Week 81 Sydney's Baptism

This week was so great!! For starters, Sydney Selby got baptized and confirmed on Sunday. It was such an amazing experience for the entire family. Grayson, the older brother, gave the talk on Baptism. He's returned to activity and is going on the Young Men's campout in a few weeks! The grandfather baptized her, and many of her family members were there that haven't been to church in a long time. Sydney's dad loved it as well, it was so great to see him as he finally got to see his daughter be baptized. I'm so grateful for the Selby family! They feel like my siblings and family members, they're so much fun to be with.

Sydney & Sarah Selby.

Mary Cole is doing great as well! We'll be seeing her tonight as she prepares to be baptized on the 9th of July. It's been so amazing to see the progression in her, and we're hoping to teach her husband as well! She is loving reading the Book of Mormon as well.

Elder Fisher & I also had the opportunity this last week to take President Christiansen's nephew, Christovin, out teaching with us! He's from Provo and will be serving his mission in July. It was so great to have him come out with us and for him to ask us questions! I still feel like I'm preparing to serve a mission, and then I look back and realize it's almost been 2 years since I submitted my papers and got my mission call. It's such a weird feeling! But as we were out with him, we went to Towson to contact a referral we had received through the Church Website, a lady named Florence who wanted a Book of Mormon and a Bible. As we were walking towards her work, Elder Fisher asked if it had said where she was from and kind of as a joke, I said: "Honestly, she's probably from Nigeria!" We've had the opportunity the last few months to teach so many wonderful people from Nigeria, and Francis Okolo, who got baptized in April, was from Nigeria as well! So that's always what we're hoping for in these situations. But, sure enough, as we met her and asked her where she was from her response was Nigeria! She's interested in learning more about the Book of Mormon and we'll be seeing her this week!

This week I got to be in Spanish work for the first time in almost a year! It was nice to get to speak Spanish again. I was with Elder Cornejo, one of my previous companions, and we were in downtown Baltimore! If there is one thing I've learned on my mission, it is that American Fork, Utah is just a little bit less diverse than Baltimore! It's definitely a crazy place, but I've loved serving around this area and love the people that live here. We had a great exchange and I got to meet Maria Isabel, who just got baptized and is from the Dominican Republic. It was such a great experience to be able to speak Spanish, eat Hispanic food, everything! I loved it! 

Standing in front of some art work @ the airport.
(I love that Chandler is standing at the end of the rainbow,
 he is my pot of GOLD!)

One of the many miracles we've seen lately is the progression in the Columbia Stake, the Stake that we're serving in right now! I've served in this stake for more than a year total, and absolutely love serving here. In 2015, the Stake had 22 convert baptisms, which was the lowest of all the Stakes in our mission. By next Sunday, the Columbia Stake will have had 28 baptisms, and that's only half of the year done! It's incredible, and this pattern is going on throughout the entire mission. I'm so grateful to see the Lord's hand in His work!

Well, one thing I was taught again this week was the power and influence that other people can have on our lives, whether it be a good influence or bad. I realized how many good influences I've had around me. I'm so grateful for families, friends, leaders, all of the people that are around us and help us. The Selby family has been one of my favorite families that I've gotten to teach on my mission. I've grown so close to them! Mary seems like family as well. President & Sister Christiansen and their children are some of my closest friends. I'm so grateful that God allowed us to work together, give each other support when we need it most, and encourage each other on the path back to Him. I'm so grateful for the people that I've met on my mission, the people I haven't even got to meet yet but will during the next few months, and all those that have influenced my life up to this point. 

Thank you so much for the support, have a great week!

- Elder Leavitt