Week 64: The baptism service went perfect!

October 30, 2017

Well this was one of the fastest weeks of my mission I could say. Tuesday and Wednesday where normal with appointment and implementing new ways to be more effective. I am trying to work a lot better with the Branch again with my companion because we kind of got taken away in the Book of Mormon contacting. It’s not bad, it is just that references are better. I have really become closer with the Branch here and I have their trust for sure. We had light appointments those two days but this next week we should be getting some very good references. 

Thursday in the morning I had to go to one of my district’s meeting but that afternoon we took a 3 and a half hour bus ride to the capital for training. We got there that night and then slept there because Friday was a big conference for all the people in training. Thursday was really fun because we got to go to a store called Bravo. It is the highest quality groceries store in the country and we bought some real nice food. Friday was fun because I learned a lot but then after we went to Agora mall. It is the same quality as the Washington Square mall if not better. Not as big, but very nice. We ate some fast food for the first time in about 7 months, I would say. We got my companion some new running shoes because the others were stolen. He left them to close to the steel bars and someone reached in and took his others. He also was able to get a watch and some other little things. It was really fun to go hang out there for 2 days. The bad part was the ride home. It was about 6 hours of taking different public buses but we made it home! We live quite a ways away.

Saturday was also very fun! We had a baptism for Walter & another one of our investigators passed his baptism interview for the next weekend. The baptism service went perfect! The people showed up on time and we ended on time so that was great! We had some investigators there to watch it. After that, two members of the Branch have prepared to serve missions and they are leaving next week. They are both going to Mexico but different places. They invited all their friends and family that are all non-members or less actives. They asked me to give a talk in front of all of them about missions. It went very well and then they all danced to Latin music! Super fun to watch them and we served them  refreshments. I also did another interview for the other missionaries I live with. It was a young single adult who is well prepared.

Sunday we had a good meeting in the morning. We went and picked up some investigators for church and had a good attendance. We had about 110 people at church. As we were singing the second hymn, right before the first talk, the branch president waves me over to come up and talk with him. I go up and he asks me to give the first talk…well let’s just say the Lord always prepares the way. I said a heartfelt prayer to bless me with a topic to talk about and He answered. The topic of choice was sacrifice. It was a inspired talk that went in line with the other speakers. 

Sunday was a 5^th Sunday so that means that the Elders quorum & the Relief Society were together. The Branch let me and the Branch mission leader teach.  We spoke about working together and how we have to do missionary work because the Lord has chosen us to know the fullness of the gospel. It was very strong message and honest.  They understood the point and the Spirit was very strong. 

That afternoon I went to another church but they are just a group. It is about 30 minutes away and I had some baptismal interviews to do. There was total of 8 people at church that day but it was good. We then came back and we had branch council. We talked about how we can work together again and have some new plans for Christmas and 2018. I then went on splits with the assistant to the president. We went and visited a couple people at 8:30 P.M. but we had some success. It was a long day but was very fun and successful. Between the two companionships in this branch we are going to be having 4 baptisms next Saturday. They all passed the interviews and are ready to go!

We are working hard and learning so much every day. We are tired but that is because we are working. Today we had an activity for the missionaries of 5 Zones in my zone though. We played basketball and soccer and baseball and volleyball at this big facility. Very good week and fun way to end with President and his wife at the activity. Thank you for your prayers and support!

Love,

Elder Wolfe

Barahona, Dominican Republic