Hey Everyone,
It's been an eventful week to say the least. It's so weird because I feel like this week should be the last week of the transfer, but it's only the first week.
Last Tuesday Hermana Moss and I took out the two new sisters and went tracting. We drove to a neighborhood and then split up. Sister Moss took Sister Grant, and I took Sister Jenson. Sister Jenson was a little nervous. I felt so badly for her. I think I was more excited my first night than she was. Sister Grant was on fire! She was so excited to finally be here. It was weird... I still remember that first night I was in Oklahoma when I went out with Sister Lamb and Sister Whiting. I was so new, I had no clue what I was doing, or what these 18 months would entail. And now here I am almost a year later... Crazy! They both spent the night at our apt. because they couldn't stay at the mission home since the Taylor's have two boys at home. Then the next morning we drove back to the mission home so that the sisters could have breakfast with the other greenies. And we met Elder Lewis's greenie, Elder Hansen.
So last Thursday Hna. Coronado had her baptismal interview with Elder Lewis. He was supposed to bring keys to the closet so she could find a jumper that fit her. But he forgot them at home. So while she was being interviewed we drove back to the apt and got his keys. Before we left to go back to the apt, we could see a storm rolling in right above us. While we were waiting for the Coronado's to get there we stood in the parking lot and just watched the sky, half of it black and grey, the other half blue. We watched the clouds move across the city. It was crazy! We run into the apt, grab the keys and ran back to the car. Just in that short time it had started down pouring really hard! And as we drove back to the church, we were driving deeper and deeper into the storm. I drove like 20 mph the whole way back because the streets were literally flooded and I could not see very far ahead of us. It was a little scary. To top it all off, it started hailing too! I honestly know that Heavenly Father was watching over us and He was helping me make it to the church. Then we got back to the church and watched it continue to pour while Hna. Coronado was having her interview. Just walking back into the church Hna. Moss and I were soaked. Then she came out, and she seemed so happy! She was so cute! She was like, I passed! Haha! Then we found her a jumper. And Elder Lewis showed us how to fill up the font for Saturday.
Saturday Hna. Coronado and her 8 year old son, Danny, were baptized and confirmed. There were lots of people, probably about 40-50 if not more. Hna. went first, and we stood inside the doors to the font. It was weird... I've never seen a baptism from that perspective. I'm always out front watching like everyone else. Hna. said it was hot, but she was fine. Then we stood there with her, while we watched Danny get baptized. Danny started to walk down the stairs, and he said, it's hot, and he stopped. Then he started crying. Sister Moss and I felt SO badly! Luckily, Elder Lewis had closed the partitions in between the two baptisms so not everyone was watching this. (Elder Lewis had told us to fill the font about 3/4 of the way with hot water, then the rest with cold. And we had done that.) Finally, Sister Moss and I thought to just turn on the cold water, so that maybe it would help. Eventually, Danny stopped crying and he got in and was baptized. They also got confirmed too. Afterward, they seemed so happy! It was a great night!
Sunday-church was great! Well, mainly sacrament meeting. It was fast and testimony meeting. Danny and Chris got up to bear their testimonies, and I leaned over to Sister Moss and said, all five of them are going to bear their testimonies before this meeting is over. A lot of time passed between Chris and the other three. I saw Hno. get up and sit on the stand. Then I looked over and saw Chris and Danny nudging their mom and Ali to bear their testimonies. It was so cute! Hna. got up and sat on the stand. Then finally Ali. Hna. went first, then Ali, and then Hno. It was so sweet to hear Hna. bear her testimony about the Lord's timing. She said that God sent her three angels, Hermana Moss, me, and then she paused... Hna. Tucker. (I wish Hermana Tucker could have been here for all of this. All 3 of us were convinced that Hermana Tucker getting bit by the Coronado's dog was a key part in Hna's progression.) Hna. Coronado said that God sent us to her at exactly the time when He knew she would need us. (About 3 weeks ago, Hna. Coronado found out she has breast cancer. The day after she found out was when she told us she knows the she has to be baptized. She wanted it to be done before her operation on Sept. 10. She and Hno. both know that the path that lies ahead of them and their whole family is going to be more difficult now, because they are one step closer to being able to be sealed. And Satan knows that, and he's going to try to stop it. But they are strong and I know that Heavenly Father is watching over them.)
For me, I feel more love for this family than all the rest that I've met on my mission. When I first got here to the south last November, the Coronado's would have the 6 of us missionaries over for dinner every once in a while. And even though Hna. wasn't a member, it was as though she was. The spirit in their home was so special compared to any other I've been in. Then when Astrid and I started teaching her and she told us she wasn't ready, I was way sad. But I knew that she was going to get baptized and I'd be here to see it. Then Sister Tucker and I kept teaching her. Then I went to the north and Sister Tucker and Sister Moss taught her for a while. Then I came back and continued to teach her. And now she's a member. I'm grateful that Heavenly Father has allowed me to be a part of this family's life. It's a special experience to witness one's conversion and progression in the gospel and their change of heart.
We didn't e-mail yesterday because it was Labor Day and everything was closed, thus why this is late.
We played sports yesterday. I played volleyball and then I was throwing the football with Sister Moss and Elder Call, and I jammed my left middle finger pretty well going to catch the ball. Go figure... I swear, I'm always getting injured. But I'll be fine.
I think that is pretty much it for now. I love you all! Thanks for all you do! Corey is being transferred the mission office to be a secretary. He's doing well!
Love,
Hermana Christina Hogewoning
