4/7/14 | "It was the best day(weekend) of my life!"

Family!
Wow! What a weekend! I honestly didn't see things rolling out like they did these last few days. It went from "It doesn't look like we will be going to the Temple Open House" and "It doesn't look like Katniss(investigator who was baptized) is going to be baptized" to "Wow!" Many miracles happened this last week to make it happen like it did. I'll start by sharing some back story on Katniss. I don't believe I've ever mentioned her before because of her predicament.

3 years ago she was taught by missionaries, they said something stupid and she dropped them. She lives with a lifelong Less-active member, lets call him Peeta. During the last 3 years she and him went back to drinking and doing illegal drugs. Randomly Peeta decides to come back to church the first Sunday I'm in this ward and brings Katniss with him. During those 3 years she forgot almost everything the previous missionaries had taught her. Elder Whitney and I try and try to visit with her but cannot until the end of last transfer. Katniss loved us and was soaking up everything that we taught her and increased in her faith and testimony.

Elder Rodgers comes in and we continue to prepare her for baptism. The reason that I lacked the faith that I would see her be baptized is because of the Law of Chastity issue here. Peeta hasn't divorced from a previous marriage so he and Katniss cannot be married, thus they are breaking the law of chastity. We continue to teach her and she wants to be baptized so bad! Next thing we know she is extremely sick, so we go and give her a blessing and she starts to feel better. Next day she is almost dying in the hospital. We lose contact with her for 2 weeks. Last Tuesday she comes out of the hospital and gives us a call and tells us that she is alive because of the blessing we gave her and because of God. While in the hospital she had an experience with God where He let her live if she promised to be baptized. She promised!

While on an exchange Elder Rodgers and Elder Melander taught the Law of Chastity and Word of Wisdom, Peeta willingly decides to sleep on the couch. We call President Anderson and explain the situation and how they both have no where to go. He give the OK to baptize her. We go to the Temple with them on Friday (the most beautiful Temple I've been in, it is an amazing Temple) where she had an interview with President and then they came to conference on Saturday and she was baptized Sunday. The Spirit was SO STRONG! It was tangible! This is the purpose of missionary work! To bring others unto Christ! What an amazing, amazing miracle!

General Conference takes on a whole new face when on a mission. It was amazing! I was out here for last general conference, but it was my 2nd weekend in the mission and I wasn't too focused. There were so many good talks! I'll be excited to have the ensign when I can read them.

That was basically my week. I also studied Jacob 5. I used to dislike that chapter because it's long and doesn't make a whole lot of sense. But I decided to legitimately study it. It makes so much sense now! The Spirit taught me so much and gave me a lot of insights that I hadn't thought of before. So my thought of the week is to strive to study with the Spirit. It makes all the difference in your studies.

I love you guys and have a great week in Cancun!
Love,
Elder Spencer Bailey
p.s alyssa I'm in to go backpacking across Europe, one problem though, Nutella doesn't grow on trees, so we will have to buy some before we go;) and sweet castle pics!