Elder Nathan S Moser: "Can You Teach Me the Steps to Get Baptized?"

May 29, 2017

This has been a crazy awesome week. The work is taking off!

Our week started with an exchange with The Dalles, Oregon zone leaders. It was amazing for several reasons: 1) I have never seen the Oregon side of the mission, and it is seriously beautiful. 2) I got to be with Elder Bird and Elder Poloncic who are now serving together, who were my previous 2 companions! We had a blast catching up and doing missionary work. 3) We made the staircase in their apartment into a mattress slide and 4) we witnessed a miracle first hand. For dinner that night, the member decided it would be best if we ate with him at the local hospital's cafeteria instead of him trying to rush home to cook something. After eating some delicious food, the four of us started waking outside with the member who fed us, Brother Stewart. As we were walking towards the parking lot, a girl in her 20's ran out of the doors behind us saying "wait, wait!" We all stopped to turn and look at this girl, who was working in the cafeteria as a cook, when she said "can you teach me the steps to get baptized?" I kid you not. Her name is Taylor, and she just moved to The Dalles from Chicago. Her friend from the Tri Cities has been teaching her about the church for a while, and she's been reading in the Book of Mormon. She said that she believes it all, but has never had a chance to talk to missionaries. When she saw us come into the cafeteria, she knew this was the chance- but she couldn't gain the courage until she saw us walking out. She is amazing. Elders Bird and Poloncic told us yesterday that she is already in Mosiah, and she is on-date for the 17th of June. She also introduces the missionaries to her friend, who is also on-date now. God does prepare people, and it is amazing to see.

So much has happened this week that it is hard to sum it all up. But we have found so many new people to teach, that it feels like we are running! Last week, we taught a part-member couple who are both actually younger than me by a few months, the Branner and Elaina. It kind of freaks me out because they just had a kid a few weeks ago. Anyway, the Husband, Branner, is not a member, and we had a good introduction lesson with them and he prayed for the first time ever. They are so cool, and so relatable.

Evelyn told us some big news last week! Her mom is planning on coming for all three hours of church next week, and then she will let her be baptized! Her mom has been coming for several weeks now, so we are confident that she will keep her word. It is so good to see Evelyn finally moving towards the water!

We found a few other families last week, but I'll spare the details. They are all so cool, and so sincere. I'll keep you posted on how things go with them this week, even thought we will be super busy with transfer planning. Elder King and I just feel like the luckiest people on the planet right now.

Last week I mentioned a man named David that we found who is on-date for next month. Yesterday he came to church! He enjoyed the last two hours, especially gospel principles, but he was sweating buckets during sacrament meeting because he was so nervous. He calmed down when he realized he didn't have to do anything. We're just glad we ended on a positive note!

It has been a week everyone. I know that this work is the most purposeful work on earth. It still blows my mind that Elder King and I, just two 20 year olds, are charged with sharing the gospel with all of the people around us. And even more, I can't believe that it actually works, that people want to listen! But I can, because it is true. Even when my past areas have been hard, the gospel has changes lives- even if it feels like it's just changing mine.

Love you all!

Peace and blessins,

Elder Moser