More Baptisms!

WEEK 53
Pamilya at mga Kaibigan,

     This week was another great one.  It's hard not to have a smile on your face when you have a baptism to look forward to.  This week the Mabini family was baptized.  They were the first family that I started teaching when I came to Tanauan and I feel so blessed to have been here long enough to be able to see them get baptized.  They are an awesome family and have awesome support from the ward.  Their baptism went off without a problem, which I was really happy about.  I have noticed that before a baptism, I get really stressed and I have a tendency to be involved in every part of the preparation.  This baptism, it was really hard for me to not prepare everything for it and to let the ward do its part.  It was really nice to show up and have everything already taken care of.  

     Four of them were baptized.  The mom and her three kids.  The youngest girl had a really hard time keeping her feet underwater.  After the fourth time,  Elder Hodges asked if it was allowed for him to step on her feet.  No one could find anything wrong with it, so that's what he did.  They already have a goal to be sealed in the temple.

Mabini Family

     Without focusing on the baptism, we were also able to get a lot of great work done this week.  One of our investigators had a great experience reading and praying about the Book of Mormon and has told us how much the book has already changed her life in just the one week that she's had it.  She said something really cool in our last lesson.  She said, "Pagkatapos lahat na kaya kong gawin, may kulang pa. Pero, cinicompleto ako ng Aklat ni Mormon."  (After all that I can do, it still isn't enough. But the Book of Mormon completes me.)  She currently has a baptismal goal date and is doing great.

     Everything is going great, and I really don't want to be transferred yet.  I haven't been able to spend a long time in an area yet, and I really love it here in Tanauan.  But it's not really up to me!  Thank you again for all of your support and advice.  Things are going great!

- Elder English        

My new companion.