Hello! Baptism!

Hello Family and Friends!

 

Its official! The You family is baptized and confirmed members of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. What a miracle. I had the privilege of baptizing Sister You, President Cai (District President equivalent of a stake President) baptize Bro. You and my companion baptized the sister's investigator Sister huang(She probably thinks Elder Seneca is super cute is my guess, because she asked right after the interview) so in total 3 people were baptized this weekend. What a tender mercy from the Lord. I have never seen a family, mother and father, get baptized before on my mission. I have usually seen a single person (married, but usually unmarried) get baptized, but never a family. The feeling is quite different. Its still a soul joining Christ's fold, but knowing how that family can grow in the gospel and that they were in it together, made it much more powerful. The Ward came and supported them. When the ward saw a FAMILY get baptized it fired them up to do missionary work and do more to help build up our small yet humble little branches here. The District President spoke after and mentioned how touch he was to see this family and how it reminded him of when he was baptized with his wife when their first child was small.

This week my companion found another little family this weekend right before he headed home! It really was a miracle. We prayed, went forth, saw a little alleyway, felt like a good place to go down, so we did, hit the first door, which didn't look to promising with some of the buddhist things inside (They had a photo of monk in their family who had passed away, couple of paintings of buddha, the whole gig) and out comes a Vietnamese woman and her 11 year old boy. Turns out she is christian, joined the church when she was back in vietnam and her chinese is actually pretty good, actually really good. Usually Vietnamese people do not speak really any chinese or very poor chinese, and when it comes to church things they don't understand anything, but she got it! She has a desire to go to church but doesn't know where to go. What a marvelous little miracle. We will still have to put a lot of work in, but it is amazing the littlest things can bring great things. Listening to the spirit can take so many different ways. For us, going down the alleyway because it looked good to us was what we needed.

 

This week was also full off other powerful instances. This week felt good as we remembered that we are witnesses of Jesus Christ and we can add our powerful testimony and witness of Him and The Book of Mormon brought happiness and peace. As I share the Gospel with these people my love for the people grows and its making it hard to leave here but everything will work out. That's trusting in the Lord is about. So in that I'll see you before you know it. 

Lots of Love,

Elder Townsend

 

PS food wise I love bajiao. I am not sure what it is in english. Its like a short chunky banana, but better. If they have them in America I will be so happy.