Since I do name my emails like a TV show, I really could introduce some classy elements in my emails...
On the last episode of Elder Sumsion's Mission:
Elder Jackson and Elder Sumsion have been teaching Tatiana and Andrei, her son, for a little while now and they were progressing towards baptism on November 7th well. Tune in today to find out the exciting details and changes of whats to come!
Nah,. I wont subject you to that ;D
What has happened this past week? Tatiana and Andrei are going to be baptized a little bit later than we planned... meaning, right now due to Veterans dinner and scheduling conflicts we are going to be having their baptism on Sunday the 8th! Thats coming up quickly 6 days from now! Elder Jackson and I are so excited for it! Not because we want a "figurative gold star" on our records for having a baptism, but because two people are choosing to follow Jesus Christ and to change their lives! At the beginning of Preach My Gospel it says "More happiness awaits you than you have ever experienced as you labor among [Heavenly Father's] Children" (Preach My Gospel First Presidency message). On my mission, I will be sure to tell you that I am happy! Especially when people exercise faith in Christ, repent, are baptized and receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost!
Tonight is their baptismal interview, so once we receive that "go" from the Zone Leaders it should be happening. We have been having a good amount of lessons with them and its been such a wonderful opportunity to teach them. I am so grateful that I am blessed to be apart of guiding these two wonderful souls to the tree of life (1 Nephi 8:10-12).
We had a good lesson with someone we have been teaching for a couple weeks. It was such a interesting lesson. We have never had a lesson with the sober version of Derrek, so we hoped that having the lesson at the church would be enough reason to have any alcohol in him. Well, he walked over drinking a beer, so that didnt work out. It was a very interesting lesson/church tour we had with him. Brother Jensen, our Glacier Park Ward Mission Leader, was there with us. We were teaching the Plan of Salvation, but Derrek has a knack to go on tangents occasionally and this last tangent had consumed a lot of the time which we were planning on spending talking about the rest of the Plan of Salvation and baptism.
Elder Jackson, being the spiritual stallion he is, stopped him and said "I have a question that may seem a little out of place, but I want you to consider it and to pay attention to how you feel." He then invited him to be baptized and after about 20 seconds he said yes!
He committed to prepare for December 12th. He understood that part of him being baptized would need to involve him giving up those things like alcohol and smoking. He agreed with us to helping him take slow steps. We encouraged him to continue reading the scriptures, praying, and as well to come to church.
We challenged him specifically to come to church and showed him the bench we would be sitting at (it was near the front and the Sacrament table. Investigators have a better experience sitting up closer to the front and them seeing the sacrament and what is going on is a really important step for their conversion). We invited him pretty directly, but he didnt solidly commit and he didnt come to church. We will be talking to him about it this week even more. We also told him before we left to try being sober for our next lesson :D
Things are happening in these wards and I am so grateful to be apart of it.
Love you all so much! I am so happy to hear already about the amazing early Christmas presents that my family and friends are giving me by inviting people to meet with the missionaries! Try it out if you have not. Will you honor your baptismal covenants to share the Gospel?
Love,
Elder Sumsion
Next time on Elder Sumsion's Mission:
Will Elder Sumsion be transferred or will he stay in Maple Valley for a little bit longer? Will Derrek attend church? Find out all these things and more next time on Elder Sumsion's Mission!
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