Week 47: A NOVEL WORTH READING

i know i throw a pretty bangin party but wow. sis van amen and i put on a pretty FANTASTIC baptism this weekend. we prepped all week to make sure this baptism was the best one the Springfield 2nd Ward ever had. we got to the church at 10 am to fill up the font for the baptism at 2pm. what a process wow. we boiled some water to make sure the water was nice and toasty for the best humans ever, NoraAudrey and Dayshawn. They show up and we asked NoraAudrey if she was excited and she said "yes i've waited my whole life for this" ALL 9 YEARS and WE get to be the ones to help her accomplish her dream. i love this girl. so usually we have the baptism talks and whatnot in the relief society room and we were like no, lets have it in the chapel, we can get enough people to come. so we sent up our cute table with pictures of Jesus and on we go. our ward mission leader gets there and is a little wary of us wanting to do it in the chapel (no faith in us rude.... jk) and we say too bad. and then 80 PEOPLE CAME. 80!!!!! it was the the best thing ever. the ward was amazing!! it was just so freakin successful me and sister van amen couldnt believe our eyes. Dayshawns siblings all came and there were so many non-members there it was amazing! we are going to start teaching Dayshawn's sister this week. she told us she was studying with jehovahs witnesses and she was like "i didnt like that stuff, but i like this" THE SPIRIT IS THE CONVERTER GUYS. AND THE SPIRIT WAS STRONG AT THIS BAPTISM. one of my favorite moments was when NoraAudrey went under the water the Spirit just touched me and my eyes filled with tears, i looked over at sis V and her eyes were teary as well and we just smiled at each other like "mission accomplished" type of way. it was just so amazing. we have put our entire beings into their conversion and Heavenly Father helped us out so much along the way, there were ups and downs but we always just said a prayer and trusted in Him that it would all work out and when she went under it was like Heavenly Father confirming to me that, this is His work. He and Christ are in control and we were luckily enough to be the instruments in Dayshawn and NoraAudrey's conversion. i am so humbled. we had to fill the font extra full for Dayshawn because he's 6'2. so NoraAudrey basically just did a little squat since it was up to her neck lol. but Dayshawn got DUNKED. he came up spitting up water and it was just so him hahaha. he said "yall know i dont swim." he changed into his new white shirt and tie and the whole fam just looked 10/10.  it was bitter sweet because our lessons are over but really its just the beginning! Dayshawn and Kelli are heading to the temple ASAP. i LOVE this family. they will forever be in my heart. the legacy of them will never end. i just cant express the amount of joy i felt this weekend as they were confirmed members of the church and received the holy ghost. We had a baptism hangover and were wiped out on sunday, but it was ALL worth it. its crazy to me because when i first got transferred here i hated the place, i absolutely just wanted out. and i tried hard to love it but i just struggled. but Heavenly Father humbled me again and again. He first called me to train in an area i wanted to leave and then he gave me an amazing companion and amazing people to teach and i knew i was where He needed me. we were the missionaries that Dayshawn and NoraAudrey needed and that is why Heavenly Father brought me here. sometimes i just forget to trust in his plan and the bigger picture but im grateful for the experience of serving in chatham. my hard heart has been softened. Heavenly Father has a plan for every individual on this earth and they are specific plans because he knows us and what is best for us. TRUST IN HIM. sorry this was a fat novel but it was a super special day and i wanted to share as much as i could. if you read this ill give you a big hug in 7 months. thanks for coming on this fun journey with me! now i must go find more people to baptize because our teaching pool is shallower than the kiddie pool. all my love plus some of Heavenly Father's, sis folk

pics: 1. font cleaners call toll-free444 and we can clean your font! 2. NoraAudrey<3<3 3. Zone conf w/ sis shaff 4. Boilin' water 5. The whole fam :,) 6-7. Sis wall Sis Van Amen at zone conf 8. Before they got dunked :-) 9. Cy Church the cutest boy ever.