Monday we said goodbye to our car! It had 53,000+ miles on it, which was a very old car for the mission field! We used the sisters car while they drove ours down to Manchester for a meeting they had to go to and they took our new car back to us. We got it on Wednesday, but we didn't get a brand new car, some other sisters in Maine gave up their car and thats the car we got and they got the new car! Its probably a good thing. Elder Dally is a little crazy on the roads so Im secretly happy its an older car (30,000 miles) because I would be stressing out a lot if he was driving the brand new car around. haha Its a 2012 Chevy Malibu. It just like the one I had in my last area!
Anyway on Tuesday we had a wonderful day with Brother Duffy! We taught Norm, Kathy, and Rob and Misty. The cool part of the night was at Kathy's home. The whole family was there and we watched Between Heaven and Earth with them and it especially talks about the purpose of temples and is just really good at explaining them and helping investigators get an idea of what its like inside as well. Right after it finished, Kathy raised her hand and said, "sign me up!" haha We talked about it some more and she was just so excited to go and do baptisms for her relatives. She has got that spirit of Elijah already! I can't wait for her to go! She also prepared a dinner for her whole family (who got to watch this video as well) and for us and Bro. Duffy. She made a special veggie sauce for my spaghetti because she knows Im vegetarian! She is the sweetest!
I also went on exchange with Elder Lund. We were here in Damariscotta this time. We had a great time and got to do something pretty special! We got a call that day wondering if we could teach Duty to God to the Young Men that night. We obviously accepted. It ended up just being us 2, brother Duffy, and one young man "Zack Miginus" He is kind of the " I have to look cool type" so he acts like he isnt that interested in church. But when we got him alone and got to open us with us, he turns out to be a really great kid that needs some good role models. He lives with his grandparents (not totally sure why) but he doesn't get that dad figure that he needs. So I think it was really good we got to talk to him without the other young men.
And there were other cool things that happened but I will have to catch up one those things next week. so I can briefly talk about the baptisms!
Norm and Kathy were baptized on Saturday the 11th! They both were so ready and the program that we held at the church went so well. There was a lot of great support from the Branch. Kathy asked me to baptize her. I was so honored to do so. It was the first time baptizing someone, other than when I baptized for the dead at the temple. So it was so awesome to do it! It went perfectly fine and we finished up the program with another speaker, and 3 sets of missionaries were there including us so we all got a chance to bare our testimonies as well. There was a great spirit there! Then we all took pictures and had refreshments while Norm went home to change into his whites and everyone was ready for him at the Wiscasset Community Center! I was so impressed with how many people came to support him there at the pool. Elder Dally and I both walked in with him, but the pool was perfect because it was a very gradual slope that we was able to just use his walker and go right on in until he got up to his chest. Then Elder Dally said the prayer and he was able to dunk all the way under practically by himself. haha It went under perfectly the first time. And in fact he said, he felt so buoyant that it was harder to go under the water that it was to come up. He felt like we was going to flout away! haha It was so cool to see him make this big step especially when it was such a difficult thing for him to do physically! He went home wet because it was easier to change at his house. so we changed and then went over to his house to talk with him afterwards and he said he really had an enjoyable day, and talked about how surprised he was to see so many people come to see him baptized. He said he has already felt like he is part of the Branch family. I sure hope that continues and he always feels at home here. He is such a nice man, and I have grown to love him so much! They were both confirmed yesterday at church as well and it was so great to see that as well. So much of Kathy's family was still out there to support her at church as well. This is the start of her family all coming into the church I know it! She is going to make it happen too! She is already a great missionary! She talks about the church and us Elders to people all the time! haha
Anyway here are a few pictures that I have from the baptisms!
Well this week has been amazing and I also found out that I am staying here in Damariscotta for another 6 weeks! So is Elder Dally my comp. Our district leader Elder Lund is leaving to be a Zone Leader, and Sister Lundhol is also leaving but everyone else from our district is staying!
Miracles are happening all the time! Its the best!
Love you all!
-Elder Swalberg
 |
| Elder Dally, Kathy, Elder Swalberg |
 |
| Kathy, Elder Swalberg |
 |
| Elder Dahlberg, Elder Lund, Elder Dally, Elder Swalberg |
 |
| Norm, Elder Swalberg, Elder Dally |
No comments:
Post a Comment