Time is a precious gift.
This week I felt like I was opening the gift of my mission a little too quickly
but...there is still plenty of wrapping paper left so nobody panic.
Taufe for reals!
Despite great adversity
leading up to the baptism, Lisa got baptized on Saturday and she is so happy!
We spent a lot of time this week supporting her and prepping for the program
and service. The baptism was supposed to start at 5:00 Saturday evening and Sister
D and I got to the church at 2:00 because it takes three hours to fill
the font (strange water heating problems prevent fast filling). Two people from
the neighboring city of Groitch were also getting baptized on Saturday, so the
Groitch elders helped prepare the program and get everything ready before the
baptism.
A few things went
slightly array during our prep time. We started out with no keys for the
kitchen or for baptismal clothing, but acquired those at approximately 4:18 and
insanely quick sandwich making ensued. Lisa was supposed to arrive at 4:00 but
due to a series of unfortunate delays, she arrived at 4:55. We scrambled to
find baptismal clothes that would fit and rushed upstairs so the meeting could
start fifteen minutes late. So all was well.
Except the well.
Meaning the baptismal
font.
Because as we started the
program before the baptism, Sister D gasped and said she needed to go
check the water downstairs.
She ran downstairs
and....the font was empty.
Because it had been a
little too full beforehand and so Sister D had pulled the plug to
drain it a little... but forgot to plug it again....
She remained remarkably
calm at the time and turned on the water again and started boiling water in the
kitchen. Which leads to our...
Wunder der Woche
Because a three hour job
somehow was managed in 45 minutes through the aid of many ward members, all the
available faucets in the church, and the Lord, who somehow kept the water warm.
Three people were therefore able to be baptized with the allotted water and
Lisa was just glowing with the joy after her baptism.
We were also glowing, but
that was partly from the sweat of running around and gathering water.
Whew.
It was so great though.
Lisa is normally a happy person, but she just looked so excited about the
decision that she made and so much at peace. Plus five of the six missionaries
who had taught her managed to make it :)
I am so grateful for the
gift of my mission and for the gifts other people can hopefully receive from me
being here.
The newest church member in Leipzig!
Quote of the Week
A quote from our
conversation regarding our desire to get a dog and talk to more people...
"Sister D,
we all have to make sacrifices on our missions. You´re going to have to forfeit
your eyesight, or possibly pluck out your eyes, so that we can get a guide dog
so that more people will talk to us on the street. It`s a sacrifice we must
make for the work to go forward." --Me
I haven`t lost my sarcasm
yet in case you were wondering :)
Love you all. Especially
those of you that write me :)
Sister
Claire Michelle Woodward
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