This week consisted of lots of planning, phone calls and the likes all for Lanay's baptism. It went really well to say the least.
We had her new visiting teacher speak on baptism and she did a really good object lesson. Then she was baptized. Got dressed in half a second (she was in the military and things like that shows that she was), had a musical number, a talk on the Holy Ghost, she was confirmed and impromptu she shared her testimony/story about getting in contact with the missionaries.
First it starts with she being raised in a tiny town somewhere in Arizona where there happens to be a lot of Mormons. Her dad would tell her some things about the Mormons, nothing bad, not necessarily true, but he wasn't not resentful toward Mormons so she just knew that they were different from her. At her ten year reunion she realized that most of the guys she had had crushes on were Mormon. She recognized that they had a good focus on family values, were a strong community and seemed to have something different than she. Fast forward to last year in the Fall, a couple of Elders knocked on her door. Bad timing. Her baby, who has multiple medical conditions, was throwing up, she was upset, stressed out, and her daughter was yelling in the back ground. Needless to say, as she half-listened to the Elders she told them, "Another time would be best." Then weeks later, she was upset. She kept wondering, "Did I miss my chance? Did I really miss my chance?"
Then in clinicals for nursing school, one of the students ended up saying she was Mormon. Lanay and she went out to lunch with another gentleman and during the entire lunch they discussed Mormons. Later, at the end of the day, Lanay told said student that she would like to see her after class. This student, Jamie, thought Lanay was going to pay her back for lunch, so she thought it best not to return simply because she didn't want Lanay to pay her back. Lanay did not see Jamie the rest of the semester. Again she wondered, "Did I miss my chance?"
As luck, or the Spirit, would have it. Sister Kafoa and I were tracting one day, not having much success. Sister Kafoa had only been out about 7 days at this point. We decided to go try another area, and began to turn around. Then Sister Kafoa piped up and said timidly, "Sister Smith?"
"Yeah?"
"Do you mind if we just try one more door?"
"Sure."
So we go. I didn't really think much of it, but trying to have Sister Kafoa have good experiences following the Spirit, I was fine with following her suggestions. We knock and Lanay immediately let us in. At her baptismal service she said that as soon as she saw us she thought, "I'm not letting them leave this time!"
Third time's the charm.
We met quickly, left her with some material and set up an appointment. Two days later we returned and had a wonderful lesson with her that began her journey learning about the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. Now she is a baptized and confirmed member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
All thanks to good examples around her in her youth, and for Sister Kafoa following the Spirit.
The baptism was beautiful and she's already preparing to go to the temple to do baptisms there.
Love y'all,
Sister Smith
