Sister Breanne Metcalf- Boise, Idaho Mission: Monday June 30, 2014

Companionship of 3

Well this week is one for the books, that is for sure! Three exchanges, a baptism, and transfers.

So for transfers I am staying!!!!! It is crazy, I am so excited to be staying in this area, i am actually staying with my companion, Sister Hatch! We are excited, it is funny though because a few months ago I kept saying how rare it was for companionship to stay together for 3 transfers, but not it is becoming more normal! I miss getting a new companion every transfer, but apparently the Lord needs us both in this area. I have decided that I want to train again, not that I have a say in it, but I really do miss training. I am not sure if my Mission President grants dying request, but it is worth it to try and ask. That is what I want, to train my last transfer. So they did open up an area in Idaho City, I was kind of hoping to be sent up there. President Winder and I had some talks about it, but apparently people think it isn't fit for sisters hahaha Maybe next year. He did ask me to extend for two more years, I told him I would be willing if he would ask President Monson.

So Saturday we had the Baptism of Mary, it is one that I don't think I will ever forget. She ended up having to be baptized 3 or 4 times(i lost count). I think Sister Hatch and I just have the curse of the threes or something hahaha So we got everything ready and filled up the font(that was a first for me having to do that). Tex(Mary's husband) and Mary show up about a half hour before. We got them their clothes and everything and after the changed they sat down. We saw that Tex was looking through his scriptures for something, when we asked him what it was for he said for the Baptismal prayer. My companion and I started getting a little nervous because we thought they might of gone over everything and that he would of showed her how to hold his hands and everything but he did not. SO we had to do that with them, and we ended up having to write down what Tex had to say and tape it on the glass. So they had chosen some of their friends to give the talk, the person who was suppose to give the talk on Baptism, i think mentioned the word baptism once. In the beginning he brought up his grandson and asked him if he was excited for his baptism. His grandson responded "ya, but I am more excited for cub scouts". From there he talked about fellow shipping and the 3 things she needed to stay active in the church. Luckily the person giving the talk on the Holy ghost talked about both Baptism and the Holy Ghost, she eccentrically read talks from conference. Then came time for the baptism, well the font in our stake center is a little different than others. It is a small rectangular shape in the front so if you aren't staying as far forward in the font then there is a chance the person getting baptized will hit their head. We filled up the water level as high as it would go, with this font they have a tall pipe so the water level will only go so high before it starts going down the pipe into the drain. So for tall people this isn't the best set up. Well Mary is tall and she has carpal tunnel in her left hand so she really couldn't hold on to Tex's wrist that well. Her hand or feet kept popping up each time. Here is the other part that plays into everything. Tex got remarried to Mary recently, and his only son has had a hard time with it. He was at first not going to come to the baptism, but ended up deciding against it and ended up being a witness. Well his son is a little short tempered so he had no problem telling his dad what was going wrong, and it wasn't in a nice voice. You could tell there was so tension between them. Between each try he would kind of yell at his dad to step on her feet. After the 3rd try my companion went up and told them what to do calmly because her hand kept coming up. So after the 4th try she was fully immersed. But Tex didn't think so, so he started telling Mary what to do, his son just yells at his dad "Dad she is fine!". I was trying so hard not to laugh, my companion and I just went to the go greet Mary when she came out of the water. As she got ready to change to put the Cherry on top, she told us she had forgotten to bring a change of underclothes. And her change of clothes was mainly white. This baptism is one that I will never forget! But besides all that it was really good, it was awesome to of been able to teach her and see her baptized, you could see how happy she was after everything was said and done.

Yesterday we had dinner with Elvira, we had set that up the week before just in case one of us was getting transferred. When we first walked into her house the first thing she asked us was what was happening to us, to tell her the bad news. When we told her we were both staying her and her daughter just started jumping up and down shouting for joy and almost started to cry. That was a great feeling, to know that the people you teach truly care about you and you have made a difference in their lives. Yesterday was the first time that we had them go to their ward without us being there, Sister Hatch and I were a little nervous about it, but they told us how great it was. Elvira was saying how she never wants to miss church and how much happier she is. Her kids also really enjoyed church and Maya(her daughter) actually brought her friend with her as well that is not a member and her son Dennis actually prayed in church too! I am seriously so shocked, they both said prayers last night and they were amazing, you would of never guessed that they had never grown up in the church. Last night we taught Maya the first lesson. Both of her kids want to get baptized! It is so awesome! Elvira was talking about how excited her children are to go to church. So Dennis is going to summer camp for four weeks out in Missouri, and says he wants to take the lessons when he gets back. We talked to Maya and her mom and extended two baptismal dates, July 12th and August 9th. So either before or after Dennis gets back from summer camp. They will let us know which one when we see them Tuesday. Dennis will probably get baptized in September. The work is really picking up, Charlie is planning on getting baptized the end of August! We are really trying to work on finding new people to build up our teaching pool because after these baptisms then we have no investigators.

Things are really going good here, i seriously cannot believe July 4th is this Saturday! I plan on taking so NyQuil that night, hopefully that will knock me out hahaha I hope you all have a safe fourth of July! Don't forget your sunscreen, I know I won't with it being in the triple digits this week! I love you all so much and feel so blessed to have all your love and support! I seriously am loving every minute being up here, the ups and the downs! I wish you could be out here experiencing every minute with me. Keep reading your scriptures and saying your prayers. I love you!!!

Love

Sister Metcalf

Keep sending letters to 844 south curtis rd.(apparently i am still getting mail from my last place hahaha)