MIA got baptized!

Hello Family,

This week was grand! And stressful, but honestly what week isnt? So we started the week by teaching our lovely investigator Phillip on Monday night in our branch mission leader's home with him and his wife and his son Rylee came and sat in. I like team teaching with everyone. 

Okay so two weeks ago i was sitting here emailing and this man was like-- who are you? mormons? and we were like yeah! he's from New Zealand.  Anywho he said we could come over and teach him, so i got his info...then we never went and this morning i was thinking we need to visit that man and two seconds ago as i'm emailing guess who comes up behind me? and says "hey you havent visited me yet?" ...yup. Our dear friend from New Zealand named Darral. We're going tomorrow haha

Okay Tuesday was packed as usual teaching Ken with skype the Chinese elders and then visiting Joann and teaching Phillip again with Mark and Tabitha at the Fentons. I love the Fentons by the way. Joann is doing well and reading the Book of Mormon and marking things and asking questions. We taught Phillip with Paul Leao and Glen who is a recent convert (i love having RC at lessons because they can relate so much better than me) Tuesday is always a good day...

Sister Schaelling and the Gladstone view

Wednesday we went over to Bree's and helped her in her house and then taught Law of Chastity with the Fentons because they are mature and married. Bree is living with her partner and the lesson went really well and very spiritual.  Bree said she wants to be married...We also always teach Leyani from Sri Lanka on Wednesdays who is just so nice. We went over to Celeste after that and started teaching Celeste the Restoration. She is really kind and always laughing. Usually she is smoking when we teach but she quit! I never would have pinned her as progressing but she came to church on Sunday with her little boy Linkin, (yes its spelled like Linkin Park) and she really liked it. Judge not!

Wednesday we also taught the Sulit family, Joanna and Nino. We taught the Gospel of Jesus Christ and invited them to be baptized. They said of course they would, after they learn and understand more. Nino said he really wants to know everything he can and know its true. That is virtuous i suppose. He told us to please keep coming over because he wants to have the word of God in his home. We also taught Phillip again on Wedesday night about The Gospel of Jesus Christ. He is so humble and lonely its rather heartbreaking,. He says he feels like we are a family at church. I love that.

Sister Schaelling and cute boys

Thursday we did service putting a swing set together with the Fentons at a potential's house. Wow i am totally hiring someone to assemble it if i every buy a swing set. Not easy my friends! I learned about tools and lock washers and tee nuts. We didnt finish before we had to go. Jo gave us lunch and we headed out to Joann again and read the Book of Mormon together and after we went to Ardell and John the Chinese couple. We taught Gospel of Jesus Christ just the first two principles. I love teaching John, he is so humble and really his questions are just...adorable.  For example "Am  i allowed to talk with God for forgivenesss?" yes, you are :)  After that we biked back and i biffed it, my tire went parralell to the lip of the side walk and i hit the brakes and flew off landing in the grass.  It was rather hilarious.  I skinned my shin on my pedal and my hands got all black and greasy because i had to put the chain back on my bike.  what a day! We then read scriptures with our less active Bro. Ebert and then taught the less active PM Newton Family the Restoration

Friday we got to teach Dilys (now a member ;) and her non member mother Stella which was lovely!

Saturday was a big day!  We taught Mia, our eight year old investigator and elder Fenton came over to practice baptizing her. Elder Fenton says he loves having sisters around because he gets to do all the baptizing :)  We went over to our filipino investigator Arnelson's house and he wouldn't come out because he was hung over. We coaxed him out and he sat on his balcony while we sat on the ground below him and taught Word of widsom. it was kind of hilarious. We also set a baptism date for Nov. 16. Then we went and got him some lunch and came back and all ate together in front of his house. Then we taught Rosie!!! Love her, she said she wants us to teach her the lessons so she can understand. She feels warm when she prays but has difficulty knowing that God is there. Her questions are sincere and thought provoking

Sister Kyaw, Mia, Sister Schaelling--BAPTISM DAY!

THEN Mia got baptized that evening :) It was so cute. Her whole family came including her father Geoff who isnt really religious. Mia's friends came too, from Japan. Miyuki was her name, (the mother). We stood at the top of the stairs with Bree and watched little Mia get baptized, Mia was so excited in the water and practically jumping for joy it was so cute. Bree really felt the spirit and i think she will really progress now.  It was lovely :) Mia got confirmed on Sunday.

Sunday was lovely, we have significanly less investigators at church now because half of them got baptized but hey we aren't complaining! Celeste came for the first time:)

A full week, i love Gladstone, i love my companion, life is grand!

love,

Sister Schaelling