October 22

Well, this week here's what happened. The boy we baptized last week was confirmed in church yesterday; just barely. Saturday night was ``summer hour´´ or daylight savings. The clocks all got bumped up an hour, and he and his friends all forgot. Thank goodness this ward ends with sacrament meeting, because we went by his house at about 8:45 to walk to church with him, but no one was answering the door. After Elder´s Quorum we went back and they were all waking up. They all set their clocks an hour back rather than forward, so they were 2 hours behind. We waited in their house for about 40 minutes while they all took showers and got dressed, missing the entire second hour of church. We finally got their around 11:00. As we walked in, they called him immediately to the front and he was confirmed.

We now have 3 couples we need to get married. I´ve never actually had to help any of our investigators get married before they could be baptized, but when I arrived in this area, we got hit with 3 different unmarried couples that are living together and are investigating the church. Anyway, one such couple has 2 children that are both just old enough to baptize, and both want to. We wanted to talk to them about it and they ended up asking about where we go when we die, so we just jumped into the Plan of Salvation. As we were teaching they asked lots of questions. When we got to the part about physical death, we explained that your spirit keeps living and moves on to await the Resurrection. Then the older brother (11 years old) said ``So I don´t have to be scared to die?´´ and we said told him he doesn´t. Then he put his hands in his face and started crying. Then his mom started picking on him, asking why he was crying, and started laughing. In my mind I was like ``shut up mom, your son is grasping the gospel.´´ Anyway, since they were two young kids, we had to teach in a very simple way, and I ended up kind of taking over the lesson. Afterward my companion said he´d never had to teach kids before and said that as I was teaching I had even him wanting to raise his hand and start jump and yelling ``Me, me, pick me!´´ 

We also had our primary program yesterday. It was pretty good I suppose. I´m just too dang picky about music. Kids singing usually isn´t that great, but I don´t think a single kid was in tune or even singing actual notes. This ward is difficult too since there is no ward pianist. And it seems like non of the Elders here in this zone seem to understand a thing about music. I get frustrated sometimes during the opening hymn of our district meetings and stop singing. It doesn´t matter how loud I sing, trying to give them the right notes, after every bar we move to a different key. I wish people were like harmonica: no matter how hard you try, you can´t play a single note out of key or tune.

In my last area, we baptized a boy whose parents are both faithful Catholics and wouldn't let him be baptized for a long time, but he kept talking with the missionaries and asking his parents to support his decision, and after a few months, his parents finally let him be baptized. Baptism is a sacred and vital ordinance as well as a commandment, so if Shaini's friend were to gain a strong testimony of the Book of Mormon and a sincere desire to be baptized by someone with the Priesthood, the Lord would help her accomplish that. 1 Nephi 3:7. It could very well be that the plan for her is to wait until she´s 18, but I don´t imagine the Lord would want her to wait, nor is He incapable of changing hearts.

Christmas is coming up and I´m thinking about things I could send again. I´m thinking this time I´ll probably just send a bunch of juice and candy, then when I come home, just bring home some cooler, less edible stuff. Any feedback on the juices I sent last time? Did you guys like anything in particular? It also just so happens that this house here still has the same box for the DVD player that I used to send my presents last time.

It´s getting really hot again. I don´t want to have to go through summer again. At least this time I´m a little more prepared emotionally. Anyway, I´ll talk to you guys again next week. 

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-Elder Candland