Kendall Michelle: { Elias' Baptism Scare } #41

HI HI!! HOW's EVERYTHING! :)

I have truly been blessed with the time, the energy and health to help in the Lord's work and I have been given special gifts to learn a totally new language and share my thoughts and feelings clearly. I love what I'm doing!! :)

"You will come to know that what appears today to be a sacrifice will prove instead to be the greatest investment that you will ever make" -Gordon B Hinckley

I am starting to get a taste of just that. I have been learning a bit more how to sacrifice my own wants sometimes for the wants and needs of others. "Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven" -name that tune

Seriously sometimes I'm just like "I am SO tired"... but, just gotta sacrifice! Los miembros de la iglesia.... deben estar dispuestos a sacrificar todo por el Señor. Las bendiciones que se obtienen por medio del sacrificio son muchos más grandes que cualquier cosa a la que so renuncie. - GEE de las escrituras

D&C 97:8-9

This week I had exchanges with Hermana Olmos from Cordoba and it was so fun! She leaves to go home this next transfer and I learned a lot from her. One piece of advice she gave me was to just never waste a minute, give it your all and LOVE it all. I really do love it all but I am working on loving it even more in the moment, especially when it gets difficult! But, on the mission you can be who you really are, and it is fun and worth it!

Sacrifice requires a broken heart and a contrite spirit which means we need to be humble, have the spirit of repentance and be willing to obey all of the commandments of God. 3 Nephi 9:19-22

The Batism of Elias!!!

Here's how it went down. We waited for about an hour for the Hermana to bring his little dress thing, then he forgot his towel and a couple other things so they had to go back to the house… we had some fun trying to entertain all of the members that were waiting! haha So Elias was baptized and I have never been so happy at a baptism before. They are all so special but this one was just so dear to my heart. I have grown to love this family so much. I know that they will be even more united as a family now. So after the baptism we made a book for Elias and everyone went around signing it but then suddenly the mom of Elias Hermana Barbez fell to the ground and started seizing. She was having convulsions and everyone ran over to her. It was the scariest moment of my life. Elias was crying in another room and all of the other kids were so scared. We ended the baptism with a prayer and called the ambulance. She has epilepsy so it has happened a few times before but really, so much went wrong this day. We had no idea what to do but comfort all of the little children while the members were with Hermana Barbez. Hermana Henderson painted our hands with the argentine flag and we all tried to calm down. We ended the baptism with a prayer and everyone went his or her own way. She got to the hospital and is fine now but it was such a scary moment! Everyone helped though. In Mosiah 18 it talks about our baptismal covenants. We are willing to cry with one another, help one another and be witnesses of Christ at all times and in all places. The members that were there and a few investigators did their job, and everything went smoothly. We prayed for their family all day and as the kids went home to stay with La Familia Acosta, we ended up seeing them the next day at church and Elias was confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints. :) The family is safe and sound and although it was a bittersweet weekend, I saw so many Christ -like people jump to help and serve.

Every day Hermana Simmons and I write down our daily miracles. Even if it is something super small! "No matter our circumstances, no matter our challenges or trials, there is something in each day to embrace and cherish. There is something each day that can bring gratitude and joy, if only we will see and appreciate it". -Dieter F. Uchtdorf

The good thing is that I have been through exactly everything that she has been through. I remember when I didn't want to hear Spanish anymore... I remember when I just wanted to cry all the time, I remember getting so frustrated…but I am glad that I can help her through some of the experiences that I have had.

Everyone knows our baked good skills in the ward so they are now fighting over giving us lunches. Score! This week we baked cookies for the ward council to show our appreciation. We really are going through a tough time in the ward but we are pulling through!

Micaela and Mario are progressing well for August 9th. Hermana Frazer invited them to lunch this Sunday and it went so well! They are getting more comfortable with all of the members and they are really showing their desire to change and follow Christ.

Jhenny and Daniel are working towards baptism on the 2nd of august. They also went with us to the baptism of Elias and Jhenny was super helpful with Maria Rosa and Daniel has two new little friends in the ward :)

Our district leader thought it would be funny to tell me that I was leaving this transfer.... I bought it...and I was so scared! Then he told me he was kidding after like 5 minutes. So I'll be here in La Plata another transfer! (6 weeks) It is going to hit me hard when I have to leave here. I love it so much.

So the other day we were tracting (going door-to-door) and we're just chillin’ walking down the street and we hear this high-pitched scream and some old lady is running around. So she poured a bucket of water on some rat that was across the street and it literally jumped like 5 feet in the air. We stood there and tried to help her and all these people gathered around too! hahah It was so funny!!! We left when they started throwing bricks at it...

Now that Marcelo is a new member we are re-teaching the lessons to him. He is so smart and basically teaches us the lessons but we had so much fun going over The Restoration again with him with a recently returned sister missionary in our ward named Fatima. Marcelo is doing so great! :)

One thing that I learned this week was the power of goal setting. If we set a goal and really seek and work to achieve it, it can be done! I make sure that the goals are small but reachable so that I can check them off and know that I am accomplishing lots! good planning and goal setting brings lots of happiness :)

So yesterday we traveled 45 minutes to a members house that we had an appointment with. We walked and walked and our feet were hurting SO bad and when we got there SHE WASN'T HOME. It was great.

Jacob has 7 chapters... read them all with me this week and tell me what you think, your favorite parts and how you can apply it to your life!

I hope you all have a great week! Love you sooooooooooooooooo much! :)

2 Nephi 9:39 Spiritually Minded Is Life Eternal ….SMILE!!

-<3 Hermana Barrett