Baptism Day!

Baptism Day!

Well, this week was so awesome!  I'll start off with the big news first.  Yes, we had our baptism this week!!!!  Yesterday, Sister M. and her 2 daughters were baptized!  It was such a cool experience, and so awesome to see it all come together and see them receive this blessing, as they have been our main focus for the last month and a half!  

The baptismal service was awesome!  We had some singing and talks and stuff, then we went down to the baptismal font and did the baptism.  I got to baptize Sister M and one of her daughters, and Elder Wintolo baptized the other!  It was so awesome and so spiritual!  Sister M. was first, and she was all good at first, but as soon as she came up out of the water, she just immediately started crying and saying thank you to everyone.  It was really cool and touching.  And after that, K. started crying before she even started walking down the steps into the font.  Then A. was crying, too.  They were all so happy and the Spirit was so strong, it was amazing!  Elder Wintolo almost couldn't make it through the prayer because he was getting choked up, too!  

Me, Sister M. and daughters, Elder Wintolo,

After the baptism, when we were all in the chapel again, their faces were all just glowing and they were so excited and happy!  It was so cool to see, and such a testimony builder!  They were so prepared by the Lord, and I am so grateful that He trusted us to help them get to this point!  And I am so grateful that I was able to see them get to this point before I transfer!  So ya, yesterday was totally awesome!

And there was another super cool experience I had this week!  There were actually several baptisms in Solo this week, and so while Elder Giolas. was interviewing Sister M. and K. and A., President Donald assigned me to interview his baptismal candidates.  So on Saturday, I had the opportunity to do several baptismal Interviews.  That was a lot more special than I even expected.  I was actually super nervous to do it at first, because I have never conducted an interview like that, or received any training.  So I was pretty nervous.  And we got there and their candidates were kinda nervous about the interview, too.  They thought it was some big scary thing.  But we put them at ease, opened with prayer, explained what the interview would be like, and then I interviewed them each one by one.  It was also a family where the mother and 2 kids were ready to be baptized.  The father is also an investigator, but is far from ready to be baptized, but wants his family to be able to be baptized quickly, and he hopes to follow later.  Well, the interviews were awesome!  The Spirit was super strong there, to help me know what to ask, how to calm their fears, and to feel the Spirit help guide me to find out about their worthiness, readiness, and testimony.  It was awesome.  And one of the coolest parts was to hear their testimonies, shared individually and privately.  So I got to find out exactly how they were feeling and what helped them believe, and it was just super cool to hear and an amazing experience that I am super grateful that I got to have!  So, it has been a really cool and spiritual last few days here!

So, like I said, I am getting transferred.  I will be moving to Manado next Monday morning.  So that is super exciting, because Manado is where everyone always wants to serve!  So I am excited about that! But I am also sad to be leaving Solo, because there are so many people here that I am so close with, and it will be sad to leave them!  But it is probably time to move on, and It will be cool to see other places! Plus Manado is an Island with beaches and cool hikes and stuff, so it will be pretty fun!  And it is kinda funny--I will be moving there with Elder Giolas, so we will be in the same house there, but won't be companions.  But I feel like that is really where the Lord wants me to be serving at this time.  So I know it is inspired!  

The rest of the week was pretty normal--visiting people and helping them come to the gospel.  We found a new investigator this week that has kind of a crazy and cool story.  As we were teaching him the Restoration, we found out that he used to be a gangster robber and has some other history, but has since changed his life and wants to find truth, and seemed to like our message and wants to come to church!  So that is exciting! Hopefully the best for him!

Well, this week, I will still be here on Sunday to see Sister M. and her girls confirmed, and we have been invited to participate in that ordinance as well, so that will be awesome!  Oh, and on Friday, Elder P. (the Bishop's son) gets home, so I will also be able to meet him before I get transferred, so that will be cool!

So today we have just been cleaning the house!  It was still dusty from the volcano.  And then later we are all going to get steaks for lunch for our last district P-Day!  So that will be fun.

Well, I love you all and am so glad to keep hearing from you!  Hope everything is going well!

I love you,

Love, Elder Wood

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