WE HAD A BATISMO!!!!! Be ready for the pictures. Ok so i know i mentioned last week we would have a baptism... but during the week i was getting super worried if it would actually happen. but it did and i am so happy. This story is a good one so i hope you all enjoy... Ok here it goes!
So you know Aritson. We found him because we had been teaching his mother and his sister is a member. He was tough to get a hold of though because he doensºt have a telephone number and he lives in 2 different houses. and he may be out of town a lot because he has these horses in another area that he goes and works with. So he is a tough one. But let me begin with last monday.
So last monday we meet with him and his mom that night and have a pretty good lesson. He is still super excited to be baptized. Then comes tuesday.... haha So we had this ward Christmas party that we invited him to and then after the party we were going to have a lesson with him. Well he didnºt come to the christmas party.
*Quick note about the christmas party... hahahahaha... ok so we walk in and there is this music playing. Not christmas music at all. haha So if anyone asks if they have christmas music in cabo verde. I think it is limited to the hymns and the regular music we listen to everyday. It was pretty funny. We were there for the spiritual part of the party though thank goodness. We saw the little nativity they did.... well i think it was a nativity. You know how good as it gets. But donºt worry Aunt angie and Trey... there were joseph's shooting guns.
Anyway back to Aritson. So we donºt find him tuesday. then comes wednesday. WE also do not find him. If any lessons fell through we tried looking for him but still couldnºt find him. at this point we were pretty worried. We left a note at his house though and said to meet us at our lesson the next day at three. So then comes Thursday. CHRISTMAS. we had a great breakfast... a great weekly planning.. a great lunch of some oreintal rice you will soon see. haha and then we went to our lesson with him at the chapple that was supposed to be at 3... WEll there was no one at the chapple.
So then we couldnºt decide where to go looking for him. So we decided to pray like good missionaries do. haha. But in all seriousness it was good. We prayed to know what house to go to and find him. Before the prayer i was feeling going to his house that was across the ribera. After the pray i didnºt feel any different. Sister zimbelman said "lets walk" So we started walking. I was just praying we would find. him. And then sister zimbelman said... " is that him" Right as we were about to cross the ribera we saw him coming up the road!!! We were soooo excited. If we had gone to his other house we would have gone the opposite direction and totally missed him. It was definitely inspired we found him.
but the story doesnt stop there. Friday was his interview at 12 with the district leaders. WEll he didnt show up. Luckily the elders live forever away on the other side of the island and didnt have a bus ride until 430 that afternoon. So we were kind of praying our lesson after lunch might fall through so we could find him... (i mean not really praying but you know) it did. so we searched. WE found him just in time for the elder to interview him. He passed :) apparently he completely forgot about the interview...
Well it doesnºt stop there. Baptism. No one was there on time. haha but aritson. So we called around to find keys to the baptismal clothes. We finally find keys. But there are NO clothes. the elders had taken them to their area for a baptism a few weeks before and not returned them... i donºt know how we didnºt have any clothes but we didnt. we finally decide to do the best thing yet... CALL the bishop. hahah
Luckily our bishop is amazing and he has this secret stash of white clothing. So we finally get the clothes like 30 to 40 minutes late but that is ok. And then.... he was baptized and confirmed yesterday on sunday! YESSSSSSS
You canºt really have a normal bapstimal story on the mission. I dont think there is such a thing as a perfect baptism.
But anyway the baptism changed Aritson. Really. He was totally different sunday night when we had a lesson with him. He was soooo willing to learn. I think it surprised him how he felt different. He had a testimony before the baptism but he never showed total excitement. But yesterday he was humbled and willing to listen instead of trying to show us his knowledge he wanted to learn. I think that is thanks to the Holy Ghost. What a gift. The holy ghost is the real teacher. And i am so grateful for that.
I know this church is true! I love you all so much. Something i studied this week in the book of mormon was in 1 nephi 10:17 and 11:1... Nefi had this desire to know the things of his father so he searched diligently. Then in 11:1... he sat and pondered. Then the spirit taught him. I have noticed that i study study study and then pray pray pray... and get up and go or study some more. This is good and all but i havenºt taken the time to ponder. In the introduction to the book of mormon it invites the world to read, PONDER; and ask god in the name of jesus christ if these things are true. Ponder is a big part of it i think. I have seen the change it makes in my studies as i choose to sit and ponder what i am learning. the spirit can really speak to us this way. And i have had the time to really remember my Savior. I love this opportunity and fact that i feel the spirit testify to me everytime i testify of the savior that he is our redeemer and through him we can return to live with god again.
This church is true ya'll... Fica fiche. (stay cool)
Ohhh and christmas... i loved speaking to my family but i have to say one of the members gave us something special... Coca Cola!!!! I donºt know what the rules are on that with us drinking it and stuff but anyway... yeah best present second to family and finding aritson was drinking Coke. I am becoming like dad....
Love
Sister Johnson
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| Baptism |
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Meeting Aritson  |
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