Hi! From a Mountain Top: #46 Baptisms and Goodbyes

Well it's transfers time! And I'm hitting the road. It's been a nice 2 transfers here in Talavera, but it's time for me to take on the big apple, or the big ombligo as they say here. I'm off to CUSCO! And not just that, but I'm going as an Hermana Capacitadora! And no that does not mean that I'm training. It means that I am the Hermana equivalent of a zone leader. So new responsibility and new place and new companion, but I feel really good about it! And I've always wanted to serve in Cusco! But that means leaving my Condesita :( But she's going to train! So we're going together traveling! Whoo! But she's going to return to Talavera and yo me quedo in Cusco! Ahhh I can't believe it! I'm sad, but happy. It's going to be good. So next week you'll be hearing from me from CUSCO! So yeah Transfers. It's nuts.

Well this week we had our baptism! And it went almost perfectly, aside from a couple clothing malfunctions (you should NOT put Velcro on baptismal clothing. Zippers are a lot more seguro. Take it from me) But Karina was a trooper and her son looked a little bit like Elvis Presley, but it was GREAT! WE had a good group of 30 or so which is awesome! And at the end, Both Karina and Daniel bore their testimonies. Soooo powerful! Because Hermana Karina got up there and just told us indirectly about the struggle it really was to get to that point of her baptism. And she really did pass through a lot. But then she said "I know the church isn't for cowards. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is for strong people. And now I know that I am strong." And you could feel her conviction in her words. Soooo cool!

And then ahhhh Daniel got up and he's only 11 years old. And the second he opened his mouth, he started crying. And he just told us about his own person struggle and fight to arrive at his own conversion and baptism. And let me tell you, he might just be a kid, but he KNOWS the gospel is true. He told us that before, he didn't want to get baptized, but then he felt bad. He felt lost. And he just wanted to feel something good. And so he prayed, and he said that por fin, he felt something. He received his answer. And now he has a firm testimony in the gospel. that kid is going to do amazing things.

So that was the baptism. It was probably one of the easiest I personally have had, granted I wasn't there during the whole process of being taught and all, so I don't have a lot of.. say I guess. But it was really beautiful and I'm glad that I was able to stay in Talavera to see.

Well that's all I've got for you today. Mom, I finally got my shoes!!! Love them! and I was pleasantly surprised to get a personal art gallery by none other than the Molly Dolly. LOOOOVE the Macchu Piccu Picture! And next week, I'll be right there! Thanks Molls and Pie and Goo and Der Der! Love you all!

So I¡m gonna end here and leave some baptism pictures. Have a splendid week and until the next! Hasta lo pronto!

Hermana Rust