The biggest examples of this were on Saturday, when we had the baptism of the titular "Little Old Lady From Gosi Norte," Sister Adoracion Macarubbo. She is well into her 80's, got married when she was 14 to a 25 year old who saw her at a beauty pageant, can't remember her marriage date, or any of her kids birthdays, and is all around probably one of the darndest old ladies I've ever met in my life, and I've met some pretty darnded old ladies, I tell you what.
Anyway, she got baptized on Saturday, and the baptism started about half an hour late because we were waiting for the 17 year-old recent convert who was speaking about the holy ghost. when she finally got there she said she was shy, to which I replied, that's fine, because there's only 5 people here. She gave her talk, it was great, and then Elder Adams took sister Adoracion into the font to baptize her. I was one of the witnesses, so I got a front row seat to what I'm about to describe to you: Elder Adams says the ordinance just fine, and then he takes this woman who has been alive since 1936, and used a form of baptism I thought was lost to the ages, as he dunks this bona fide great grandma into the water and then lifts her out again with such precision and such ferocity I was surprised this woman could walk out of the font by herself. Holy smokes it was something else.
Later that day, we had two baptismal interviews from our district leader, Elder Inoc, who's leaving this Tuesday to go back home. It was great to see that guy one last time, and it was also great to get two people who we've been working with for the past six weeks to pass a baptismal interview.
Lastly, in a less traditionally happy go-lucky sort of situation, while we were eating lunch at a member's house, and the member (and also a youth who strolled in) asked us what happened to a certain young adult in our branch. I'm not going to go into a lot of details, but from what they said, it was pretty clear he was going through some form of depression pretty publicly, and they were scared for him, and asked us to drop in on him. We did, and we were just talking to him about what he was going through, and how he might be able to receive comfort. I shared one of my favorite scriptures with him, which is found in Isaiah 49: 14-16, and is quoted in the Book of Mormon in 1 Nephi 21:14-16.
14 But, behold, Zion hath said: The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me—but he will show that he hath not.
15 For can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee, O house of Israel.
16 Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.
I explained to him that we are Zion; we are the Lord's people, and sometimes it feels like he's forgotten us and left us alone in our trials. Even a mother could forget her child, but the powerful testimony here is that the Lord CANNOT forget us. It is IMPOSSIBLE. Through his atoning sacrifice, Jesus Christ wrote every single one of our names on the palms of his hands, and Roman nails were his pen. For God so LOVED the world ... God so LOVED us ... God so LOVED you ... God so LOVED me, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Love,
Elder Menzie
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| Elder Adams and I right after the baptism |
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| Everybody after the baptism |
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| Elder Adams and I got one last picture with Elder Inoc before he left |
