Getting Ready for Baptism!

June 23, 2014

This past week has been great!

We taught seven lessons with member friends present! I don't believe I have ever taught that much with members my entire mission! It was a miracle!

K. has continued to prepare for baptism. She passed her interview this past week and we created her baptismal program. We are very excited for her. She will be baptized by the bishop and confirmed by her member friend's grandfather. She left for girls camp today. We are excited to hear how her experience is at camp. She is going to be a youth camp leader and be baptized upon her returning from camp. She has been a miracle for the Plano 9th ward! She has jumped right into the church and participated in so many ways. From early morning seminary and singing in the chior to being a youth camp leader. The Lord has prepared her to be able to make these covenants with Him. And Elder Reid and I feel blessed to be able to take part in her story of finding The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I'll be sure to send y'all a picture of us at her baptism!

This week we also got in touch with one of our investigators who we lost contact with for a month or so. We had taught her and her x-sister in law and she had seemed to be the least interested between the two of them. However, her x-sister in law has now moved and she said she would like to have us come back. We returned and brought a great member couple with us. She was more interested than we thought. When we invited her to be baptized we were shocked when she said yes! In our next lesson we used more inspired questions and the lesson was very powerful. She didn't come to church but we feel that she will be coming soon. We just need to help build her faith a little more.

We read in the Book of Mormon with the C. family. Brother C. is ready and waiting for Sister C. At church yesterday he said, "We have both been reading and we will get in touch with you to come by and read with us again this week. First you get her to read, then you get her in the water." He is waiting for her to be ready for baptism so that they can do it as a family. Sister C. is learning though. She is starting to know the story of the Book of Mormon as we have started to read with her and asks questions too. Once she has a testimony they will be ready to make covenants. The Bishop is planning on having someone go to the temple with them to walk around the grounds and talk about the blessings of the temple and have dinner afterwards. They have been investigating for so long they are practically members already and they will be soon. They will surprise the whole ward when they make the announcement that they are ready! We are hoping to be here when they do make it. But we will see.

B. and M. have been out of town this past week. They have been with their family and cousin as he recovers. We feel the Lord is preparing B. and M. to feel the spirit tremendously as we teach them about the plan of salvation when they get back from their other cousin's funeral. We are hoping to be able to teach them when they get back this weekend.

This past week we had our last meeting with President Durrant! He is such an incredible man! The Lord chooses the best misison presidents. We are going to miss him and his family as they move back to Utah this Saturday. I'm excited to meet Pres. Taylor though and to be able to continue serving in the Texas Dallas Mission. It is amazing to be able to take part in this great work.  

I have often thought of the early members of the church and their hardships as I have studied about their experiences. What a legacy we have. I think we will all one day face persecution of our own in one way or another, similar to how they did. That's just part of having the truth. You get a little bit of kick back every once in a while. It's always been that way. And yet with all the awful things that happened to the pioneers, the reformers and all the people who have ever found the shinning incorruptible truth, they lived some of the best lives with the greatest amount of success, fulfillment and joy in the end. I hope that we all may do the same.

I love y'all and hope all continues well for you!

Love your missionary,

Elder Drew Bowen