We are really reaping the harvest right now.
We had a baptism this week! Aracely was baptized with much excitement from everyone! We had a good turnout at the baptism too and a whole bunch of Relief Society members came to support her. She is completing a family and it was a pleasure to help her in this process. But the baptisms we had this week weren’t all so perfect or easy to carry out.
You know how it is when we are about to have a big accomplishment in the Kingdom of God, Satan fights with everything so that it doesn’t happen. The water ran out in the baptisms Saturday and Elders from my district couldn’t fill the font. We had to revert to filling trashcans from an outside sprinkler. But even that didn’t work well. They ended up baptizing a guy, not kneeling but sitting. He was in about a foot of water and had to literally lay down to be completely submerged. That is what I call not giving up!
The president visited us for interviews this week and it was a super spiritual experience. I felt the spirit strongly witness that I was okay and that the Lord was happy with my progress. He talked about how God really does love us and how He not only weeps for our sins but for our future suffering.
We had so many lessons this week that the spirit was so strong. I am trying to use the Book of Mormon more in my teaching. It is such a powerful tool! I know with all of my heart that it is true! With one family we bore solemn testimony and they were listening so intently that we were all edified. At one point in the lesson the lights went out in the house and we used it as an example of how the darkness of the apostasy is clearly in contrast with the bright light of the restoration. I know that Joseph Smith is a true prophet of God and that through him we received the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ on the earth. Thomas S. Monson leads today with the due authority and powers to give us the keys to enter in the kingdom of Heaven.
Reading my brothers mission announcement gives me such joy. I feel such a love for fellow missionaries that they become brothers to me. To have one of my blood brothers serving in the same work, in the same language, will bring me such strength. May he go forth with the message in his heart and preach to every creature the truthfulness of the work. I know it is true.
Called to serve Him, Heavenly King of Glory! What a blessing! What a calling! What a responsibility! There is nothing greater, more noble, and more satisfying than this work!
Elder Grant Russell
Baptism of Aracely
