Week 56: Even More Opposition

Hey everyone,

So last week I talked about Satan tryna throw wrenches in the Lord's work over here in Bayovar and well, he's been working EVEN HARDER this week. Let me briefly explain cuz I only have like 5 mins and although I have a year in the mission, my keyboard skills are suuuuppper terrible and I write like 2.6 words per min.

So for this last Saturday we had 5 baptisms planned—Orlando, Auria, Vanessa, Nancy, and Marcos- buttttttttt, only 3 ended up getting baptized. What happened is that this week Orlando got married on Friday, and his baptism was for Saturday. But on Tuesday his friends took him to do a bachelor party type thing and he GOT DRUNK. He fell into temptation and although still got married on Friday, he did not get baptized on Saturday and it will be postponed for a future date.

Nancy was also going to get baptized with her family (Vanessa and Marcos). She is 65 y/o and has bad arthritis. She said that she couldn't get baptized unless the font was warm. We have been preparing all week to get everything ready for Saturday but EVERYTHING FELL THROUGH. The gas to heat up the font was out so we had to order one from the area offices in La Molina, then we got it in and turns out that the tubes are broken! We spent the afternoon boiling water but then magically the electricity in the church went out—leaving the font still freezing cold. We sent the baptismal clothes to be washed but on Saturday, but when we went to pick them up the lady FORGOT to wash them haha! So we were short on a baptismal tunic! ALSO the bishop showed up 1 hour late to the baptism so we couldn't get started. And then.....Nancy went into the font but before getting all the way in screamed "it's too cold!! It's too cold!! I can't do it!!" and everybody's hearts dropped. She started crying! Then Vanessa put on the wet, cold baptismal clothes for her baptism. She almost didn't get in either because it was so cold. 

Well...although frustrating, it's all good and we are still happy! I LOVE my mission and am SOOO grateful for all the success that God has given us! We were able to baptize 5 people in August and hopefully we will baptized 8 or 9 in September! 

Love y'all and have a great week!

-Elder Hale

After a week of trail and error, I have become a
master of heavenly grade, grilled cheese sandwiches!

My comp with the cutest little kid in Bayovar.

Auria's baptism!

Vanessa, Marcos and kind of Nancy's baptism (explanation in email).

Post baptism grub sesh on a DELISH Carbonara pizza.