Baptisms...

Dear Family and Friends,

Opportunities are always around us to speak to others about the Savior and the Restored Gospel. Vicki has been back and forth to the laundry room today. I have to say I am very proud of her for her willingness to speak to others. She reported that a 36 y.o. lady from downstairs came up to do laundry while Vicki was working on ours. Vicki promptly took some choc. chip cookies and a pass-along card and gave them to her. They had a series of conversations from which Vicki learned that the lady is from Bulgaria. Apparently the US offers 15,000 green cards in a lottery every year. This lady put in for one 5 years ago and luckily got one. She now wants to become a US citizen. She learned to speak English by listening to songs and then translating them. Vicki says she speaks perfect English. When the lady came back to the laundry room she brought cheese cake in exchange for the cookies. We tried it for lunch. Vicki concluded that we probably traded up on the treats. Vicki asked if she'd like to learn about Jesus Christ coming to America. The lady responded that if she did, she would call Vicki. She said she grew up under Communism and has no knowledge of Jesus Christ, and no present desire to learn. I am not trying to protect this lady's name. She gave it to Vicki, but she says it was absolutely unpronounceable. So there's a little missionary effort for today . . . and the day is not yet over.

Sunday and Saturday were sweet days for the branch. On Saturday three baptisms took place, first since our arrival. On Sunday, their confirmations. One of them was hna. Cecilia Roman. Since we arrived in Kenosha, we have been accompanying the elders in their teaching appointments with Cecilia. On Sundays she usually has her grandchildren with her at church. They accompany her to meetings. We are their transportation most of the time. The granddaughter, Anahai is 9, and in my primary class. Angel, the extremely active grandson is 5, and in Vicki's class. Their mother Vanessa, we have met a few times and invited her to listen to the lessons. Her work schedule makes it almost impossible to meet with her. We encouraged hna. Cecilia to invite her family and friends to the baptism. When we picked up Cecilia on Saturday for the baptismal service, she had the grandchildren with her, but indicated that Vanessa and her other family that she invited had to work and would not be able to attend. She was obviously disappointed. We had taken the elders to the chapel at 11 AM to get the font filled and get things set up. Vicki and I had purchased a cake with congratulations and all three names on it in Spanish. Other branch members brought treats for afterwards. The second and third baptisms were hna. Dominga Morales, mother of hno. Emilio Aquino, who has been the elders quorum president. (On Sunday, hno. Aquino was sustained as the second counselor in the branch presidency.) Hna. Dominga is probably in her mid 70s I would guess. Her son German Aquino, hno. Emilio Aquino's younger brother, was the third baptism. German came from Mexico in January. He is probably in his mid 30s. The Sp. elders working in Racine taught Dominga and German. Elders who had previously taught hna. Cecilia, who now serve in Milwaukee (Wright & Kanahele), were given permission to come for the baptism. There was a lot of hugging and picture taking before the service got started. Actually it was delayed by about 20 minutes to allow for all this to happen and by the fact that the Sp. branch runs pretty much on "natural time," not on clock time. By then a goodly number had arrived for the service. Just as the WML got up to begin the service, Vanessa, hna. Cecilia's daughter came in. What a miracle! It was her first time to be inside the church. The baptizers were hno. Flores for Cecilia. The Flores family has been a wonderful fellowshipping family for her. Dominga was baptized by her son, hno. Aquino. German was baptized by Elder Cuevas, one of the Racine elders. It was a wonderful Spirit-filled occasion. There were at least two NMs present. I know they felt the Spirit. The talks given by branch members, and the special musical number by Elder Kanalele all added to the specialness of the service. Upon completion of the service, of course there was the celebrating with food and soda that is part of the experience. It was all very nice. The members made special efforts to greet Vanessa and welcome her. Hopefully she will open up to listen to the lessons. Hopefully also, she will allow Anahai to be baptized. She is ready now. She has her own scriptures, has been present for several of the lessons with her grandmother, and has attended church meetings many times. We will see if the divorced parents will give permission. Having Vanessa present was a big step towards that I think.

On Sunday, fast Sunday for us, because of last week's stake conference, the confirmation of hna. Cecilia and hna. Dominga took place. Hno. German had to work on Sunday, so hopefully next Sunday he will be confirmed. Cecilia was confirmed by hno. Flores. German was confirmed by hno. Aquino, and Dominga by her grandson, who is getting ready to turn in his mission papers. Very nice.

Looking back, things that can be improved including the missionaries taking time to make sure those performing he ordinances know how to do it properly. Also a dry-run with the investigators would be helpful. It was all new for all of them. The branch president was the coach to make sure things were done properly. Also, for whatever reason, the WML who conducted the baptismal service on Sat., was not invited to stand in the priesthood circle for the confirmations on Sun. Priesthood brethren are strengthened by having opportunities to use the priesthood. They need to be taught how to do it and included. Obviously that can improve.

Now we are faced with the next step for each of these new converts. The missionaries are all about baptizing them. The members need to be all about keeping those who get baptized. The missionaries will be involved with re-teaching the lessons for a time, then they should be on to teaching more investigators. Of course there are no branch missionaries to help with the transition, that is none except Vicki and me. So we will need to help the branch in the retaining process. The steps are the same for everybody. Get them to find some family names, and get them to the temple to do baptisms for the dead. Vicki and I can do that with each of them. But if we do not involve members in the process, what will happen when we go home? The same thing that has happened before we came. We want to be strengtheners, not enablers. We've had some experience with both. There is still much more work to do.

On Thursday we spent a good part of time having a medical procedure done. It was called a TEE (trans-esophageal echocardiogram). Something I've not had before, helpfully not again either, not that it was painful or anything like that. I'm just ready to be done with all the medical stuff. It is all really associated with the changing of doctors that our move here has necessitated. I think it is really good in the long run. A new set of eyes, a new brain processing the info, is not all bad. Because the new family dr. heard a heart murmur he referred me to the cardiologist. He ordered an echocardiogram to study the heart valves. Not being satisfied with the echocardiogram, he wanted a TEE to get a better, more defining look at my valves. In the end he was satisfied that there was nothing wrong that turning back time some 40 years would not fix for me. In all people as they age, changes take place in their temporal bodies. The valves which were at one time very thin and delicate have thickened some over time. They are still able to do their job adequately. I will not be able to use heart valve trouble as an excuse for not pressing on. I'm glad for that. We are not done with the medical visits yet. A colonoscopy has been scheduled for April fools day. It is just to follow up on the colon surgery from last year getting ready to serve our mission. I think the medical community sees us older people as profit centers to be worked to the extent that we can be worked. Nevertheless, we are grateful for good medical care. It is truly a blessing.

Something has been rattling in the back of the Pilot for the past couple of weeks. I finally checked it out and found that the bolts were coming out on the door latch. Trying to tighten them myself, I found that I'd have to get inside the plastic trim. I gave up and took the car over to a nearby body shop. The estimator checked it out and said they could fix it while I waited. He said he would estimate it for 1/2 hour work time, which would be about $30. I gave the okay to do it and he invited me into the waiting room. I picked up the Kenosha News and quickly glanced it over. I was just about to reach for the current issue of Sports Illustrated, and was looking forward to it, when the estimator came into the waiting room holding the keys out to me. He said it was ready to go. I was shocked and a little disappointed that my reading time was cut short. I reached for my wallet and he shook his head saying there was not charge. What a nice guy. What a nice place to do business. Hopefully we will not need (car) body work while we are here, but if we should, you know where we will take it. They know something about treating people right there. Actually we have found that people generally are like that here in the Midwest. They are friendly and quick to help. We are glad to be serving here.

Tomorrow will be our DTM (district training mtg.) We will get to recite some of the memorized things: the March scripture (D&C 123:12), our Missionary Purpose, the Standard of Truth . . . . It is good for me to memorize good things. I often find myself reciting things to myself in the quiet time before I drop off to sleep. Sometimes I drop off in the middle of something. Hope that's okay. The first part of the Standard of Truth says, "The standard of truth has been established . . ." I often think about what that should mean to me. The word "standard" has several definitions. One that I like is: "something set up and established by authority as a rule for the measure of quantity, weight, extent, value, or quality." When I think of the true "standard of truth" being established by the restoration of the gospel, I then know that I have a true point of reference, real truth, for measuring all things against. That standard of truth does not change. What a powerful tool to have at my disposal. I am so very thankful to have that "standard of truth" to bless my life and protect me from the many imitations and perversions that exist. What an amazing thing to have the "standard of truth" regarding Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ and His wonderful plan to bring His children back to him. I have no excuse for sitting on the sidelines and wondering what might be true or not true. I can know what is true! All I have to do is follow it faithfully. That's my testimony to each who reads this.

Love to each of you!

Charles & Vicki