So I got the call last Wednesday that I was going to train this transfer and I met the new missionary at transfer meeting today. I'm happy to report that we're staying in Far Rockaway for probably the next three months at least. I've been here four already, bring on the next three. I'm loving it here still. My companion's name is Elder Hart, he's from Logan, Utah. He's a really awesome guy, I'm really excited to work with him. The best part is that he got baptized about 16 months ago, so he's really excited to work out here. It's going to be a great transfer, we're going to do some solid work here.
Not much has really changed from last week. We're getting
more organized to put on this concert this coming Sunday. It's going to
be an awesome concert. This week is dedicated to spreading flyers for
the concert. That's really our only goal at this point. Spread the word
as much as possible to get as many people as we can at the concert. Then
they'll hopefully feel the Spirit and want to learn more.
Last Sunday was quite the day. Things got started in
Sacrament Meeting. Scott Madden was going to be confirmed by his
brother, David. When he got up to the front, he decided that he wanted
me to do it. I was completely unprepared, but I got up and confirmed him
a member of the church. It was actually a really cool experience. Then,
right after Sacrament Meeting, we went in the Branch President's office
and I got to give him the Aaronic Priesthood and ordain him as a
priest. That was pretty cool too. He had already been interviewed and
the Branch President presented him to the branch right after his
confirmation. So Scott is really progressing a lot. We're hopefully
going to get him to the temple soon to do baptisms for the dead. The
only dilemma is that the temple is closed at the moment. So hopefully we
can get him there soon.
I got to teach seminary again after church, always
an adventure. I got no preparation time, as usual, so I just winged it.
It wasn't perfect, but it hopefully taught the kids something new. After
seminary, we went right over to the chapel in Lynbrook for another
baptism in the Rockaway Branch. We use the chapel in Lynbrook because
it's the closest chapel with a baptismal font in it. It was a 17 year
old girl named Aliyah that the AP's have been teaching. She's pretty
cool because she has a friend in the branch her age named Sam who
brought her to church one Sunday. The missionaries started meeting with
her and she loved it and now she's baptized. She's got a really solid
testimony. The baptism was really nice. Usually at baptisms, the
complaint is that the water is too cold. The funny part about Aliyah's
baptism was that the water was too hot. That literally never happens, so
it was hilarious. They opened up the doors to the baptismal font and
steam started pouring out. Elder Munday stepped in the water and said
nope, this water is way too hot to baptize someone in. We started
draining some water and pouring in cold water. Someone ran to the
kitchen and brought in a bag of ice to throw in the water. After about
ten minutes, it was cool enough to baptize her, though it was still
pretty hot water. Definitely a once in a lifetime experience though.
Aliyah joked that she must have prayed too hard for the water to be
warm.
We had a cool lesson with Lisa last week. I was on
exchanges with one of the zone leaders, Elder Mitchell, and we pretty
much taught her all the commandments of the church in one lesson.
Usually those are split up between multiple lessons, but she was loving
it so we kept teaching them. All she needs is to come to church and we
can set a baptismal date with her. I'm really excited to keep working
with her. Hopefully we can have a good lesson with her this week and get
her to church this Sunday and definitely get her family to come to the
concert too. That would be super cool.
So I'm still working hard out here. I'm really
excited to get this brand new missionary. Elder Hart is ready to work
hard and from talking with him so far, he's going to make a really good
missionary. This is going to be a great transfer.
Love you guys!
Elder Erickson
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