Service with a Smile

Hey,

We had A’s baptism this Saturday.  The service went great, she loved it, and everyone was smiling all night long.  We had to move the talks out of the room with the font and into the chapel because over 60 people showed up to support her. F and M both had their respective interviews and passed with flying colors.  They'll be baptized this coming Saturday.  We've been working with their mother and her boyfriend to try and get them married and now the ball’s in their court and we're waiting for the results. 

So an interesting thing happened last Monday.  We have been working on a combined service project with the Winter Quarters singles ward to paint a house in North O.  We went over Monday to do the priming.  We were working and then I look over to see that Whitney showed up.  We went back later this last week and did the painting and I don’t believe that we'll be going back.  We also did some service with a member family in the middle of the week.  Their yard was overgrown and out of control so we trimmed the hedges and cut back morning glory that had grown unrestrained to choke one of their trees. 

One night we were coming home from the day and Elder Moore felt that we should drop by and see one of our investigators.  When she opened the door to us she let out a sigh of relief and said she was glad see us.  Earlier that day her boyfriend had been arrested and was expected to serve a 5 year sentence.  She had been trying to help him break his drug addiction but to no avail.  She also discovered that she is now pregnant with another one of his children, while she is in the process of fighting for possession of her other young ones.  We helped her get some boxes to help her move that night, and in the morning we went by to give her a blessing. 

We have an awesome new family (M her boyfriend U and their 18 month old son J) that we're teaching; we received them as a referral from a couple of the sister missionaries.  M had already felt the spirit and wants to be baptized.  One night she had been having a horrible day and prayed for help.  Before she finished her prayer the sisters knocked on her door and said that they felt that they needed to come over.  She took it as an answer to her prayers.  We were given them as a referral because U opens up better to men.  We taught them and to our knowledge they've been reading the Book of Mormon together.  They also came to all three hours of church yesterday.  We're going over tonight to dual teach with the sisters. 

We're planning on going to the Lauritzen Gardens today, both of us are stoked for it.  Not much else.  Pictures will be coming soon.

Love you all,

E' Harker