Back on schedule . . .

May 16, 2011

Dear fam:

Sounds like all is going well and crazy with everything going on. 

Good job Mitch on graduating!

When is Matts baptismal date?  I’ll for sure send a letter.  His story could help out a lot of people particularly, the young men doing missionary work in high school.

Dylan is all right. On Saturday there was a stake softball tournament but it got rained out (Dylan would have been the oldest by a long shot and one of 2 boys that still wanted to go) Saturday was the talent show and he came to that . He seemed to have a good time.  He doesn’t say much he, just kinda sits there and watches.  He also came to church even though somehow he got really sick from Saturday night to Sunday morning. He looked terrible. He fell asleep in sacrament and so he and the family went home after sacrament. The kids got dedication that’s for sure. Tina (his mom) tried to tell him not to go but Dylan said he needed to.

We didn’t get to meet with him this week there was so much stuff that happened with his dad and Dylan  -  not spending enough time with him or something like that.  Divorce just is no good.

At the talent show Elder Peterson and I ripped a phone book.  We read the scripture about taking the yoke of Christ upon us and how He helps us though the trial but does not take it from us.  The phone book was somewhere around 4 inches thick.  After reading the scripture I ripped it at the spine (to make the 4 inch 2 inches) in half and than ripped it down the middle length wise.

Some of the other less actives we are working with said they would come but didn’t show to either church or the talent show.

We helped a lady named Helen Mary Booderham from the Caribbean this week.  She's got no money and needs TONS of help. Somehow she knew that LDS folks are really nice.  She found the sisters where she lives now (west Minneapolis) and told them that she was moving and needed a lot of help.  So the sisters called us to get the help started.  Helen is moving right down the road from us.  We are painting, installing new sinks and toilets and putting down carpet, some electrical work and lastly putting in floor boards.  After spending 2 days 4 hours each day, I decided that was enough and we should just get the ward there to help out to pump it out in a day or two.  As much as we like helping people out, we need to be teaching.  We taught Helen a little bit.  She told us that she has been thinking about joining our church but there are a few set backs.  After she moves in, in about a month we will start to teach her.

This week as a mission we have been trying to build trust with members so we can reach our goal of doubling baptisms in June.   Last year we hit 30 and in January we hit 50, in June we are trying to hit 60.  Steady increase and we are trying to do our part.  We are unable to do it by ourselves – it’s even more difficult being in the arm pit of the mission.  Members are the only way.  Elder Peterson and I have been doing spirit bombs.  We go in to a home, teach a lesson about missionary work, show the members how they can do it and find out who of their friends is ready.  If they don’t know, we have them make a list and have them pray about it.  Then we leave.  So far it’s been working.  Members have been calling us a lot more and are sharing missionary experiences with us.  Only one referral but it’s a slow and steady process, hopefully we can get there.  We also did some service for some members, that was sure fun.  But with all the service we did, our contacts were a lot lower than normal. Our district leader wasn’t very happy with that.   Kinda ripped on me, but what evs we were helping people to trust us and what not so it’s what evs.

I have noticed, the more I try to be a better missionary, the more satan and other forces push back.  Its been driving me crazy, but I continue to go on and try.  I have been doing a lot of praying and trying to find a source of help and strength.  Reading my patriarichal blessing seems to help.  It’s a good building block for sure.

oppps sorry I just remembered that I haven’t sent the McKinney’s address yet.  I will do that today because I will be writing to Matt, so ill remember for sure.  Today for pday we are fixing my bike and getting an oil change and hopefully getting a nap in.  I haven’t gotten one in a long time and sure do want one pretty darn bad.

Yesterday (Sunday) we had dinner with the bishop’s family. I think someone must have talked to him about getting us the family focus list or  maybe the stake president said something like . . . my counselors and I are coming to your ward and we want to go split up and visit some of the families - or something like that because he gave us a short list nonetheless.  It is a list that has more than 2 families on it.  Now we have about 7 on that list and hopefully we will get the 15 we have been asking for since the first time I was here.  Bishop all so expressed his thankfulness for us getting the ward moving. He was very happy when I told him I will be staying for another 3 months. hahaha I am glad somebody is happy!

Have you sent out a the camera? size doesn’t matter.

The weather has been up and down, we froze last night but last week on Wednesday we hit 90 with 100% humidity.  Up, down, up, down, rain and cold.  There is no snow on the ground, it has been gone for a few weeks, well kind of.

The first picture is the final project of me ripping the phone book. I had to practice before the talent show.  The next picture is me following Kayles directions on trying to get the stinking contact out of my eye, and it worked!!!  thanks Kayle for the help!
A Liberian in the ward, Sam Kajolo, his wife's mother in law passed (would that be Sam’s mom?)  a few days .  The funeral will be 6 hours long... ugggg, lots of mourning.  That day we will be helping a little with some stuff. Sam hasn’t told us yet what exactly we’ll be doing.

Well have a good week!

love

elder baker