Hey it was awesome to see all the b-day updates and the little primary kids! Warms my heart :) Yeah I had a good b-day and all that. I tried to keep it on the down low and when some of the sister missionaries found out about it and that I didn't tell them, they got super ticked haha it was funny. Yeah I was surprised sis Holland actually called you mom! I think that was my favorite part haha the cookies were good but more importantly I'm glad these people are connecting with you and keeping you involved in my life while I'm away. Such a blessing!
The new mission president is great! I sustain him whole heartedly! He and his wife are definitely different than President Leonard and his wife. Pres Leonard was more regal and business like, and Pres Center is a little more goofy and awkward. I don't know if that's the best way to describe him, but it's the best I got for now haha. He feels more like a brother to me than a father if that makes sense...kinda like we're on the same level. I can't imagine the pressure of leading an organization you know nothing about. Regardless, he's been getting involved with the work and the missionaries. We had two baptisms in our district (yes!!) this week and he was in attendance to one of them with his wife. He's different but I support him and his decisions. His wife is such a sweetheart too and she's got a firey personality behind her motherliness. She gives firmer handshakes than President does! haha they're both awesome.
So I got a fortune cookie from Panda when we ate with the Brians back on the 6th of July. It said "the clouds of success will rain on to you" and I thought it was pretty unique so I saved it and taped it into my journal. Well fast forward to this past Friday (the 12th) and we found ourselves contacting a referral in some ghetto apartment complex. We knocked and the lady we were looking for, Torrie, answered almost immediately. We didn't even have to say anything to her. She basically just said "Oh! you guys got the memo! Awesome! Hey me and my boyfriend want to be taught by the missionaries...." Best door contact we've had in a long while! They were on their way out to something, but we set an appointment for this week. They requested to start up the 12 step addiction recovery program and we have the perfect fellowshipper to come with us for them. We're super stoked! And the best part was as we were chatting with them, the clouds decided to dump an ocean on top of us. We tried waiting it out for a few minutes but we needed to get going elsewhere haha so we through all our belongings in our backpack and ran out into the rain and took off on our bikes! We got SOAKED! Like seriously! We had to build two or three rafts to cross all the flash flood rivers on the roads and we probably resurrected like four times. We even had to climb the biggest hill in our area, which was pretty much a waterfall at that point. Crazy! We dried off in like an hour haha and we were fine. But yeah I have a strong testimony of fortune cookies now.
So yeah the french sisters had a baptism on Saturday. It was for Amy, who Elder Gomez and I taught way back in September in my first area! I got to interview her for her baptism on my birthday!! Best present ever! haha it was such a spiritual experience talking with her and seeing the progress she has made in the past several months, and to see how the gospel has truly blessed her life and changed her heart is remarkable. That's my favorite part of the mission right there! Her life is under much greater control now and she's soo happy....it's amazing! We got to be at her baptism. It was the best! We also went to another baptism in the district for a girl with selective mutism. I got to interview her as well. Such a sweet girl...didn't say hardly anything but she said enough. I can relate with that! haha I got to confirm her on Sunday! I just followed the spirit and blessed her with the capacity to fulfill her potential and to use the gift of the Holy Ghost in her life. Confirmations are my second favorite part of the mission! So yeah in other words, we've had a great week!
Hmm well that's about all for this week!
Love, Elder Payne!
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