.  The first was in Buin, 45 minutes north of us on Saturday morning; the second was here in Rancagua on Saturday evening at a chapel 5 minutes from our house and the third was in Curicó right after church about 1 hour and 10 minutes to the south.  In the first, three of our hermanas sang beautifully “I am a Child of God”, in the second, two elders and a member did a musical number and today in Curicó the primary children sang.  All three were great and really added to the spirit of the baptism.  President gave a talk on baptism today since the assigned person couldn’t be there.
            The reason we are here in Chile is to invite people to come to Christ.  It is always amazing to see the happiness in their eyes as they come up out of the water.  We love to feel that spirit of joy each time we attend.  Many missionaries who are called to South American expect that they will easily baptize every weekend, but that isn’t the case, at least not in our mission.  Because it doesn’t happen that way, sometimes they are discouraged about hard it is to find, teach and baptize.   We remind them that if they are obedient and diligent, they will be blessed even if they don’t see the effects of their efforts while they are in that area or even during their mission.

            Serving a mission is challenging and definitely requires hard work and often leaving their comfort zone.  However, the knowledge that they have, through the Spirit, helped an investigator through the conversion process and to the waters of baptism plus the happiness they feel “vale la pena” as we often say, which means it's totally worth the effort.  We all feel joy when a new member has joined the fellowship of Christ, and we are grateful each time we are able to attend a baptism. 
                  Here are this week's pictures:  a baptism from last week, two of our great couples at the temple this week, and the rest are from the last day of interviews.  I promise, no more apartment pictures!

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