She had three baptisms this week!
March 10, 2014
Hi everyone!
This week was so good! Honestly it was just a blur of preparing Brandon and Ted for their baptism and a lot of reflection on how grateful I am.
So at 6:05pm on Friday we are filling up the baptismal font and we get a call from the members who are supposed to be picking up Ted at 6..."we are at 2222 6th Street, but Ted isn't here." MY HEART DROPPED. What do you mean he's not there? He's always outside waiting 10 minutes early! Sister Rackleff and I start panicking that Ted might have gotten cold feet, etc. etc. when the member says "oh...6th street? We're on 7th street. Our bad." I seriously almost went in to full-fledged panic. But he made it! And Brandon! And Chris! This scripture just was ringing in my ear all week (HOW STINKING GREAT IS MY JOY RIGHT NOW)---"Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God...For behold, the Lord your Redeemer suffered death in the flesh; wherefore he suffered the pain of all men, that all men might repent and come unto him. And he hath risen again from the dead, that he might bring all men unto him, on conditions of repentance. And how great is his joy in the soul that repenteth! Wherefore, you are called to cry repentance unto this people. And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father! And now, if you joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!" Seriously, I just don't really know how to convey the joy I felt this week. Some of my happiest moments:
-Realizing Chris, Brandon, and Ted's potential. The moment when they all came out of the water. Their faces beaming after. I also saw Ted and Brandon confirmed on Sunday and their blessings were awesome.
-We helped Ted start his family history. He found his family in the census online and he was SO excited. This spirit seriously enveloped me at that moment. I knew there were many souls on the other side of the veil just present and anticipating all that Ted will do for them.
- Watching this video. http://www.mormonchannel.org/introduction-to-the-church Especially as the Red Cross President was talking about the Church. There is a power and influence in this church that can't be denied. I'm so grateful.
-Talking to a homeless man for a few minutes about his life and realizing that God is no respecter of persons. God just loves each of us more than we could ever comprehend.
-Going back to see my Huntington Park YSA branch at Chris' baptism. Love that place.
-Two ward members who are a big part of why we were even having a baptism on Friday weren't supposed to be able to make it to the baptism. And then I looked up in the opening hymn and watched them walk in. They made some sacrifices and booked it and made it. These Santa Monica ward members are unreal.
-80 degree weather. Here comes the sunnnnnnnnnnn.
-Someone getting some SERIOUS road rage at us (because he tried to switch lanes at an intersection without looking...not his best). Watching him yell and swear at us with all he could muster, but we couldn't hear a word because our Jesus music was playing in the background. Hilarious. Welcome to Los Angeles.
-Losing our phone, praying, looking for 20 minutes, and then a man walked down the street with it in his hands saying he had picked it up off the ground. Then the next day I found a credit card on the ground in the parking garage. I asked everyone we passed if it was theirs, but it was to no avail. I gave up and decided to call and cancel the card for the person, but then I saw a car backing out and felt like I should ask. Sure enough! It was their card!
-Brandon's testimony at his baptism where he said "I met the missionaries on my way home from getting a burrito. I didn't know it would be the burrito that changed my life." And then listening to him testify of Christ's true church, and the Book of Mormon was so powerful. Ted also bore his testimony and said "I know that Jesus Christ is exactly who he said he was and that Joseph Smith is exactly who he said he was."
-Chris looking me in the eye and saying "Thank you thank you thank you" and me looking at him and wanting to say the exact same thing. I didn't do anything for any of these people. Seriously. God just let me part of it.
This week was so good! Honestly it was just a blur of preparing Brandon and Ted for their baptism and a lot of reflection on how grateful I am.
So at 6:05pm on Friday we are filling up the baptismal font and we get a call from the members who are supposed to be picking up Ted at 6..."we are at 2222 6th Street, but Ted isn't here." MY HEART DROPPED. What do you mean he's not there? He's always outside waiting 10 minutes early! Sister Rackleff and I start panicking that Ted might have gotten cold feet, etc. etc. when the member says "oh...6th street? We're on 7th street. Our bad." I seriously almost went in to full-fledged panic. But he made it! And Brandon! And Chris! This scripture just was ringing in my ear all week (HOW STINKING GREAT IS MY JOY RIGHT NOW)---"Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God...For behold, the Lord your Redeemer suffered death in the flesh; wherefore he suffered the pain of all men, that all men might repent and come unto him. And he hath risen again from the dead, that he might bring all men unto him, on conditions of repentance. And how great is his joy in the soul that repenteth! Wherefore, you are called to cry repentance unto this people. And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father! And now, if you joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!" Seriously, I just don't really know how to convey the joy I felt this week. Some of my happiest moments:
-Realizing Chris, Brandon, and Ted's potential. The moment when they all came out of the water. Their faces beaming after. I also saw Ted and Brandon confirmed on Sunday and their blessings were awesome.
-We helped Ted start his family history. He found his family in the census online and he was SO excited. This spirit seriously enveloped me at that moment. I knew there were many souls on the other side of the veil just present and anticipating all that Ted will do for them.
- Watching this video. http://www.mormonchannel.org/introduction-to-the-church Especially as the Red Cross President was talking about the Church. There is a power and influence in this church that can't be denied. I'm so grateful.
-Talking to a homeless man for a few minutes about his life and realizing that God is no respecter of persons. God just loves each of us more than we could ever comprehend.
-Going back to see my Huntington Park YSA branch at Chris' baptism. Love that place.
-Two ward members who are a big part of why we were even having a baptism on Friday weren't supposed to be able to make it to the baptism. And then I looked up in the opening hymn and watched them walk in. They made some sacrifices and booked it and made it. These Santa Monica ward members are unreal.
-80 degree weather. Here comes the sunnnnnnnnnnn.
-Someone getting some SERIOUS road rage at us (because he tried to switch lanes at an intersection without looking...not his best). Watching him yell and swear at us with all he could muster, but we couldn't hear a word because our Jesus music was playing in the background. Hilarious. Welcome to Los Angeles.
-Losing our phone, praying, looking for 20 minutes, and then a man walked down the street with it in his hands saying he had picked it up off the ground. Then the next day I found a credit card on the ground in the parking garage. I asked everyone we passed if it was theirs, but it was to no avail. I gave up and decided to call and cancel the card for the person, but then I saw a car backing out and felt like I should ask. Sure enough! It was their card!
-Brandon's testimony at his baptism where he said "I met the missionaries on my way home from getting a burrito. I didn't know it would be the burrito that changed my life." And then listening to him testify of Christ's true church, and the Book of Mormon was so powerful. Ted also bore his testimony and said "I know that Jesus Christ is exactly who he said he was and that Joseph Smith is exactly who he said he was."
-Chris looking me in the eye and saying "Thank you thank you thank you" and me looking at him and wanting to say the exact same thing. I didn't do anything for any of these people. Seriously. God just let me part of it.
I'm sorry I don't have more details or funny stories this week, but
honestly watching these three men I love enter into a covenant with God just
overshadowed everything else.
This is the Lord's work! And it's moving along! Pray for our finding efforts this week :)
Make it a great week! I love you all!!
This is the Lord's work! And it's moving along! Pray for our finding efforts this week :)
Make it a great week! I love you all!!
Sister Atkinson
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