This week was one of the most crazy stressful weeks of my
mission. It was also one of the best.
Here's the back-story....
After Ron ran away, he came back for a period of time.
Whenever we went back to Shanon's we would see him there, and it seemed from
what they said that they were still figuring their relationship out and how
they wanted to handle things. We were sad, because this meant that
Shanon's baptism did not look too soon in the future because Ron was
back. We decided we needed the help of a member, and we needed to meet
with Shanon alone. So, enlisted with the help of the Wonderful Sister
Pope, we brought Shanon to the church and had a lesson on Faith and to help her
know to make the right choice. During the lesson, we read from Alma 32,
and we asked Shanon why she wanted us to share scriptures on faith with
her. She told us she just wanted to continue to strengthen herself.
She has been getting a lot of opposition I guess you could say from other
people. They say "Why this church? Why not any other Church?"
But she would always tell them, "You don't understand. This is MY
church." It was so good. She said since she has been meeting
with us, everything is becoming clearer where it was hazy before. We ALSO
found out, that she was not living with Ron anymore. She had kicked him
out, and he just comes by to visit his son. With the four of us and the
spirit in council together, we reset Shanon and her eight year old son Isaac's
baptismal date for Sunday, December 14th. So in four days (One of those
while we were on exchanges in Moose Jaw), we planned and prepared a
baptism. Crazy!!!!!!!
The actual baptism was beautiful! This was a very special
experience for so many reasons. One of them is that the Doctrine of
Christ is simply amazing and I am so grateful that Shanon and Isaac have the
chance to start all over again and step in through the gate and onto the path
that leads to eternal life. Another reason is that Sister Christensen was
able to be there to see Isaac and Shanon make this next step before going home
this week, and these are the only baptims she has been able to be present at
during her mission!
It has been amazing to see prophecy being fulfilled.
Back in September, when I was first called to Regina, I got a blessing from
Brother Walton, who used to serve as 1st councilor in the mission
presidency. In the blessing, it was promised that I would see baptisms in
Regina as I worked with the members. It is amazing how this has been true
on so many levels. The members have helped with lessons, they have helped
with rides, they have helped with holding her crying baby when we couldn't.
(Literally, during Shanon's interview she came out because her
interviewer could not hear her because her baby was crying and we had to go
find a member to hold the baby for us.) Brother Thomson, Lewvan's ward
mission leader organized so much of the baptism and made programs and
conducted. Elder Jordan and Elder Stevens ran literally last minute
emergency errands to get towels from the Cuellar's because there were none in
the church, and Brother Rouse was so happy and grateful to perform the
baptisms. Not to mention the talks, the chorister, and the people that
brought treats! Tammy, Shanon's aunt was the member who referred us to
Shanon in the first place. Tammy has many more referrals for us, and we
hope to be teaching more of her grandchildren this week, or very soon.
There is always good to come!
Speaking of which, I want to close by sharing a little
thought from Bishop Williams of the Lewvan ward. He was giving Sister
Christensen advice on going home and he said the following. "It
always gets better from here. There are people who will want to live in
the past and say that was the best period of my life. I never want to
have that. I am going to make sure that I am always progressing and
growing so that I never live in the past saying, 'That was the best'. Now
is the best." It was so good.
So, now is the BEST! And next transfer, with Sister
Smith, will be even better. And that final transfer call will be even
better. I am so happy and grateful for the miracles I am able to be a
part of! May your Christmas season be full of miracles!
Love, Sister Heidi Hill
PS. On Sunday, all on her own, Sister Hooker got her
first ever temple recommend!!! YAY!!!
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