Aftermath of the Explosion

Pictures:

1: Dave at his baptism with some of the missionaries that have taught him.

2: Paul and I with a destroyed pinata at a member's home

14 July, 2014
Family!

For those of you who have no idea of what I'm talking about today, please reference last week's email. It's a little too complicated to re explain.

Our spiritual time bomb exploded! Dave got baptized. He is such a wonderful man. He asked me to baptize him in place of the 16 other Elders that had previously taught him. It was awesome. He was so incredibly nervous. As we were getting changed in the bathroom, he said, "I feel like that fear right before a baseball game. I'm like jittery and nervous. I just wonder if I'm ready."

He had nothing to worry about! He did fantastic and was more than prepared enough to be baptized. When we got into the font, the coolest experience happened. As I spoke the words of the prayer, the Spirit witnessed that he was ready, and he sank into the water with ease. When he came back out, I could almost SEE that he was cleaner. It was the most amazing and real thing.

We went into the bathroom to change out of our wet clothes, but before I entered the stall, I saw him turn to the wall and link his hands together behind his head. He paused for a moment, and then reverently said, "So that's what that feels like." He turned and I could see that tears were running down his cheeks.

This is the best job in the world. I love Dave. He is the best.

Also! We had a powerful experience with Paul this week! We are now the ones who teach all of the new member lessons (the five lessons out of Preach My Gospel that we must reteach after baptism. This was previously done by the home teachers.) and so we brought Paul a PMG at our most recent lesson. We then read through the Restoration lesson with him, discussing the different points. It was amazing! He was taking notes and sharing what he was learning. Suddenly, when we got to the end, he saw the baptismal invitation. We read it with him and I said, "Do you remember when we did this?"

"Yeah... I totally remember that."

"We're not as creative as you thought we were!"

Paul received the Aaronic Priesthood on Sunday and paid his first tithing check to the Bishop. He came to a member's house with us later on and as we were talking with him he said, "Hey, is it bad if I read all of the lessons in Preach My Gospel before we meet again on Tuesday?"

See why I love Paul? He's great!

I love you all! Hopefully I'll continue to have good news!

Elder Brown