Three of Us Stuck In the Font

Let me tell you about B**.... Hahahaha...... So the picture my bishop sent you is of B** on my left and P** on my right. P** is B's best friend and was the one doing the baptizing. B** has been investigating for 50 years and this past week he had a stroke, got scared for his mortality, called the Bishop, and told him he's finally ready to be baptized. So on Tuesday at exactly 7:23pm, me and Elder Caldwell were sitting in the living room (he's still on medications and we weren't able to get out much this week) having a nice conversation over some pistachios and a mango when the phone rang. Elder Caldwell was closest to the phone so he picked it up and said it was a private number. He threw the phone to me and I answered.

Bishop was on the other end with some "important news". The important news was that B** was ready for baptism! It was going to be super "unusual" though. People invited to attend included and were extremely limited to; P**, Bishop, Brother S (bishopric member), and me and my companion. He didn't even want bishop, brother s, or me and my companion to be involved in the first place but bishop said it wouldn't happen otherwise. Well it did take place and it was definitely the strangest most un-orthodox baptism I've ever beheld!

I was asked to be in my white clothes sort of as a "life guard" in the font in case the two 90+ year old men went down instead of just B** :) Once we got in the font I helped position P** and B**. The next thing that happened was P** raised his arm to the square and began saying the words for baptism. At one point he messed up so he had to start again. He started again by saying B's full name and then continued by saying, "having been commissioned of Jesus Christ", and B** who is hard of hearing interrupted at this point and said, "What?" I laughed out loud on accident :D I don't think they heard me though! Finally we got through the words and it was time for him to go under. P** and B** got confused how it would work. It was so silly! Three of us stuck in the font trying to figure out how to put B** under! He wouldn't go backwards and he couldn't go forwards! We eventually led him to the stairs where he sat down and slowly went under. Right before full submersion his hand shot up and latched onto the railing next to the stairs! It took a minute to detach his grip but FINALLY the baptism was done.

I caught some cold this week and was feeling pretty sick for a few days. I'm almost 100% better now! I went and saw a doctor this week and when I asked him about how long he thought I'd be down for, he said, "after last election I stopped trying to predict the future."

We taught our investigator T** this past week and at the end of the lesson I asked if he had felt the spirit during the lesson and how it had felt. He said, "Yes I did. It felt so good that if I could bottle it up and sell it I'd be a very rich man!" T** is so awesome. He's getting baptized this coming Saturday and he's only been investigating for about 3 weeks. His girlfriend lives in Vegas and she's a recent convert and that's how he heard about the church. They've only been dating 2 months but he's ready to change his life.

A few mornings ago I was pondering what President Toone (our awesome mission president) had recently taught us about the difference between conceptual understanding and experience. I was considering how I conceptually understand that exact obedience brings blessings but i wanted to experience it. So I prayed for the experience and made extra sure to be 100% obedient. That day I was able to set up a member to go with me to two lessons (one with I** and one with T**). I** accepted a baptism date of September 4th and T** accepted a date of August 31st. The last time that ward has had a baptism has been 2 years. It's incredible how the Lord is guiding the work here. Now I understand by experience.

I love you all and want you to know I'm happy and mostly healthy but mostly happy :D Have a great week!!!

Love Elder Janis

P, Elder Janis, B