Wild Week

Dear Family,
Well we got to do some travel this week with zone conferences. While in Yuma I got to see one of the brothers that I helped teach and baptize. It was great to see him and his family doing so well. On a brief similar note, last night we had a fireside for investigators and the elders in Chandler brought their investigator who has a baptismal date scheduled, and it turns out that they're teaching the brother of one of my former investigators. We planted that seed almost a year ago. It was so cool to see him there!
Last Monday we picked up an issue of the newspaper for the Mormon community in Arizona and saw me and my companion on the front page with two other missionaries! It was so cool. Someone in our stake took our photo a few weeks back and said, "No guarantees that you'll make it but I'm sending this to the editor." It was fun hearing people make comments about it, even when I was in Yuma on Tuesday. I'll have to show you a copy.
Saturday night we had a very interesting series of events. We planned to attend a baptism in Spanish at 6pm and to attend another in English at 7:30, with different investigators obviously. Well to make a long story short, the baptism in Spanish was the most irreverent I've ever been to, and I've been to a lot in Arizona. The member sister of our investigator was cringing the whole time. I thought it must have been impossible for her to feel the Spirit. But I kept praying for the best anyway. Well afterward we chatted about it and told them that we were about to go to another baptism in English, and the sister who's a member said, "We're going with you!" The difference was incredible. The second service was so much more peaceful and reverent and uplifting. It was so striking to notice the contrast. The investigator appreciated it a lot more, even though she's still learning English. One of the things that the experience made me realize is that without the Holy Ghost, we're like any other church.. With no connection to heaven but our desperate prayers. Yet I know that God speaks to His children through a living prophet, that the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored, and that all can enjoy the blessings of the Holy Ghost in this life as we make and keep our baptismal covenant. I'm so grateful to be a part of the conversion experience for so many individuals and families. It's a thrill and a joy. And it's a thrill and a joy to be part of the Gathro Family. I love you all. Thank you for everything. Have a Spirit-filled week!

Love,
Elder Gathro