I have thought to myself when all is lost and you are about ready to stop, pack your bags and give up, take a nap and have it all go away. I say unto you, NAY! Tears have flown like a rushing river from all the snow that has come and running off the mountains now that spring is somewhat here. But really that is my analogy!
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday were just visiting ward members and less actives. We have been looking over the progress records of the different wards and there has been nothing. This past week we didn't have a baptism scheduled and I was kind of bummed because we are to baptize every week, but I told myself that if it comes then be willing to do so. On Thursday we went to help Sister Wade in Elder Chaffin and Elder Webb's area along with Elder Ring and Elder James with gardening, planting flowers and pulling a tree stump! Ha. With the service we had an Emergency District meeting (they usually happen on Friday's) we were like Wow, what is going on?! As we sat outside in the sun after all our hard work, Elder Chaffin had told us that Elder Darker and Elder Ackley received revelation, they are our Zone Leaders. As a Zone we had 10 on date for this weekend, but now only have 2. What happened?! Why did they fall off? Well Elder Ackely had a dream the night before that on the pipe line (names of who we have on date with the companionship's) on the board. The companion ship names were Elder Ring and James, Elder Kuck and Widden, Sister Pratt and Adams that are in our Zone. I knew we weren't planning on having a baptism so why would our name be on the board? Elder Ackely had said that he woke up from his dream and prayed about it. The spirit was present and knew it was from our Heavenly Father. So as they told the District Leaders and then they told us, I knew in my heart that I need to listen to my leaders. As a district we knelt on the grass outside and prayed who is ready to be baptized in our area this weekend, three days! As Sister Adams offered the prayer a girls name came to mind, Michelle Zonga, a potential investigator. When the prayer ended I was like okay, lets go and talk to her! Elder Chaffin had said he was a bit ify but he felt the spirit. I knew in my heart I am called to serve and I am to do HIS work and if that means find someone to be baptized this weekend then I'm going to follow that counsel. As we ended our meeting I could tell Sister Adams was worried about who would be ready. Being new in the area she didn't feel anyone come to mind. Driving back to our area my heart and mind were going crazy and so worried, stressed, overwhelmed by the second! We drove into a chapel parking lot and sat there for like 30 minutes (I was working on the progress record for correlation that night). Who, who is ready? Willing and open. As I thought, Sister Adams was totally like naming of people and got nothing. Then Keoni and Tizi, in the Green Lead Apartments.....they need to be married before.....OH MY WORD! Their daughter Kiana! She is eight and has been there for lessons and had already said she wanted to be baptized. (Mind you Sister Adams is worried and unsure. Well me too but with a bit more hope.) We said quite a few prayers on the way! As we arrived to Keoni and Tizi's place they were walking out the door to take Keoni to work. We asked Tizi about Kiana being baptized and she was like yeah she wants to, she talks about it all the time! I'm totally freaking out inside with happiness, in fact I had to look at Sister Adams to ask Kiana because I could not talk! Ha. Kiana said yes, but Keoni had to work all day Saturday so we will do it Sunday. Elder Darker and Ackely have a baptism on Saturday morning at 10 am so we invited her to attend that to see what it will be like, they said yes and they were off! Yes, three hours later we had someone on date for Sunday to be baptized!!! We then contacted most of those in the 8th branch to inform them of this amazing news along with the ZL and DL!!! At correlation boy it went down. The ward mission leader went crazy and I just testified that Sister Adams and I prayed and this is what is going to happen, we need your faith and prayers!
You know when Heavenly Father wants to help you and also help you grow when you know deep in your heart it's going to be the hardest weekend of your mission!!! Short story long, Satan worked over time on Sister Adams and myself, and Kiana. She had a friend over for the weekend and she was not helping her have the spirit. So Friday we fasted, the lesson was hard to stay focused with Kiana's friend still there, and visiting others in the area. Saturday, we prayed every hour for her! We were held up by a train, and didn't know where the chapel was for the elders baptism....Kiana was iffy with doing it, she has stage fright! We talked to her but in all Tizi was more excited for her to do this than she was. We had the last lesson for Kiana with sticky note matching game for the baptismal questions, it was great! By Sunday we were like will this go through....? I don't want to push this on her just so we can say, 'Oh My Word it really happened!' I love her and only want what's best for her so Heavenly Father I'm having 5 times the faith I've had before and I need to know if what we are doing is right. If it's not, stop me! By Sunday He hadn't stopped us even with Satan getting in the way again!
All in all, the spirit filled the room as Kiana went into the water with her family watching this super big step for an 8 year old, parents not married, not members. My heart felt His Love for her! A choice daughter of God! Tears of happiness, joy. Eternal. I know her family will be baptized, we added them and will meet them on Tuesday to start their plan to be baptized! We had the FAITH IN HIM AND HIS WORK!!!! It's so true! I know it with all my heart! Being in the temple today was totally not for me but those I'm to share my light with! I felt so close to Heavenly Father and am grateful for His love for me and His children!
With all my Love, Your daughter and little sister,
Sister Sarah Jane Pratt
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