We have had our first baptism since arriving in Aberystwyth !
The elders had met Marcela a couple of months before we arrived, but it didn't work out for one reason or another. But under divine orchestration, the elders ended up knocking on the door of Marcela's mother, and Marcela happened to be there.
Marcela's mom ended up taking the lessons and was baptised this past January, just a week before we arrived.
Marcela was attending the Monday night FHE and Wednesday Institute nights but was not taking the missionary lessons.
One day as Tony & I were trying to find someplace for lunch, we ended up at 3-4 different places where the wait for a table was just too long. So we decided to go to the grocery store Tesco, where Marcela worked in the cafe so that we could have a tounch point with her. We ended up having lunch & a conversation with her that eventually lead her to offically take the missionary discussions!
She has had quite the life for a young adult and has mentioned a few times in our lessons how she knows what a miracle it is for her to actually be alive today and how God was protecting her in her past "life". We have never heard someone pray so eloquently and so heartfelt to God about being alive and safe, knowing He was watching over her during that period of time.
As we discussed the invitation to baptism, she really wanted to wait to get baptized in July on her birthday and so that she could "know more", but during one very special lesson, the Spirit was so strong, the Elders invited her to get baptized on May 24th and she said YES !
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| Left to right: Sis Shirley Wilkins, Pres Victor Wilkins (Branch Pres.), Paola (Marcel's mom), Marcela, Marcela's aunt Oneida, me, Elder Decker, Elder Hanks, Elder Lardelli, Elder Dalton |
It was on this date, Marcela's baptism day, May 24th - exactly one year ago, that we opened our mission call to Bristol England! We truly feel like part of that call was to have a small hand in Marcela's journey.
Since deciding to be baptized, she has obtained a new job, found new hope and joy in life, and feels how the gospel is healing her from her past. She and her mom will be a great strength to our branch!
We have also experiened our first Sr couples major medical emergency - NOT US personally!
One of our Senior Elders, who was serving down in the Cornwall area, (the most southern, rural part of our mission) experienced a major heart attack about 3 weeks ago.
The miracle is that they "happened" to be in Oxford when this occured where they could get care at one of the best cardiac units. Had they been at home in Cornwall, the outcome would not have been good at all. We have heard stories of people waiting hours to have an ambulance come to their aid.
The Sister has expressed they have experienced many miralces during this event. The whole mission began praying for a miracle, but a couple of days later we were told he would have just a few days to live as his organs were now shutting down. All their children have since flown over to in a sense, say their goodbyes.
That was about a few weeks ago, and he is still fighting hard to live. It has been a very heart wrenching reminder of never taking our health, or our days for granted. They are now reassessing the health of his organs to maybe Emergency Evac him back to California.
We really connected with this couple as their "rural" branch experience has been the most similar to our expereince than any of the other couples. We have enjoyed getting to know them through the humor, the counciling and the advise we have sought in each other while serving in the rural corners of the mission.
WE HAVE ANOTHER BAPTISM comin up in our branch! The elders have been teaching a young adult/university student named Zak for a couple of weeks. The elders have invited us along for a few of the lessons as Zak is of Jewish background and the elders knew we have been to Jerusalem and thought we could have some insights & connections with him because of that. This past week the elders asked him to get baptized on June 28th and he said YES! Pray for Zak !
Thanks for reading part 2 of our 1/2 way report !
cheers to our "half time"!
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