December 6, 2010

Dear Fam:
I am about a 15-30 minuted drive from Bloomington, depending on the weather.  We may be going to theTemple on Wednesday so if something works out great (my nephew Clint Mortensen was going to Bloomington), if not oooo well.
That's way cool about MarjAnn.  I am freaking going to miss it.  It's a good thing pregnancy is 9 months so I won't miss too much.  I could imagine two Rhetties, but not two of any body else ; )
That's way cool Annessa (his cousin) for that choice to go.  I got some news that Sabrina Weldch is going on a mission too!
Goodness ummmm, no lights please, there is already so much stuff and no space.  When a missionary leaves, they take everything out, so save some time and money, no thanks.  (I just asked him if he wanted some Christmas lights . . . that's all . . .)
One of the days this week Elder Katoa and I almost go frost bite . . . weird experience, really weird.  Our hands were like a sun burnt red and hurt so bad we couldn't do anything with them.  We went to a members house and asked if we could go in.  when we took our gloves off she was freaking out and so I guess for that you put your hands in ice water.  Surprising enough the ice water was actually warm.  We are going to get some gloves to put over our gloves and also some more face coverage stuff like goggles.  It's kind of making me sick with all this money stuff, but hopefully it will all pay off.We have been waiting for  you to say that" and they said they would, but when we talked to the ward mission leader, I guess there is more stuff we have to do in order to baptize them because they are Liberian.
Eddie and his family didn't come to church.  That was kind of sad, but in our list visit with them, there is more goin on.  Eddie is a really nice guy, but he doesn't know why he wants to be baptized - maybe it's to tell the judge he is a good guy -  so we are going extra slow with him.  He doesn't even know who Christ is.  It's going to take awhile with them.  They cancelled their wedding and he will be moving in with April sometime this month . . . life just keeps getting weirder and more complicated.
I got that stuff from Duluth.  I laughed so hard when I got it.  (I thought it was stuff he asked for - not sure why he laughed . . .) The water proofing stuff is great, thank you.  I was able to get my boots and my Sunday shoes re-water proofed.  Do you think I can get a spray on kind as well?  I would like to get my jackets, gloves, pants and backpack with it.  Lately it's so cold in the last snow/blizzard, none of the snow melted on our pants or jackets.
JRand, I was able to contact one of your college lady friends.  I bore my testimony on Sunday. We talk to people that we don't even know and I'm not nervous, but once I talk to a large  group of people I get nervous, so dumb, but such is life.  anyway, I talked about the snow and when you're riding a bike  in 3 to how ever many inches of snow it is really rough.  When there is a path in front of you like Elder Katoa makes, it makes life easier to go, but harder to stay on the path.  It is kind of the same with the teachings of Christ and how the path is narrow like a bike tire print, but it makes life easier as long as we follow it.  After church Chelsey Kingston came up to me and said, "do you know Rand Baker," and I said yes and she went on about how she knows him.  It's a small world out there for sure.
On Saturday there was a baptism in the ward, a boy names Kinwoedge (Liberians have really interesting names like that).  We had everything figured out to get all of our investigators there and it was going to be perfect.  But once again Satan won that round.  The ride to pick up the Deah kids got lost and came to the Church to tell us.  The ride has a cell phone and she could have called us or the Deah kids.   When we told her that she was like ooo yea, I guess I could have.  Very frustrating but, oo well, and then the ride for April and Eddie decided not to pick them up.  What the freak!!!!
But Sunday was a good day.  We went to Sis. Convingtons house on Saturday, she is not active.  She will be having open heart surgery this week on the 10.  It was a nice visit and she said she would be at church if she got a ride and so we got her a ride - her home teacher, Bro. Nelson, but in the morning he forgot.  He got to church and was really apologetic to us.  No need to apologize to us, say you're sorry to her.  But it all happened for a good reason.  We went over with Bro. Nelson to her house after church and she was really sad.  She told us that she had picked up smoking a few years back and needed to stop before the surgery.  We were able to talk to her and calm her down and did our best to get her to use her faith in Heavenly Father that he would be able to help her.  We gave her a blessing.  It was a very neat and spiritual time.  I don't think Satan won that one.  We, the Lord's side, definitely won!
It's been a rough week and all the snow and cold doesn't help.  I can't wait till it warms up in the 90's! have you been able to get the pictures I have been sending on the email?
Love,
Elder Baker