First baptisms!

Another incredible week!!! I just can't believe all the stuff that can
happen in 7 days! So I had my first 2 baptisms this weekend!!! She
 has been wanting to get baptized for 8 and a half months now but
had to wait for her husband to finally give her permission. Anyway
through prayer and fasting that happened and she was baptized!!! She
is in her 50's, looks way younger, blonde, prissy, cute and hilarious,
and crazy enough she LOVES to hunt!!! If you met her you'd be shocked
that she's an avid hunter. For example, she grew up in Las Vegas and
started a career in professional ice skating and traveled the world
for 20 years doing that! Now she breeds and shows horses. She cooks us
Elk "backstrap" meat every sunday for lunch. As soon as she was
baptized and came up out of the water she raised her hands and shouted
"I DID IT!!!!" Everyone just loves her and we all clapped. The spirit
was so strong at her baptism. She is so wonderful!! Her testimony is
so strong and she has a trip planned to the temple 1 year from now.
Elder Chambers and I stood in when she was confirmed and given the
gift of the Holy Ghost. That was probably the only baptism that i'll
see people clap. It was funny.

So after that we had another baptism, stake baptisms, and last sunday
a grandma in the ward asked me to baptize her little grandson who was
9 years old. It was so cool. And considererd a convert baptism because
he was older than 8. I loved being able to dress in white and baptize
him in the font. I asked him how he felt after and he said in his
little voice "I feel weird. I just feel really clean!" It was so cute!
The only people in his family that are active are his grandma and
great grandma. They take care of him and bring him to primary every
week and he just loves it. His favorite primary song is "I love to see
the temple."

So we have 5 other people that should be baptized within the next 6
weeks. We'll see. Heavenly Father has been blessing us so much. He
really has been leading us to his elect. From day one I asked the AP
Elder Smith was the secret was to finding the right people. He said
"Hard work." and "Talk to everyone." So that's what we do!!! The
harder you work, the more the members trust you and want to help by
being part of the missionary experience and refering their friends and
family for you to teach.

Elder Chambers told me that we are unbelievably blessed right now
because normally there are not this many people progressing toward
baptism. Elder Chambers and I could very possibly have 7 people join
the church while we're together. And it's not us. It's just how
amazing the people are that the Lord has led us to. You wouldn't
believe how prepared these people are. Every day we see multiple
miracles!!!

My favorite thing to do is "Campus contacting!" we go to the college
campus and just talk to all of the students on campus and invite them to
come on tours of our church building. It's just so fun because we get to teach
people our age! And man we are finding so many amazing people!! It's funny
because we have been teaching this girl who is progressing so much. She texted
us last night and said "So do you guys ever hang out without the missionary
title?" haha my first thought was uh-oh! We just replied "No we do
this every day for two years, but sometimes we go to the young single
adult activities on monday nights" So maybe she'll come to those
activities. Which i'm sure she would anyway.

It's SO funny when we are campus contacting whenever it's a gorgeous
girl I have to do the talking because Elder Chambers can't breathe and
get's tongue tied. He's so funny! He grew up in the Utah bubble, but
he's completely aware of it. I love him so much. We are so close. I
wish everyone could meet him. You'd love him.

I love you family!!!! I have a great idea. Every sunday you all should
write me!!! And send the letters on monday!!! how cool would that be?!
Just an idea! ha! Well I sure love you guys. Don't worry about me,
just being blessed by the Lord every second. No big deal.

Be safe,

Elder Whiting

Word.