Rollar Coaster

This week was a roller coaster.  It was a week filled with ups and downs but then again that is life.  

So we had zone conference this week which was really good. I got so much out of it.  My thoughts were turned to Charity.  I studied the correlation between charity and edification.  A lot of times I know that charity is correlated with what good things we do.  The Bible Dictionary says though that Charity is "The highest, noblest, strongest, kind of love".  The scriptures also talk about how charity will always lead to edification.  If we have charity we should be constantly looking for ways to uplift and edify, not tear down and demoralize.  Hermana Waters and I this week have been really trying to focus on our speech in respects to that.  We realized that we were making a lot more negative comments than we thought about other people, investigators, missionaries.  It's amazing though the difference in our mindset though as we focus on saying uplifting comments in place of negative ones.  It becomes much easier to feel that love for those around us as we do so because it enables us to focus on the good.

This came in handy as we encountered a couple of setbacks this week, especially with respects to our baptism.  Needless to say, it didn't happen.  One day but that day was not Saturday. It was disheartening, especially because we spent all week getting ready for it and we did not find out until the day before that it would not be happening. I know though that things happen for a reason and that even if this person was not ready for baptism, I know that we were able to help him come closer to Christ and start on that path that will bring him the joy that the gospel brings.

One of the high points of this week is that my investigator, Leslie, from Manteca did get baptized this week. It was a miracle we have all been praying for since July.  What added to that miracle though is that her husband also joined her in getting baptized.  It was amazing to see the change that had happened in both of them.  They were glowing.  After the ordinance Leslie got up and bore her testimony. She couldn't withhold the tears as she testified about the power of prayer.  You could feel the love she had for God and the gratitude that was in her heart for finally being able to take this step and to take it with her spouse.  They have great things ahead for them.

Life is good though.  The gospel is true! So grateful to be able to share it.

Hope you have a great week!

Love,

Hermana Carpenter