9.29.14

Well this week was pretty interesting! Our baptisms that we were going to have, of course didn't happen. Bishop's aunt (“El”) was baptized when she was 12, and went inactive immediately afterwards. We didn't know this until after her baptismal interview. Her records weren't found anywhere in Rivera, so the Zone Leaders told me to call President to see what to do. President didn't answer until we were in a lesson with “El” and “R” (her husband that was going to be baptized also on Sunday). It was Saturday and we were talking about what was going to happen. I told “El” about how we are just going to try to find her records and she won't have to be baptized again. She got mad and said, “If I don't get baptized again, I'm never going to church again...” I was completely in shock, like, what the heck? She said that she did a lot of bad things while she was inactive, and that she felt the need to be baptized again with her husband in order to feel worthy to go to church. I started explaining what we had already taught her that by partaking of the sacrament, we can be cleansed of sin. If you don't feel worthy to take the sacrament, then talk to the bishop until you have finished the repentance process. She said, “I'm not going to argue about it. If I don't get baptized I'm not going to church anymore.” “R” was like, “well, just wait a minute. If she doesn't go to church I'm not going to get baptized. We do things together and I think it'd be best if we postpone the baptism until my wife understands.  “President called and explained to her everything and she got pissed. She said,  “I have my reasons why I want to get baptized and I don't have to tell them to you (President) or the people in this house right now! I am never going to church again. Goodbye Mr. Smith.'' She handed me the phone and President said he was sorry. He was like, “wow, it is a shame that she's like that.  I'm sorry Elder McRae, but she does not understand the doctrine of Christ. It's not her doctrine, nor my doctrine. It’s Christ's. We can't be saved by doing things our way.” We tried to solve everything but she started bawling and talking about how she got everything ready for the baptisms. But she said now she'll never go back. I was like, “Hermana! Your husband, who was atheist, accepted the gospel, can get baptized tomorrow and you guys can live forever together as an eternal family... why don't you want this?” She said she didn't care. Her husband, luckily, is awesome and said he's going to work with her because he wants nothing more than to be baptized and receive the Holy Ghost. We're going to see what we're going to do. It's just incredible how strong Satan is right before people are going to make eternal decisions. 

Every visit we had this week was with a member so that was cool. “Rob” (a young man in our ward) stayed with us for a couple nights to get more experience in the mission field and he loved it. 

Things are going well though...I have three weeks left here in Rivera and I just want everything to run correctly before I leave so that E' Neilson can kill it with his new companion. I looked at my blog nothing has changed for about 3 months? Who updates it? 

Is Conner getting married soon?

**This is a picture of “Rob”.  I don't know why he let us cut his hair after seeing what I did to myself but it was fun!

Oh yeah... “Rob” was going to take a picture of E' Neilson and I, but accidentally erased all 724 pictures that were on his camera(: He wanted to kill him!!! Luckily I have a bunch of them on my USB... We made nobake cookies with “Rob” and we could just tell that he was in heaven the entire time he was with us!