Well last week I was telling you that Jeanne Elliott's baptism was
going to be this Saturday and it happened! The events leading up to the baptism were a
bit rocky and I am sure you want to hear a little about it so I will
tell you. That morning we went to a park to assist the ward in an
activity to pass out the flyers for our ward Easter activity April
19th. We got there and there was not a single soul there... Great. But
one by one the families rolled up and we handed out the routes and
cards and sent them on their way. One brother didn't want to go all
alone so E. Thompson stepped up and went with him so I was waiting for
another single brother to show up so I could go with him. Well we made
some calls and finally one showed. So we took one of the biggest
routes with about 200 homes on it and started knocking. Everything was
going great and we were having a blast. I didn't even realize what
time it was until we got back to the park and there was no one there!
I looked at my watch and it said 12:40. Jeanne's baptism was planned
for 1:00. Crud! I had the brother drive me up to the church and when I
got there E. Thompson was nowhere to be found haha. When I got to the
baptismal font it was overflowing!! It turns out that our ward mission
leader and E. Thompson came up to fill the font then left to pick up
our ward mission leaders family. In that time the font filled all the
way up and over haha. I was volunteered to strip to my underwear and
jump into the font and plug it back up. Since I was not the one that
was performing the baptism I didn't have an extra set of underwear so
for the baptismal service I was going commando haha. Hey everything
worked out though and her baptism was wonderful. The spirit was so
strong and Jeanne even bore her testimony after and said she knows she
is home. It brought so much peace to me and to my soul. I know she is
going to be a wonderful addition to the ward family and to Heavenly
Fathers choice sons and daughters. It took her a little to find the
church but she is here now and isn't going to move.
The next Sunday just happened to be fast Sunday. Jeanne asked me to
confirm her a member and give her the Holy Ghost which I was delighted
to do. I was a little nervous about what I was going to say and what I
thought the spirit wanted me to say. I realized that if I was going to
listen to the spirit then I didn't have to worry about what I was
going to say. I went up there with a blank mind and an open heart. Let
me tell you. The Lord does fill our mouth with what he wants us to
say! I promise he really does love us all individually and listen to
out pleas. It is miraculous. The testimonies that the ward members
bore were great. Many of them included Jeanne which was great. But the
best part about that sacrament meeting is that Jeanne got up to bear
her testimony! First fast Sunday and she is already up there! Oh my
heart just swelled and I could not help but having this huge smile on
my face! It was a truly special moment. One that I will never soon
forget. Now we have to get back down to business and find more of
those souls to bring closer to Christ. We pray we will find those who
are praying for help. Here we go.
I got food poisoning at the beginning of this week... Enough said.
People I just want you all to know how much my family means to me. I
have been receiving letters from my mother and grandma almost weekly
and then letters from my sisters and brother and friends a couple of
times a month. Those letters are full of their personalities and I can
just imagine their voices read them to me as I read them. It is so
great to be able to know they are doing well or what they are working
on. The fact that we are all sealed together makes these relationships
that much more valuable because we are going to be together forever.
We can either be stuck together or we can have the privilege to be
together. It really is our choice. I am happy to be with the family
that God gave me. Cherish your own families. They are apart of you.
Make them the most important thing in your life. Success is not
measured by the trophies in the case or the plaques on the wall but by
the relationships you form with people. Never forget that.
I love you all and I love this gospel. Trust in your Father in Heaven
and confide everything in him. He can see what we do. The good and the
bad. Why not just apologize for those things he already knows about.
You cannot hide. He loves you and looks out for you.
Until next week,
Elder Cole Safford
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