Fwd: BAPTISM!!!!! (from Benjamin in Italy)

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Benjamin Jolley <benjamin.jolley@myldsmail.net>
Date: Wed, Sep 14, 2011 at 4:10 AM
Subject: BAPTISM!!!!!
To: Ariana Black <ariana.black@myldsmail.net>, Camille Jolley <melers20@hotmail.com>, Caroline Jolley <caro.jolly@gmail.com>, Christopher Jolley <tophinator@gmail.com>, Dad <deanjol@gmail.com>, Elijah Milne <elm2164@columbia.edu>, Joseph ballsteadt <jgballstaedt@gmail.com>, Megan Milne <nutmegnut@gmail.com>, Mom <carriejolley@gmail.com>

Dear family,

 

This week has been... incredible. I won't tell you what happened until it happens in my story. please read on.

 

Thursday we taught Sasha a lesson on what the baptismal interview means and reviewing the plan of salvation. We also invited him once again to our baptism on Saturday. We went to Kobe's house with our WML, who made a great friendship with him and then reviewed anything for his baptism on Saturday. Then we saw Bill, who turns out to be the same person as Guerthy, an old investigator from before I got here. We then taught a couple other lessons doing casa. For some reason we went to the train station, and a lady ran up to us saying "eglise mormona?" "Io Mormona." "...um... Address?" "um... Telephone?" So we gave her a pass along card and wondered who the random georgian lady is and how in the world she found us.

 

Friday we taught Guerthy Bill and set a baptismal date with him for the 15th of October. He's a cool guy from Congo. In the afternoon we taught Saverio, our moroccan friend and then Sasha again about enduring to the end. As we looked for Saverio, we ran into Pacome, who is back from France and wanted to be baptized the next day. So we organized everything for that. We then went to Modena to do a baptismal interview for Ettore, one of their investigators who will be baptized this coming Saturday. cool. Then we went home. In the station we met Moose and Carlos from Tanzania, who were super interested in the Gospel and wanted the Book of Mormon, so we gave them a copy each.

 

Saturday, we went to Maurizio's work to give him a Book of Mormon, which he received gladly. He's an agnostic guy, but likes reading. Then we went to the church, organized rides for us and all of our investigators, and then planned and printed programs for the baptism. Then as we went to go see Pacome again, Sasha called and asked if he could be baptized today. "Guys, can I be baptized today?" So we organized an interview for him, clothing and everything. And then we went to Modena chapel, where we had a baptismal service for Kobe, Sasha and Pacome. I baptized all three myself. Pacome went first. It was really funny. As we were going down into the font, he started to take off his jumpsuit, thinking he was going to be baptized naked. so I said "no put that back on!" Then when we were in the font he just started to go down into the water before I said the baptismal prayer, so I stopped him and then baptized him. Then I baptized Sasha, who raised his arm when I put mine to the square. When he came out he said "I'm alive, I'm so happy!" Then I baptized Kobe, who said "This is the best day of my life!" when he came out of the water. It was awesome. Then they all gave awesome testimonies. And then we went home.

 

Sunday, we had three confirmations, of Pacome, which I did, Sasha, which Anziano Ellsworth did, and Kobe, which our bishop's first counselor did. Also, the georgian lady came to church. She speaks russian, so we found out about how she found us. Turns out that she's been in Italy 3 months, looking for the church. The day she stopped us, her son had a dream and called her saying "go to the train station today at 4 PM, you'll find something important." and she found us. That afternoon we went to our WML's for lunch, which was really good.  Then we went to Fidenza to teach the Dorofeev family, an inactive family with two unbaptized daughters. Then we rushed to Salome and Giovanna's house for a short lesson. As we rode down the street, we saw Hope, who I looked at like I was about to baptize him, and he stopped us. That was crazy.

 

Monday, we had Zone Conference about the Book of Mormon. On the way home, as we were walking through the station, these two kids looked at my companion weird and so we stopped them. The girl looked at our tags and said "Grande. siamo mormoni anche noi!" they were baptized in Brazil, but never found the church here in Italy. So we got their address, phone numbers, and birth dates so we can move their membership records here. Then I rushed home because I had an upset stomach.

 

Tuesday, we went and looked at apartments for the sisters with our bishop. It looks like we'll be moving to one of the new apartments, and the sisters will be taking ours. After that we went looking for a member and my companion placed two Book of Mormons while I was on the phone for 15 minutes. Also, we placed a Book of Mormon with the lady who took us to look at apartments. Then we met with sorella Maria, the agnostic lady who was baptized for her son's sake. She's interesting. Then we went to Saverio's and ate delicious moroccan food. mmm. spicy.

 

What do you think? 3 people stopping us saying they're members, and three baptisms? good enough of a week? You can stop praying for me to get people to baptism and start praying for me to find people ready for baptism again. thanks. I love you so much. Thank you so much for your prayers!

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