"Hey everyone!!
This has been such a crazy week... as always, but here we go!
I had my first baptism on Saturday the 21st! Her name is Kimberley Gonzalez! She is super wonderful and has such a strong testimony and firm beliefs of the gospel! The whole time we were thinking she was already a member. She was absolutely golden! We taught her all the lessons in less than a week and a half, and it was really stressful because we were team teaching with the temple square sisters and we could only go through Kimberley if we needed to talk to them. We were pretty sure she loved them more than she loved us! haha But it's ok. She is amazing and we love her so much! I know that she is going to be such an amazing influence towards her family and hopefully one day bring the rest of her family along. It was fun to see the changes she made and fully come unto the Lord! The gospel really brings happiness and joy! I could honestly see how happy she was after she was baptized and it was incredible!
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| Sister Widdison, Kimberley Gonzalez, and Sister Barclay |
Not only did I love watching one of my investigators get baptized but I loved the talks and the lessons that were shared! Elder Crouch and Elder Johnson got up and started teaching the restoration because we had a ton of investigators at the baptism! Man, let me just say, the restoration of this gospel has never hit me stronger than it did while they were teaching! I know that Joseph Smith restored the gospel and I know that Thomas S. Monson leads and guides our church today under our Heavenly Father. I know that Heavenly Father loves me and knows me personally, and I know that Jesus Christ died for me and the atonement is real. That hit me like a ton of bricks! I realized how cool it was that not only was I teaching the missionary discussions to investigators, but I was learning for myself that everything we teach as missionaries and as Latter-day Saints is true! Elder Johnson talked about why we, as missionaries, wear our name tags and why our names are always directly about Jesus Christ's, and it was because Jesus Christ is always lifting us up and we will never be alone as long as we keep Heavenly Father close to our hearts!
Lately, I have been thinking what if I was investigating the church. How scary would it be to start gaining a testimony and to believe what these 18, 19 year olds are telling me! Then I realized that we are all investigating the church because we are always learning and digging deeper into the gospel; we never stop learning! Last Sunday, the bishop felt really inspired to have this lady get up and bare her testimony and she was super nervous, but she said she didn't have a 'traditional testimony'... I didn't really think much of it until the speaker this Sunday said, "I hope I don't have a traditional testimony. I want my testimony to be unique and from my heart!" And that is exactly what I want too!! So I'll keep working at it!
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| Sister Barclay laughing with Sister Widdison |
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| Sister Barclay with the ward missionaries |
Right before the baptism on Saturday, we had Zone Conference and Elder Kapishka was the speaker. He talked about how we, as missionaries, need to not just look at the number of baptisms or investigators we have but really love the people we are serving and look at them like Heavenly Father would. He talked a lot about being together as companions; always finding ways to teach and be the best missionaries God would have us be! It was so awesome! He was so cool!!
It was a really good week and I'm so grateful I get this opportunity to come closer to my Heavenly Father! Thank you for all your letters and support y'all give me! I love y'all and each y'all!
Hope y'all have a good week!
Sister Barclay"
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