Sister Caroline Richards: Week 47: BAPTISM IN MBIZO

SUP FAM.

What an incredible week! So much good going down this side! I hope I can fit it all in. Sister Mpiyakhe and I are here in Harare for our first MLC (Mission Leadership Council) and are so excited to learn from the other missionaries in the mission. It will be a good couple of days.

So Nthando, our hysterical ward missionary, hit the jackpot again. In one of our lessons, an investigator told us she really loved reading Shakespeare. Well Nthando jumps in and says, "Would you know Shakespeare if you saw him?" and Elsje said, "well, yeah" to which Nthanda replied, "I am Shakespeare". Okay what the heck. Another 10 seconds of silence. "Alright alright it was a joke". First he claims he's Jesus the Christ, and now he's claiming Shakespeare! The kid's a hoot.

This week we had Elder Ellis of the 70 here for Zone Conference. We drove down to Gweru for the day and had seriously the most powerful meetings EVER. We were all asked to prepare a 5 minute talk on 2 Nephi 9 and then Elder Ellis was going to choose one Elder and one Sister to present. So we all walked in and he shook each of our hands and asked where we were from. Then he gave a presentation, and with my luck, I was chosen to give a talk. I was so nervous but it went really well. Afterwards he shook my hand and said, "Sister, that was the best talk I've heard in a really, really long time." Then, we had a meeting for District Leaders, Zone Leaders, and Sister Training Leaders where he trained us on helping Jesus Christ's sheep. I cannot even tell you how powerful it was. I came out having learned so much!

SOOOO we had our very first baptism this week! Ah! Wow. What a spectacular day. Trey is 17 years old and is one of the most incredible converts I have ever met. I could not be more confident saying that we taught repentance and baptized a convert. He worked SO hard on cleaning himself up with both Word of Wisdom and Law of Chastity issues and truly was a changed person as he entered the waters of baptism. He bore a powerful testimony of the power of the Book of Mormon in his conversion AND of the Word of Wisdom! It was so incredible. He came to a lesson with us on Sunday and was saying all the right things. My heart was just overflowing with joy. He has expressed his desire to serve a mission. There's really nothing in the world that brings more happiness than seeing a child of God truly repent!

Lastly, we taught this couple who were so in love and it was so gross and we were like okay sorry we're just trying to teach the gospel here. Well at one point in the lesson (keep in mind we're trying to teach the Restoration) the guy turns to his fiance and says, "YOU are my chocolate." Alright well back to the First Vision...

Everyone have an awesome week! Love you all!!

Love, Sister Richards

Trey with his little sister Chelsea.She joined the church about a year ago!

The happiest day!

Trey got so close with Bishop that he asked Bishop to baptize him!

Allison, who's a member, invited Trey to church for the first time in December. And now he's baptized! We're secretly hoping they're going to get married.