January 2 & January 9, 2012

Baptism on January 8, 2012 of Luis by Elder Ryan Farmer

January 2, 2012
Hello Family: This is going to be a good year and I’m sure the Lord has some awesome stuff in store for me. Church on Sunday was great . . . after church we baptized Diego (12) AND Yeiko (14). They are the kids of the inactives that we found about a month ago. The mom and dad got baptized about 15 years ago and met at a church activity. We were originally going to baptize Diego on Thursday and Yieko on the 15th of January, but the parents wanted them to be able to do it together and on a Sunday so that the Dad could attend when he doesn’t have work. So we did so, and the Dad still didn’t end up coming, but it was a great chance to have the Mom back in the church after many years of being inactive. Maybe she’ll start attending the sacrament meetings soon, too. I was able to baptize Yeiko and finally put those white pants to use (a good thing that a brought because unlike other missions, baptismal clothing is very hard to find here) a really spiritual and powerful experience to submerge someone in the water.
Love you all and Happy New Year. Elder Farmer

January 9, 2012
Helloooo Family: Great successes this week and many blessings. On Tuesday, Luis returned from Ecuador! On Friday, he had his interview with the President and it went great. He left saying, ¨I don’t know why but I always just feel strong when I’m around people like you guys; like I can do anything.” He expressed to the President his desires to one day be a missionary and has been just has awesome as before he left. I had the privilege to get my chest wet again and baptize him on Sunday. He bore a great testimony after about the power of prayer and the changes he’s made. We are teaching his sister and grandma and have plans to baptize them in the coming weeks. Finally, we have another family that has been taking lessons for about 5 months now but the dad just started listening when I got here. They are fasting and praying hard to find a answer and insure their decision to get baptized. It would be really great for Elder Iribar if they were to baptize this next Sunday because it’s almost a guarantee that he’ll be transferred and he has known them for a long time. Next Tuesday will be the day we figure out where Elder Iribar gets changed, and what happens to me. I could change areas, stay and train, or stay and have a different companion. This is the last week of being a little ¨trainee¨ and I will soon see the next chapter of the mission. I’ll be praying hard for Grandpa’s surgery and the health of both gma and gpa.
Love, Elder Farmer