Monday night we taught a lesson in SIGN LANGUAGE!! Sister Christensen is a rockstar. She took a year in high school and another in college. The deaf man's name is Polly and he is friends with one of our other investigators, Amoni, both from Africa!! He was so accepting of everything that we said and signed and already has a great foundation on Christ. He was also SO patient with us as we stubbled through our signs and fingerspelling. We are going back today to watch the Restoration video with him in ASL! :)
OKAY. ARE YOU READY NOW FOR THE HAPPIEST HOUR OF MY MISSION!?!?!
You may want to sit for this one.
Nothing really happened between Monday and Thursday. Just kidding hahaha but this was the BEST I JUST CANT WAIT!! :)
On Thursday during lunch, Sister Christensen and I get a call from the Mission President... No matter who you are or what position you serve in, it's always a little nerve racking when you get a call from the President. But he called to tell us that he had gotten a letter from the First Presidency! IT WAS SHAWN FAHLSING'S LETTER!! President read the letter to us and explained that the First Presidency, but more importantly, Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ had made the decision that Shawn was ready to be baptized!!!!!! WE FREAKED OUT!! It is incredible how perfectly timed it all was. Transfers this week so we weren't sure if we would both be here and they move on FRIDAY!! We called up Shawn and asked if he'd be home at 6 that night. We didn't tell him why. But I ALMOST COULDN'T CONTAIN MYSELF!
All day I thought about him until we went over at 6. Lori, his wife asked what was up. We couldn't stop smiling!!!! We said we couldn't say until Shawn came in from working on the car! When he finally came in and sat down it kinda just all fell out of my mouth! Their reactions were priceless. This is one day of my mission I will NEVER forget! Lori was baptized 3 months ago, and because of Shawn's parole wasn't able to be baptized with her. But they have been holding on so faithfully even amid that set back. BUT NOW HE HAD APPROVAL TO BE BAPTIZED!! Sitting in their home, telling them this great, long awaited news and then planning the baptism for SATURDAY, was the happiest hour of my mission! Once we told them the news, they just started calling people! Bishop Heider, the one to baptize him, didn't pick up and as Lori left a message, Shawn added from the background "It's super duper important!!" hahaa
Sister Christensen pulled off planning a baptism in under 48 hours. NAILED IT.
The baptism was amazing. The Spirit was so strong and Shawn and Lori couldn't stop smiling. I have never seen him so happy!! I don't know if I've ever seen anyone so happy!! His grin was from ear to ear! He's a pretty tall guy, so they had to baptize him twice hahaa but as he humbly and reverently bowed his head, tattooed arms and all, it was so evident that moments like these- being able to see a repentant sinner change his life around and follow Christ- is why I am here. I love this man! Brother Fahlsing has changed my life for the better!! I will be there when him and Lori are sealed! Even if that means 13 years down the road when his parole is up!!
Okay now, TRANSFERS!! SISTER CHRISTENSEN AND I ARE STAYING TOGETHER IN TWIN!!!!!!!!!! SO so So so SOOOOO happy!! We probably broke the Elder's ear drum that called us this morning as we screamed! Prayers, so many prayers have been answered this week!!
Love you all so much! Hope you have the best week ever!! (But I don't know if it could beat the one I just had... just sayin' :) )
xoxo
Sister Boyce
^^Elder Harmon, who first started teaching the Fahlsing family and Bishop Heider who baptized him!!
No comments:
Post a Comment