Living in the Breadbasket with Sister Magda: Baptisms!!!!!!

April 11, 2016

Hey Friends and Family how's it going?

This week I will share one story with you. Much like my mission farewell talk, there will be “flashbacks” to explain it all. So….pay attention!

It was a Thursday, March 24^th to be more precise, that my companion and I were going to go visit a less active member that we hadn't met before. We were just going to visit with him for a bit. As we were walking, we saw a young girl walking her little Chihuahua and we decided we were going to stop for a bit and talk to her. So we approached her and ask her name (N) and where she was from and what her dogs name was (Jo Jo)... all the get to know you questions. Then we went on to talk about the Book of Mormon and the Restoration and about baptism and she was actually really interested. We then asked her if we were to come back and teach her more and she found what we taught to be true if she would be baptized. She said she would if her foster mom would let her. Then we asked if we could come back tomorrow and visit with her and her foster mom. She told us that she wouldn't be there the following day, but her foster mom would and she would like that.

That next day happened to be exchanges, so I didn't get to go over because I was with Sister Williams (who is one of the STL's—Sister Training Leaders and is from Rexburg Idaho and is SUPER AWESOME!!). Sister Filigrana( from Connecticut) was the one who was with my companion Sister Tafua. Those were the two who went over to N.K.’s house but no one was home. Remember the less active person we originally were going to visit before we ran into N.K. and her Chihuahua? He was home, so Sister Tafua and Sister Filigrana went to talk to him and they talked for a while but he wasn't really interested in coming back to church right then but thanked them for coming by. When they turned around there was a car in N's driveway so they went over and knocked on the door. A lady, “K”, answered and Sister Filigrana and Sister Tafua start talking to her about our church and asked if she had ever talked to missionaries before. She said, “No,” but her Aunt in Cunningham was a member...

Now for a little back story. Sister Tafua before she came to the Wichita Rolling Hills ward served in the Pratt Branch and Cunningham was part of the Pratt Branch. Sister Tafua was like, "WHO?????" and K said, “Sister Mayne,” and sister Tafua was like, "SISTER MAYNE! I LOVE SISTER MAYNE!!" K said, "I was just about to call her before you stopped by!" So my companion, Sister Tafua, her exchange companion for the day, Sister Filigrana and K talked to Sister Mayne (K’s aunt) for a little bit. Then afterward the Sisters talked to K about the church. K replied that she had always wanted to go to church with her Aunt Mayne but she always seemed to get sick when she was visiting and they couldn't go.

Sister Tafua and Filigrana invited "K" to come on a church tour and go to the General Woman's Broadcast at the 29th street building and she said she would love to. The next day I was back with my companion and we gave her and her other foster daughter “J” a church tour, enjoyed a dinner before the broadcast and then we all watched the broadcast. They loved it! (“J” is only 13 yrs., so you could tell 1 ½ hrs were a little long for her, but she still liked it.) “N”—the first foster daughter that we met who had the Chihuahua, was at work so she couldn't come that day.

The next thing we did was to invite them to Church at 9:00 am the next day. The mom, “K,” said she would love to come. So on Easter Sunday we woke up and saw SNOW EVERYWHERE!! Right away we were a little worried. We waited and waited at the church but she didn't come which was so sad because she was so excited. So we called her after sacrament meeting and she said she was so tired because she had to pick “N” up from work at midnight and didn’t get to bed until 3 in the morning. We asked her if she could make the 12:00 pm sacrament meeting even though it was a different ward and she said she would. The time ticked along and we waited and waited and right at 11:50am ... THEY PULL IN!! Sister Tafua and I were so happy and she really liked it! “K”, “N”, and “J’ decided that they wanted to be baptized on April 9^th which was two weeks from then!

Of course, the next week was full of trials... We taught them some more and on Wednesday we get a call from “K” saying her foster daughter, “N” was in the hospital with three Blood Clots in her lungs! So we prayed and prayed for “N” and continued to call and talk with “K.” “N” got better and came out of the hospital and then got bad again and had to go back into the hospital. Eventually “N” came out of the hospital for good and was doing a whole lot better. The only concern was she couldn't walk that much. Then, the week before the baptism, “ J” said she didn't understand baptism and wasn't sure if she wanted to get baptized. So we talked to her and taught her about baptism and she said that she would pray about it and decide on Wednesday if she would. Wednesday they had their baptismal interview and all of them EVEN “J” decided to be baptized!!!

We were so happy. So we fitted into the white jumpsuits and then we got the program set up and Saturday at 9:00am they came and were BAPTIZED!!!!! It was the most amazing thing ever! Then, Sunday they came to church and got confirmed and they received the most amazing blessings I’ve ever heard. “N” had to take “K” home but “J” stayed for all 3 hours and loved it! Sister Tafua jumped into Sunday school for the 12 and 13 year olds and taught them the 10 commandments and now when we see them we quiz them and they always get it right. Then she didn't even wait for us and just followed everyone to Young Women’s and then went home and told her foster mom, “K” all about it.

So that's the story about the past two weeks and the baptism. “K”, “N”, and “J” are such amazing women they have changed so much since the first day we met them and the whole ward absolutely loves them!

Funny Story: we were over at “K’s” house and Sister Tafua's mom (from Laie, Hawaii) sent Lei's to give to people who are getting baptized and so she told them this. “J” then asked why would your mom send you chips?....hahahaha (Lays. Get it. Lays Potato Chips. Ha. Ha. Ha.)