Off to Forest Grove

On Saturday morning just as we were about to leave the apartment, I received a call from the APs asking me to take up the assignment of training a second greenie. I gladly accepted and then they proceeded to inform me of further information of where I would be moving to so that I didn't take my luggage all the way to transfers and back. I am now assigned to just one ward and moved into a new apartment after transfers yesterday in Forest Grove 1st, while Elder Wohlleben is assigned with his new companion (Elder Hatch who came to the field the same time I did) in Council Creek Ward. We made the necessary preparations with the wards on Sunday and anxiously awaited to see who our new companions would be.

Brother Burke had noticed that my waist no longer filled my pants and I was constantly tugging them up so he brought me a pair of suspenders as a going away (from his ward) gift and then he took us to transfer meeting. Love him! With permission of the vehicle coordinator I drove the brand new Toyota to transfer meeting with Elder W and Brother Burke.

After the training President gave us as trainers, our new missionaries, all 27 of them (9 Sisters, 18 Elders -- at least five of them 18 year olds), came filing in. We were then assigned to our new missionaries and sent into the transfer meeting. I am training Elder Hunter Thomas Rees (18 year old, turns 19 in June) from Orem, UT. He has three younger siblings like me - two sisters and a brother. I'm so excited to be working with him!

We have an awesome apartment decked out with all the good stuff - pictures to come soon. We got to meet the Bishop and a few members last night and will get our heads screwed on straight and unpacked today for preparation day. Loads more to say, not enough time to say it. Love you all! Hope you have a great week.

A very special end to a difficult week

The ultimate climax of our week was Saturday. From the beginning of the day, all of our appointments cancelled in one fell swoop. But we still had hope for the baptism we had scheduled with the 14 year old young man we were teaching. Satan was working just as hard as we were this week apparently because the 14 year old started getting sick on Friday and cancelled our lesson that evening. We offered a blessing to him but he said he'd just get some rest. Then Saturday morning came and his mom texted us letting us know he would now like a blessing.

Us: "We can do it just before the baptism if you'd like?"

Mom: "I think the sooner the better."

Us: "We'll be there in 30 minutes."

We came and explained blessings to him and then administered to him, the father picking me specifically to be voice (still a humbling experience every time). I felt the words flow through me as though I were simply a conduit -- they were not my own words. We departed after saying a closing prayer and left to meet another man who cancelled on us. Ha ha. When the time came for the baptism, everything fell into place though.

There was so many people in attendance that we didn't all fit in the font room, so we moved to the chapel and I was amazed to see that we almost filled half the chapel! I was humbled to be able to give one of the talks preceding the actual ordinance and had fun teaching to a kids level. I gave an object lesson regarding baptism, and then the baptism was performed by his father. The Spirit was strong and our other investigator, the 14 year old's uncle, said he felt it too and that he most surely would be the next person to be baptized in the coming weeks.

During the intermission while the young man got changed, Elder Wohlleben and I showed a clip of Jesus Christ being baptized (http://youtu.be/9_dr9njVzKM) and then we bore testimony that the same power and authority was restored after a period of apostasy, and that's why we are able to baptize today. Several nonmembers were in attendance and I know they felt the Spirit. I hope that they chose to receive it.