Elder Winters - May 21, 2012

Hello everyone.  It's been a marvelous week here in sunny California.  The English elders are complaining that it's starting to get hot, but I wouldn't know.  Sometimes I feel like I'm not a true missionary without a bike under me, but it's all good.  We'll see what the future holds.  

Talking with the fam last week there was again mentioned the subject of food.  I have come to the realization that I have neglected to mention food for a while now.  Sorry about that.  I will now disclose that I think my favorite food here is Vietnamese food.  Vietnam was occupied by the French for quite some time, so think of an Asian-French cuisine hybrid.  It's awesome stuff.  Except fish sauce.  I asked one of the Vietnamese elders here how they make it.  His answer: they put down a layer of fish, put a layer of salt on top of that, then put on another layer of fish, and so on...and then all the juices that leak out of that creation are bottled up and sold as fish sauce.  Good stuff.

Now, let's get down to the nitty gritty.  Remember that last week we had a surprise investigator?  Well, this week we had two surprise baptisms.  It was the weirdest thing ever.  One thing led to another and then our surprise investigator turned out to be amazing and got baptized on Tuesday.  After that, her friend who has been meeting with missionaries since before I got here decided that she wanted to get baptized as well so they could do it together.  She was baptized on Saturday.  The Lord works in funny ways.  No matter how we taught her, there was still that catalyst that she needed to actually make the baptismal covenant.  She gave up coffee as soon as she learned she was going to be baptized this week.  All of this because the Lord led us to her friend who was super prepared to receive the gospel.  Wow.  This is the Lord's work, which means He's in charge of it and He pretty much does it on His own.  We just kind of have to be here and be willing and worthy to do what He wants.  It's incredible.  I love it here.  I know what we teach is true.  I've had confirmations from the Holy Ghost time and time again.  It's true.  God is our loving Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ is His Son, and they both love us perfectly.  What a blessing.

Have a sweet week.

Elder DBW

This is from his baptism on Tuesday, May 15th: