hermana hilary: our week...

So since Hermana Acosta is a new missionary, she is generally pretty tired when we get home and is passed out before I finish writing in my journal.. I have found myself, for the past couple nights, sitting in front of our little made up Christmas tree, thinking to myself, "Yup... I wanna open em" Which I couldn't do because I have told Hermana Acosta that we had to wait to open our presents till Christmas day. We have to wait till Christmas day to open our own presents... not each others!! So I convinced myself that I could open a couple of Hermana Acostas presents without her knowing and it would satisfy my little desire to open presents!! It was successful.. So I can tell you for a fact that she is going to love it all! There were a few so perfectly and beautifully wrapped that I didn't dare touch them but the rest.. hahaha that's some good stuff!

We had a bit of a crazy week..

MONDAY:

-P-day

-found an investigator family

TUESDAY:

-New York trip that took a LONG time.. because of miscommunication. We went as a zone.. thats 25 people to keep together. So much fun and I absolutely love the temple and New York!

WEDNESDAY

-Specialized training for new missionaries in Morristown

-New York Traffic

-Train travels all night to pick up a car so that our zone could all get to the Jingle with the Jeppsons the next morning

THURSDAY:

-Jingle with the Jeppsons (so awesome! Our Zone did receive the "worste bell ringers award)

-District meeting

-New York traffic (I now fully understand why I am in a walking area) but we dropped the car back down south and found our way back to the U.C.

FRIDAY:

-All-Mission Conference in Morristown

-Alex Boye (enough said)

SATURDAY:

-ward breakfast

-Baptismal interview (Marilyn)

-Ward party

SUNDAY:

--Baptism!!!!--

We have been working with Marilyn since I got here basically. She is 14 years old, from Mexico, and now the second member in her family. Her mom was baptized a few years ago and when we went to meet with her (because she was a less-active) she brought Marilyn. I assumed she was a member but at the end of the lesson, out of my mouth pops "you're a member right?" Well that's where it started. She was a little shy with us at first but about a month ago, picked her own baptismal date and has been progressing ever since!

I've never met a person this timid.. and it only has to do with pictures and big groups of people. Welcome to our baptismal service. Pictures took some time.. but we did get them! and then the moment she was going to get baptized.. Well lets go a few hours before and pass over the time when the elder asked me if I thought 80 degrees was warm enough for the font. "Yup.. should be fine" It was VERY cold. Especially for Latinos. Oops.. that combined with the group of people watching her turned into a bit of a problem. But luckily we have the best bishop in the world the just stayed in the font and while the group sang we ran the hot water and she got a pep talk from him! She was super nervous she was going to do it wrong.. The bishop was pretty aware and he knew it would destroy her is she had to do it twice so after the prayer he shoved her in the water and then one more of Gods children entered into the straight and narrow!

It really is the most wonderful time of the year!!

Hermana Schwendiman