So,
Monday night Sister Tripple and I got a call from the sisters serving
in my last area, Mt Airy, MD. They were calling to let us know that my
investigator from Mt Airy, Mareina, was getting baptized that week! WHAT?!?!?! I was FREAKING OUT! Just
before I left Mt Airy we had dropped Mareina as an investigator and
told her that when she was ready to learn again and be baptized, she
should let us know. So last Sunday, the 12th, she walked up to the
sisters at church and told them she was ready to get baptized! They
asked when, and she said, "How about this Saturday?" Again, WHAT?!?!?! I was FREAKING OUT! So amazing! So many prayers for that girl! I love her a ton. She has been one of the biggest examples of faith to me!
So,
in our mission, in order to attend a baptism of an investigator you
taught in a previous area, you need to bring an investigator you are
currently teaching or a less-active member of your ward. So we
immediately started making a list of people we felt would benefit from
attending the baptism. The first person that popped into my head was
Sister Anderson who had just returned from less-activity. When I
realized she wasn't less-active anymore and that wouldn't be allowed, we
decided not to call her. Anyway, this week we went on exchanges and
Sister Jeppson and I switched places. "Coincidentally," Sister Jeppson
and I taught Mareina together! So, while I was in Winchester and
she was here in Woodstock, we tried our hardest to find each other rides
to the baptism. We also found out on exchanges that Mareina moved her
baptism to Friday instead of Saturday! AH!
Once I was back in Woodstock on Thursday, after 3 days of trying to find rides, we hadn't been able to find one for either Sister Jeppson or myself. So on Thursday night I started texting a ton of
people asking them if they would be able to come. Sister Anderson kept
coming to my mind, but I kept pushing it away...until I realized that her
husband and son are nonmembers! So, I texted her and asked if her
family would be able to come to the baptism. Nothing happened that
night, but the following morning Sister Anderson texted back and said
that her husband and son wouldn't be able to go but that she could make
it work! I decided that since she had come to my mind again and again
it would be a good experience for her to attend (among other reasons)
and I would ask President Christiansen if that would be alright. And, he
said yes!!
So, on Friday,
we had an exchange for a few hours so that Sister Jeppson could come to
the baptism, and Sister Anderson drove us up there! On the way there,
we found out that she had been prompted on Wednesday (after the baptism date had changed) to get her tires replaced that day instead of Saturday morning like she had planned. She said she knew the baptism was the reason for that as soon as we asked her about it!
Sister
Anderson ended up being able to see an elder who is serving in Mt Airy
and who taught her husband a while back which was an inspiring
experience for her. She said on the way back, "I haven't felt this kind
of peace in over three months." I have never seen Sister Anderson the
way she was after the baptism. She is an amazing woman; so sensitive to the Spirit it's ridiculous!
At
the baptism I asked Mareina what made her decide to get baptized. If
you all remember her, she was the girl whose family didn't approve of
the Church. She said that once she realized that if she got baptized her
parents couldn't do anything about it, she was overwhelmed with peace
and she took that as her answer. She knew what she needed to do! I am so
grateful for the Lord's timing and that Sister Jeppson and I were able
to attend with Sister Anderson. It was an amazing experience for all of
us!
Thank you for everything you do for me! I love you all!
Love,
Sister Lewis
Mareina and me
Mareina, her missionaries, and her boyfriend
The glorious reunion of Sarah Merson, Sister Jeppson, and Sister Lewis
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