I am so grateful to each of you. Your letters and emails for me this week were so needed and such a sustaining joy- hearing the good works you are all endeavoring in and the success God is granting you fills my soul with joy!! I am so proud of hearing of your good works and accomplishments and most especially for the eternal lessons that can be learned from them!
Cierra's baptism took place this week- her whole family came!!!!!!!!!! it was a very different baptism experience- we made the program entirely based on the wishes of Cierra and helping it to be focused on her family. They all loved the church- this was monumental and a huge step closer to their dad allowing his daughters to be baptized- we gave them a church tour and they kept saying, "oh dad can't we go to this church? we love this church!" It was one of the most beautiful, calm, still, smooth baptisms i have ever witnessed. then her little niece raykell tapped me and said, "I want to be baptized. Just like that." ah- it really tugged my heart! they said the prayers at her baptism (her and Harmyni) and then we did a special musical number haha bc her dad can play REALLY WELL and we wanted to involve him really badly so we had him play a VERY gospelly, soulful "Amazing Grace" and me and my comp. and Harmyni and Raykell sung to that whole congregation- it was so out of my comfort zone and i was so nervous about it!! haha bc seriously he was going all out- but we did it for Cierra it made her and her dad SO HAPPY and so i loved it once we were up there- everyone was laughing and clapping and I just went all gospelly and went for it and everyone loved it!! haha we didnt even really get to practice before haha o man it was so awesome- that was the most unself conscious I think I have ever been- and it just made her so happy! everyone after was like- "that pians and song has never been sung like that! amazing!" haha it was funny also my comp sis. harris hates singing so that added to our nerves before haha but i loved it! it ended up going great! Cierra felt so special and so many people came!!!
Another highlight- a few weeks ago i went on an exchange with a sister on FSU campus and they are in desperate need of new investigators. I prayed all day that the Lord would be with us and help me know how to help bc i was nervous since i have never been on campus before- but i really prayed- and when we went to campus I was CONFIDENT we would find someone- and i told the sister that, which made her excited- well- we did find someone- there was a girl sitting in the middle of the busy campus square and i felt that tug and pull- so we went for her! It all started with me saying, "Ah! I love your shoes- I have the same ones!) and i do they are hot pink nike trainers like i had at home- well then we got to talking- i told her we were missionaries- she told us all she has been through and wow- is this woman amazing! so prepared- well to make a long story short- we ended with getting her number and inviting her to church, hugging her and a powerful bond between us. and then i went home and came back to my area. well- last night i got the news from that campus sister- London (that was the girls name we talked to) is getting baptized march 16th!!!!!!!!!!!! I cried my face off!!!!!!!!! I cannot express what a powerful experience and testimony to me of the power of God and the reality of Him! This really is His work, He really does lead us and will use us if we seek him out and then press forward in faith!! I know God placed her DIRECTLY in our path that day, and i know that is because I DIRECTLY prayed for that all day, and FULLY RELIED ON HIM- I cant express how amazing it was to get that news- i will never forget that. God answers prayers- we have to have the faith to ask, and then the courage to act to help it come to pass.
I have truly come to trust God. My missoin has accelerated and intensified and compacted that understanding in ways i know would not be possible for me any other way. Everytime I am faced with something that pushes me beyond my comfort zone (which takes a lot) I turn to Him like my life depends on it, because it does, because there are so many who depend on me and I know it- so I have to go to Him so I don't break- and EVERYTIME I have done that- I SEE LITERAL MIRACLES. Miracles like contacting a young woman bc she just happened to be sitting right where we were walking on that massive campus, and i just happened to feel that tug in my heart and pull to her- that is straight from God bc He knows London's heart, and that she was ready, and He knows I am there seeking and trusting that He will lead us to find those hearts prepared- because of that, London is now being baptized in 2 weeks! I trust the Lord- He has showed me over and over again- He is in control- He has a plan! Because these personal experiences on my mission when i thionk my future before me i feel at complete peace bc I know God will lead me. I truly have learned to fully trust in God- I feel so free and at peace and grateful.
there is a lot more i want to say but don't have time! but Elder Ballard is next week and me and Sister Harris got invited over to Presidents house for dinner! I am so excited- This week has been very high stress and exhausting- but I can honestly say that I have felt God with me every step of the way, walking with me. One day we hadn't eaten all day and I was starting to feel really sick- so was my comp- and we just had lesson after lesson- so said a prayer bc my vision was all blurry bc i was just so depleted- so i said a prayer for help- and then the next house we went to (her name is tosh we taught a new investigator we found 2 weeks ago) she opens the door and says, "sisters I just baked some bread!" and she went and brought us both a slice!! i could have cried- haha we then went on to teach her the Restoration with our renewed energy :) but it was funny bc after that i told my comp- "that was like manna from heaven" haha it was hilarious- bc it literally was. Anyways- God knows how to provide for His children if we ask in faith and then keep working! Love you all!!!!!
Sister Bertoldo
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