It started at 6:20 when our light turned on with an automatic timer.
Which is a glorious suggestion from adjusting to missionary life,
after we determined that alarms stress us out. At 6:30, we do have an
alarm that goes off, for obedience purposes...
We were, well at least I was completely exhausted, and it was raining
so we "stretched" for exercise and I did 100 jumping jacks while
Hermana Martinez was in the shower.
Then I had chocolate chip oatmeal for breakfast
(oatmeal+banana+chocolate chips). It is delicious.
Then the chocolate chip oatmeal was too much. I began to feel sick. So
Sister Martinez made me lay down as she gave me a lecture about
moderation. I told her about how I know I've had too much, and she
said that sometimes the Lord gives us the same trials multiple times
to teach us something, and then watches in amusement as we try to
figure it out. Once I was feeling better we then left and tried to
invite people to Fanny's baptism at 6:30 that night! . We invited a
less active and some investigators to the
baptism, came home to eat lunch, and then we were at the church at
3:30! Three hours early! To make sure that we do NOT overflow the
font, like someone else we know did.... Multiple times.
Well we get there, go to the font, and are disgusted by what we find.
Who knows the last time his thing was cleaned?! There were hairs, and
dust, and dead bugs! Fanny could not have been baptized in that. No
way. We had to clean it.
So we did. It was a lot of work, but cleanliness is close to
godliness, and people deserve to be baptized in clean fonts. We've
determined that we are probably the only ones who would clean it.
Then we started filling it. 105 degrees, so that it's still warm for
fanny when she gets baptized! We set up the chairs and the TV so we can
show bible videos after the baptism (we chose "the great
commandment"). Then the font was ready so we turned it off, so it
wouldn't overflow, closed it up, and layed on the floor in awe until
people showed up. At 6:30. One of the elders went to check the font
and came back "Did you know your font is half full?!" Um what?! I'm
pretty sure this is the opposite of he problem I was expecting. We
then go back and fill it more than we originally did, and let's just
say the stress was settling in. We began freaking out. Fanny wasn't
there yet, the programs were all out of order, and yea. We thought the
world would end. But as fanny arrived, everything worked out! The
whole thing was beautiful. I played " Be Still my Soul" which isn't a
Spanish hymn, but the Lord was chastising me the whole week for not
sharing my talent. It went well. Then she was baptized and she was so
sweet. She told us, "I'm feeling so many beautiful feelings!" Then
when we went back, and she asked to bear her testimony. It was
beautiful. Also, our less active, came! He asked us to let us know
when there are activities and other baptisms so he could come!
After we cleaned up the whole church and ended the day at chick fil a.
It was marvelous.
I love being a missionary so much. This next transfer I am staying
here and sister Martinez is leaving, which I'm really sad about. We
have become such good friends. I love her so much. She is just one
transfer older than me, so we've been through a lot together. I
remember our first Sunday when there was a couple visiting and they
asked us how old we were: "4 months!" "3 months!" Oh! Babies!
Some other exciting news though is that sister Hanks is coming to my
district! So that is suuuuuuuper exciting. I can't believe it.
This week was good. We had two back to back exchanges. I had an
exchange with Sister Abram, who is unfortunately leaving the zone as
well, and sister Aguilar who was a visa waiter, who got her visa, so
she went to Mexico today.
I am so grateful to be a part of this amazing work. I know that this
is the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, that this is His church. It is
so beautiful and marvelous.
I love you all so much!
Love,
Hermana Wallis
