September 10, 2023

Another great week in the Oregon Salem Mission! Fall is coming and we just passed our 6 month mark on our mission. The time is going so fast! Last Sunday we had a Sister's Devotional at a member's house. Normally they are right before transfers but this time we had it early before Sister Schellenberg left for Bolivia. She is one of our reassigned missionaries and was here for over 7 months before her Visa finally came through. When we told her it was finally time to go to Bolivia she exclaimed, "I don't want to go!" She had come to love our mission and we will miss her. Sister's Devotional had a theme about "hands" and how we are all the Savior's hands for the work that needs to be done and the people we serve. We each got our nails painted and then shared experiences on how we have been the Savior's hands this transfer.

In the office we were the recipients of the President's generosity as he took us all out to lunch not once, but twice this week. The first time was Labor Day and he always takes us out for holidays. The 2nd time was because he and Sister Phillips attended our District Council and then took us all out again! They are so kind and complimentary of the work that we do. There is always a little fun in the office and this week the Elders had some weird glasses they brought in. Never one to be left out Elder Rowan had to join in and let the Sisters take this picture of him. They posted it on the Zone Chat and said, "Caption this......"

It was MLC this week so that meant we prepared dinner for about 50. We decided to do Cafe Rio again since we had so many leftovers from the week before and it was a different group of missionaries. We made a new dessert, Oreo Poke Cake, that was super yummy! We also appreciated the help of Elders Rowan & Larson in serving and cleaning up. Elder Jacobsen let up know how excited he was for the meal and these other missionaries showed off their creations for us!

Jack's knee is doing a little better so we have been able to get out and do some walking the past few weeks. One day this week we actually even walked around the golf course trail again. It is so beautiful I had to take another picture of the trail we walk on.

We also got to attend the temple this week. My shirt matched the color of the flowers so I had to take a picture. The Portland Temple is actually in the city of Lake Oswego which is also the name of a real lake we have always wanted to check out. Turns out it is a private lake with houses on every inch of the shoreline. These houses are beautiful, expensive homes with private docks and boats sitting right outside. We stopped and googled a few of them and were shocked at the $5-9 million dollar sales tags. Guess we won't be moving there!

I have saved the best news for last! Yesterday we had our 1st convert baptism in the ward we attend!!! The missionaries met Andy about two months ago and have been teaching him ever since. He is such a great guy, so kind and humble. He loves the gospel of Jesus Christ and was so excited to enter the waters of baptism and receive the Holy Ghost! We have been sitting by him at church and he and Elder Rowan have become good friends. He asked Elder Rowan to give the talk on baptism at the Baptismal service and he did such a good job. It was a perfect talk, simple yet instructive, and the spirit was strong. Elder Rowan says that he knows he had help from Heavenly Father in preparing and giving the talk. I have not talked much about the baptism rate in our mission. I am learning that about 15-20 people are baptized each month in the mission. That is great but lower than I thought it would be so it was a really big deal for us yesterday. It was only the 2nd baptism in Newberg since we have been here. The 1st was in the Spanish Branch and now Andy. But the missionaries have lots of "friends" they are teaching now so we are hoping for more.

Andy's baptism reminded us of this scripture from Mosiah 18:8-11 that Elder Rowan shared in his talk. It reminds us of the covenants we make when we are baptized and the promise our Heavenly Father makes to us. Andy was just like these people, clapping his hands for joy, and exclaiming, "This is the desire of our hearts!"

"8 And it came to pass that he said unto them: Behold, here are the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another's burdens, that they may be light;

9 Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of cmfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life--

10 Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you?

11 And now when the people had heard these words, they clapped their hands for joy, and exclaimed; This is the desire of our hearts."