Wednesday, June 3, 2015

Peoria Week 93 *June 1, 2015

Hey hey hey!

On Saturday we had the great privilege of seeing Chris Scott's baptism. Chris didn't want too many people there so only about 12 were invited but It was still a tremendous experience that I will forever remember. He has been taking missionary lessons for the past 13 years on and off as he has been married to his wife Paisley. Up and down he went trying to figure out where he stood and what he needed to do in life. Then just less then a year ago the bishop had an interview with Chris' son,  Justin in preparation for his baptism at 8 years old. In that interview he was beyond excited and the bishop was able to feel the spirit telling him that Justin was ready to make the promises with his Father in Heaven that come from the ordinance of baptism. The only thing holding Justin back was that he only wanted to be baptized by his non-member father Chris. Obviously you have to first be a member of the church and hold the proper priesthood in order to baptize, so that posed a problem. That was the final surge of motivation that Chris needed to help him make the changes in order to finally be baptized. In comes us. We got a call from Paisley telling us that her husband would be home in a few days and he wanted to take the missionary lessons and be baptized. Over the next three months we taught him everything he needed to learn and got him ready for his baptism. The spirit was so strong in the baptismal room that you couldn't help but have a smile on your face.  Paisley couldn't hold in her excitement and everyone knew that she had been praying for this day for a long time. Justin's baptism was the following day and unlike Chris' the room was packed! Justin really is a quiet spiritual giant. He has touched so many people's lives and they came to support him. Chris did a perfect job baptizing his son and the two of them beamed with the spirit and were so pumped. It really was a great weekend.

We had interviews with our mission president on Thursday and Elder Bunn and I were in charge of ordering and setting out the food for the whole zone. We always seem to have pizza but this time since we had the choice of where we wanted to get I chose Jersey Mikes Subs! I went back to my artistic roots and got table cloths and drinks and cups and bowls full of chips and had the works. When our mission presidents wife came in and saw the table spread with food she wondered which sister came in and helped us set it up hahaha. She said it was the best she had seen in the whole mission. I think I might change my major to party planning haha. Totally kidding but it was nice of her to say. Interviews with the president went amazing. We talked about college and what I need to do in life to be successful by applying the things that I have thus far learned on my mission. We then talked about why Elder Bunn and I are together. He pointed out how different we are from each other but that our personalities really compliment each other. It is true. Elder Bunn and I have been getting along and have really been learning a ton together.

Some missionaries were scheduled to move out of an apartment that had been owned by the church for the past decade and lived in by hundreds of missionaries. They didn't move complexes just apartments. I knew that the apartment was pretty beat up but after seeing the place empty I was shocked. I really don't know how people let things get so bad. It was awful. Haha. Their new place is really nice and new and clean and has wood floors. It took forever to move all their stuff because they didn't have any boxes to hold random odds and ends so we had to carry each individual thing. It took a long time. But it was worth it I hope. I also went to the dentist this week and the dental hygienist was shocked that I had not been to the dentist in just about 2 years. She said my teeth looked great and clean! Just so you all know. Haha

Well I love you all and will talk to you next week!

Elder Cole Safford

1. Chris Scott and his family at the baptism. The little kid with the glasses is Justin.
2. Elder Bunn and I
3. Missionary closet haha




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