Dear Family and Friends,
Here are some pictures from 2 baptisms we had this past Saturday.
Juan is 16 and he had been going to church for almost a year and he also went to seminary last year. What's really incredible is I had been teaching him and his family when I was here at the beginning of my mission. He never could get baptized because his mom wanted to come to church first before giving her permission. Well she came at the end of July and then gave her permission so we taught Juan and he got baptized. He is an amazing kid and has a strong testimony of Joseph Smith and going to church and how it has changed his life. All his family except his dad and older brother came to the baptism and it was a beautiful experience. We want to teach the whole family more and we hope that they too can choose to come to church more and gain a testimony of the truthfulness of the Restored Gospel and when they are ready be baptized.
The other picture is of Damien and his family and he's 11. We have been teaching all his family since I returned. The dad is already a member who is returning to activity. His mom is not a member... yet. Damien's little brother Carson is 9 and was going to be baptized but he decided he wants to wait to be baptized with his mom when his Dad is able to perform the ordinances. Both the parents have to work through some things before they are ready for baptism, but they are both incredible and I love them SO much. They also have a 2 year old Mikayla and she's one of the toughest little kids I've ever met but she's pretty funny. Teaching this family has strengthened my testimony that sometimes timing is everything for people and sometimes it takes certain experiences before people are willing to learn more and accept the Restored Gospel. They've also shown me how although live can be hard, it is possible to overcome hard things and press forward in faith.
I have loved getting to teach these families and I want to continue being a part of their lives forever. They have forever changed mine.
Also
on Saturday we had the opportunity to go to a "Celebration of Life" for someone in the community who died. She'd been fighting cancer for a long time and she just recently passed. We helped out with the lunch afterwards. The reason I wanted to mention this though is because I was just amazed by how many people she had affected throughout her life. Practically the whole community was there and the service was held in the school gym. It just makes me think about what kind of influence and what kind of memories I want to leave behind when I die. I want to live life to its fullest and enjoy every minute and serve those around me and do it all so that I don't regret anything or wish I had or hadn't done something.
I'm grateful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and how as my life has been centered around it I have been able to be happy. I've seen the difference it makes in people's lives when lived. It helps me know my purpose. It helps me find answers to the questions I have as I go throughout life. It helps me to overcome challenges and seek out the good. I love the Book of Mormon and the advice I get from it to solve my problems. I admire and appreciate the testimonies of those who wrote the scriptures and I find strength in their courage and willingness to do hard things and follow God's commandments. I love being able to learn from their experiences and learn from them what I should and shouldn't do to find true joy in my life.
I hope everyone is doing well and for those who are back in school I wish you the best! I encourage everyone to keep doing the little things like personal prayer and scripture study and going to church because that will be what strengthens and will provide support for you when the storms of trouble come.
Love,
Hermana Brighton
