A BAPTISM!

What's the most amazing thing about being able to serve a mini-mission?

Watching one of the people you taught BE BAPTIZED!

Today, 13 year-old Celestine was baptized and I got to go! 

Celestine's mother, Paula, was baptized at the beginning of December, and the missionaries have been working with Celestine since before then.  Paula has a wonderful testimony and her example played an immense part in Celestine's conversion. 

I had the incredible opportunity to be able to speak at Celestine's baptism, and I realized something about how the Lord has long been preparing me to serve a mission and to teach his gospel.  

I am the oldest of four kids and I've always spent a lot of my time babysitting or working with kids.  This summer I worked part-time at a day care, and I am currently a nanny for a family in my ward.  I taught primary over the summer as well.  I have noticed that I have a special talent for being able to teach children and youth about the gospel in a way that they understand and that touches their hearts.  

Today, when I was speaking to Celestine before he was baptized, he looked up at grinned at me in a way that nearly flooded my heart with the Spirit.  I could tell that he felt the Lord's love for him and he knew that what he was doing was important and incredible, and that it would change his life in all of the best ways.  I could tell that he was happy with the decision he had made to be baptized, and he knew that his Heavenly Father was thrilled that he had taken this important step.

There is much to be said for Jesus Christ's admonition that we "become as a little child."  The children I have had the opportunity to teach and to see grow in the gospel have showed abiding, unwavering faith in their Heavenly Father.  They see Him as someone who loves them and cares about them.  They do not doubt His reality or His influence in their lives.  They have an immense love for their Savior Jesus Christ.  They are willing and eager to be baptized and to do everything in their power to follow His example.  

I want to thank Celestine, though he will never read this, for his faith and the things he has taught me.  I want to thank the Lord for blessing me with the ability to teach and understand His children and to help them draw nearer to Him.  

I cannot wait to find more of my Heavenly Father's children, both young and old, in Spain, and to watch them show the same courage and obedience that Celestine showed today.

(I'm on the far right, then Sister Susu and Sister Moreno, Paula, Celestine and Bishop Grant, Sister Avery and Sister Workinger, and another sister in the ward whose name evades me.)

The best of luck to all of you preparing for missions!  The Lord loves you and He loves His children.