Week 14 in Piamonte

Week #55
1/12/15
So this week has been SUPER busy, but great! William was baptized! So I´ll go thru the whole story of the madness with that to begin. We had a lesson with him Tuesday morning. We talked about his baptismal interview, and his preparedness. As we went back home, we called the stake president to have the interview, and he told us he ONLY could on that day (Tuesday). So we quickly called William to set up our trip to the stake center with him, and called the member in our ward who has a car so he could take us. He is normally super busy, but he said he could help us out. So Elder Rodriguez went with the brother and William to the interview, and I stayed with a priest in our ward to make the visits. He passed his interview, and said he felt really strong feelings (the spirit) in his interview. The rest of the week went normal with him. Then Saturday came. We went on divisions again to be able to have our appointments, and I went with a recent convert to prepare the chapel. We cleaned up and filled the font without many problems. Just that when we entered the chapel the alarm went off. I ran across the chapel to shut it off, but the police and a worker form the security company still came. So that was fun. My second run in with the police here ( the first was when they patted me down in my first area.) A lot of people came to the service which was great, including Ximena! Elder Rodriguez and I sang ´teach me to walk in the light´ just before the service. Then we went to the water. IT WAS COLD. The heater in the chapel is broken... So we had to put a shoulder under William´s arm and hold a leg, and we carried him into the water. We put a chair in, and when I first performed the ordinance, his waist didn't go under the water, because the chair was too tall. So my companion told me we wee going to take out the chair. He lifted up William by his armpits, and I took out the chair. As my companion held William, I performed the ordinance, and we managed to get all of him under the water. When he bore his testimony after, he said that he couldn't describe what he felt. He was confirmed yesterday, and everything is great with him. 

Ximena has also been doing great. She said that after seeing William´s baptism she feels more motivated for the 24th. She came to church, and we visited her yesterday as well. She is really prepared. She has a testimony, all of her attendances, and loves the church. She just needs to fix things with her boyfriend, so she can be at peace. But she told us she is going to completely end things if he makes a comment she doesn't like again, so she is willing. 

This week was very busy, but it felt good to work a lot and always be doing something. We didn't find any new investigators this week, but we finally have people progressing, and I am very content. We didn't study much this week, because we visited William every morning we had available. So yeah, I'm happy.

Today was a crazy day as well. We got to go to the temple, but we had to be there for the 8AM session, which meant being on a but at 6, and getting up before 5. So we went and it was a really neat experience going back after 6 months. Then we came back home, and went to play pool and ping pong in a place they have near our house with our district leader and his companion. So we played there, and then went back home and had Chinese food, from the Chinese people who have a restaurant here. Its so good. I suppose that doesn't sound like much, but it was. I also got my haircut, and did my grocery shopping. so I'm pretty happy with today. 

I am so glad to be here in Colombia, there is nothing else that I would rather be doing in this time. I know God lives, and that he wants to make covenants with each one of us. I know he loves you, and me. I know that we have the freedom to choose, but that when we make mistakes, we can be forgiven through the Christ and His atonement. 

Thanks so much for reading!

pictures:

William at his baptism,

I found OH´s in the supermarket. (only my favorite cereal),