Baptisms

Here in Nicaragua, we often baptize on Sunday so that we can have the support of the members. We baptize right after the 3 hour block so that they just need to stay for a few more minutes and in that way the members also get to know the recent convert. But sometimes it is a little crazy because they have to wait another whole week to get confirmed. So Alan, the youth that got baptized last week came to church to be confirmed but, he didn't want to get confirmed in front of everyone  so we told him he could get confirmed in Priesthood class. But he didn't stay until priesthood class... So next week. He really is pilas and has changed a lot, just is a little penoso. 

Next week we are going to baptize a cool man named Mario. He is the husband of a less active member. She is so pilas now and her husband is so excited about his baptism. She teaches him so much between our visits. How to be "mormon". Whenever we come back she's always telling us funny stories about how he tells her that she can't be frustrated or upset because she has to be a good example to him of a mormon. He has stopped smoking and stopped drinking cafe. We teach him the lessons in English/Spanish. He's from the Philippines and speaks a little bit more English than Spanish. He's lived in Central America for 16 years but his spanish isn't that great. (Although it's getting better due to reading a chapter of the Book of Mormon in English and Spanish). Miracles do happen. We don't do them. God does. 

Also a lady named Marta is going to get baptized this week. She's really cool, but has really bad arthritis which makes it really hard to do anything. Coming to church is a sacrifice. Someone has to help her come everytime. She's really sweet though and wants to be baptized.

Mahal Kita. (filipino)

les Amo. 

I love you all.

Hermana Merrill

Cleaning the church after a baptism?