June 2

Dear Mom,

 

This week has been pretty stellar!!  We have a new investigating family, Matt and Jamie!  There are pretty young, and really humble and sweet.  They live out in Celina and have three really little boys.  Matt worked in Ogden selling magazines for a few weeks, and really liked all the members of the church he met out there.  That is why he let us come back.  They want to come to church and everything!  So that is going pretty well.

 

We just saw Dale  today (he fixed another pair of my shoes for me), and we will be seeing their family tomorrow.  His wife, Julie, makes and decorates cakes for parties, so we may be helping her with that sometime soon. 

 

So big news for the F's... Robin got new chickens.  She caved and got the Americanos for the Easter eggs.  Okay...  That is not the big news, though it is pretty sweet.  Heather was baptized by her dad on May 31!!!!!!!!!  How cool is that?!!?  The baptism went off without a hitch.  Dane has been practicing the baptism with Heather for weeks now, and everyone felt the spirit.  Sister O'Banion sang When I am Baptized and I gave the talk on the Holy Ghost.  You know, I always knew that the F's would be a big part in changing this branch.  I also knew that Dane would be the one to baptize Heather.  I just didn't think it would happen in the short time I would be here.  That family really has made such a major impact on not just my mission, but my life.  I love them so much! 

 

I feel like every week we continue to have miracles, that we get to see this branch change day by day.  I feel so fortunate to have been sent here.  Yesterday, Sister Jenson made a comment on how many people we had a church (about 75, I sat in the front so I couldn't be exactly accurate this time).  She said, "The numbers show the success we are having, but even more these members are growing closer to Christ.  You can see it in their participation in class, eagerness to help, and overall attitude."  Everyday I feel like I am fulfilling my purpose more and more.  The way you feel serving as a full-time missionary brings such joy that I don't feel like I can express adequately to anyone who has never had the opportunity. 

 

I love you all and pray for you every day individually.  Thank you for everything!

 

Love,

 

Sister Bakker