Zone Conference, Zone Training and a baptism!

It was a great week!! We had our zone conference on Wednesday this week and it was really awesome! I have so many notes that I took. More than ever before. I used like three pages. We are going to start focusing on the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Even in the past few days I have learned more about the Atonement than I ever have before. We are going to get some kind of study book next week that will be a 31-day study guide all about the Atonement. I am super excited. This is something I have been wanting to study for awhile now but haven't really delved in yet. I've already picked up some of the talks I've printed and started studying those. Then on Saturday we had a zone training meeting in the morning where our Zone Leaders led a discussion on the Atonement and I learned even more. It got pretty deep... but then again the Atonement is probably the deepest subject there is. So this is a really exciting time for me. I can't wait to learn more and more each day. Then right after the meeting we had Samantha's baptism. It took a lot of work to get Samantha to this day.

When we first started teaching her she wanted to be baptized when she was 18, then we were able to get it down to when she was 10, and then finally we were able to help her accept the date of May 3rd. When the interview came around we knew she knew everything so we weren't too worried, but as soon as we walked in the door with the other missionaries she ran and hid in her room. Her mother as well as Elder Knowlton and myself tried to help her to come out but she was not going to come out at all. We tried everything we could and I just kept a prayer in my heart that she would be comforted and not afraid to talk to the other missionaries. Finally after 15 minutes or so we got her to come out, but it still took another 15-20 minutes for her to be comfortable when the rest of us left the room. She passed the interview and all was well. Then we had the baptism. She passed the interview and so we thought the worst part was over. Her great grandfather was the one to baptize her and after Elder Knowlton and I gave talks she went through the door but wouldn't get into the water. She didn't want anyone to watch and once again we had a dilemma. We tried for a few minutes to try and solve things, but we ended up having to close the curtain and the witnesses (which were Elder Knowlton and myself) had to stand on each side of the font. We don't even know why she acted that way, it was mostly family there. She did it though and so it all worked out. The next part now was the confirmation in Sacrament meeting. After the past two experiences, we started to worry a little bit. We ended up fasting that everything would go smoothly the next day and when the bishop announced it was time for that we both looked over at her and my heart dropped a bit because she had the face like she wasn't going to go up there, but her great grandfather stood up and grabbed her hand and walked up there with her, she was kind of hesitant but she went up and sat down. We faced the chair away from all of the people so she wouldn't have to see all of them. She was confirmed and so now it is all good! It was an interesting experience but the important thing is that she went through with it and now has the Holy Ghost as her companion :) It has been great to work with her and we have seen the change in her life. After lessons a lot of times she would squirt us with a water gun and so last night we decided to get her back, we borrowed some super soakers from a family and got her to come out by our car and then we pulled them out on her. It was really funny. She enjoyed it. She was completely soaked.

Beaver still has to get married. They are working on getting the license. Until they get married we can't do much. It took me until I got on my mission, but I finally made the connection between Helaman 5:12 and 1Nephi 11:36.I just want you all to know that the Atonement is real. We can find such great peace and happiness as we apply it in our lives! Christ suffered for you. He can help you more than anyone else ever can. We must always remember to turn to Him, not only in the hard times, but in the good ones as well. I know the Atonement can impact our lives in huge ways! It allows us to be forgiven of our sins, it allows us to find relief from pains and sorrows, and it helps us to become more than we ever thought possible. I encourage all of you to study the Atonement as much as possible, for there is no greater subject to become acquainted with than the Atonement. I love you all and hope you have a wonderful week!