Hello!!
Thank you for those that have emailed me.
This past Saturday, Alex was baptized. I forgot my camera cord, so I'll email pictures next week. The place was packed from everyone in the ward and his family coming to support him. It was pretty incredible. The spirit was really strong throughout the entire baptismal service. The ward was key in helping Alex be ready for baptism and they will continue to support him as he prepares to go on a mission. He will also be the key in helping his younger siblings be baptized and for his parents to be active in the church again.
This past week we also started teaching Diahann and Nate who Sister Farthing and I met at Discovery Park a month ago. They are officially our investigators. We taught God is our Loving Heavenly Father and the Gospel Blesses Families in our first lesson. Diahann is very concerned about her 16 year-old son and really responded to the Church's view on families. We then took over the Family Proclamation to the World and they are going to implement working together as a family and having "family time!" Their neighbors who we brought with us to the lesson have been great and they really got along. They canceled their lesson with us on Friday because Diahann was sick. We're hoping she gets well soon! They're such really nice people and we know we were supposed to be at the park a month ago so we could meet them.
At the same park yesterday we met a couple who had just moved here from New York City and wants to meet with us as well. The Mission and Stake focus is on families and I have been praying to find more families to teach! We hope to start teaching them as well.
When we were in one of our apartment complexes we ran into a young man named Brandon who we have started teaching. The first lesson with him was interesting because we can't figure out if he's Anti or really wants to know about the Gospel. He listens and asks questions like he wants to know, but then during part of the lesson he did say we were going to hell. So it was interesting. He does want to keep meeting with us... we found out he's 21, so we are going to turn him over to the Elders who cover the singles ward.
Also I'm excited for the Easter Pageant that's coming up, March 20-30. I'm also hoping we are asked to work at the pageant! The Mesa mission only asks us by invitation to help out. It would be fun to see Kelsey! It's the world's largest outdoor Easter Pageant. I've heard it's pretty incredible and I can't wait to take Michael and Diahann and her family to it. We can only go twice with progressing investigators. Let's hope they can go!
Two of our ward mission leaders have just been recently released out of our three wards. It's great to see the fire they have for the work!
I've almost finished the Book of Mormon again and what an experience it's been reading it as a missionary. I love the Book of Mormon and what it teaches- it's just like the Bible. That's why it's the RESTORED gospel of Jesus Christ. It compliments the Bible.
Thank you Dad for your article you wrote about missionary work and answering questions. It's so true and I have been trying to develop asking inspired questions.
I hope all is well at home and I miss you! Thank you for your letters.
Love,
Sister Collins