Hermana Zimmerman: Week 16

Hola todos!!! :)

Wow, I really never know what to say...

This week we had a baptism!!! Hermana E has been taking the lessons from the missionaries for the past year. Literally I think to this day in July she had been listening to the missionaries. Her husband is a member of the church, but no one else in her family is. When we have been teaching her she accepts is all, and has a ton of faith, but whenever we asked about if she was ready to baptized she always said 'I don't feel ready, becasue I don't know enough'. So multiple times we explained that we don't need to know everything in order to be baptized. Her life is also a little busy, she is the worker in the family, because her husband is from another country and can't work in Mexico.. so she is the provider, and has a lot of stress. So this past monday we were with her and invited her to be baptized for the following Saturday. We ended up talking with her for over an hour or so, and she finally opened up to us!! We truthfully gained her trust, and after that visit, we planned her baptismal interview for friday, which she passed! And then she was baptized on Saturday the 26th! :) In total there were only 10 of us there.. but it was very spiritual. Because we kind of planned the baptism the night before, it ended up that my companion and I had to give talks at the baptism. So that was a little nerve wracking.. but went well. And she was SO happy to be baptized!!! My companion kept saying how this was the biggest miracle of her mission. :) Then yesterday in church she was confirmed!

This past week in my scripture study I've been reading a lot about the missionaries in Alma.
3 Behold, I answer for you; for our brethren, the Lamanites, were in darkness, yea, even in the darkest abyss, but behold, how many of them are brought to behold the marvelous light of God! And this is the blessing which hath been bestowed upon us, that we have been made instruments in the hands of God to bring about this great work.

4 Behold, thousands of them do rejoice, and have been brought into the fold of God.

5 Behold, the field was ripe, and blessed are ye, for ye did thrust in the sickle, and did reap with your might, yea, all the day long did ye labor; and behold the number of your sheaves! And they shall be gathered into the garners, that they are not wasted.

6 Yea, they shall not be beaten down by the storm at the last day; yea, neither shall they be harrowed up by the whirlwinds; but when the storm cometh they shall be gathered together in their place, that the storm cannot penetrate to them; yea, neither shall they be driven with fierce winds whithersoever the enemy listeth to carry them.

7 But behold, they are in the hands of the Lord of the harvest, and they are his; and he will raise them up at the last day.

I really like the part in verse 6. Because in the mission our job isn't just to baptize, but to CONVERT. How important is it!!! We have a few less active members in our ward, who were baptized within the past couple years. Something my companion always tells me is that she won't baptize anyone that won't be a strong member in the church for the rest of their lives. I don't think a lot of missionaries realize that. How important it is for us to make sure that when we baptize, they will be strong in the church, and be able to be leaders in the church someday. Like in another chapter in Alma, it talks about the converts of Ammon, how after they were converted their brethren the Lamanites sought their lives. But they buried their swords, and thought to sin no more. So, they gave up their lives and wouldn't fight back. How converted at we?? That we would lay down our lives for the gospel?? Just a thought.. :)

27 Now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn back, behold, the Lord comforted us, and said: Go amongst thy brethren, the Lamanites, and bear with patience thine afflictions, and I will give unto you success.

28 And now behold, we have come, and been forth amongst them; and we have been patient in our sufferings, and we have suffered every privation; yea, we have traveled from house to house, relying upon the mercies of the world—not upon the mercies of the world alone but upon the mercies of God.

29 And we have entered into their houses and taught them, and we have taught them in their streets; yea, and we have taught them upon their hills; and we have also entered into their temples and their synagogues and taught them; and we have been cast out, and mocked, and spit upon, and smote upon our cheeks; and we have been stoned, and taken and bound with strong cords, and cast into prison; and through the power and wisdom of God we have been delivered again.

30 And we have suffered all manner of afflictions, and all this, that perhaps we might be the means of saving some soul; and we supposed that our joy would be full if perhaps we could be the means of saving some.

haha sorry, I just really like this chapter. :) But reading their stories were just soo good for me to hear! :) The work of the Lord is everywhere and needs to be everywhere, and spread to all. I honestly haven't had much disrespect or anything like that, but I love the message, the courage, and the strength of these missionaries.
That's about all. :) Some fun things-when we were excercising one more we found a friend... haha a scorpian! How lovely, so my comp killed it, but she said that they always come in pairs of 2.. I'm pretty sure we haven't found it's friend yet, and I hope that we don't find him...
Also, I'm practically Mexican now with my tan.. just kidding. But you should see the tan line from my shoes. Pretty funny :)
Also. ONE MORE WEEK OF TRAINING!!! woohoo! :)
Love you all tons!
Hermana Zimmerman