Week of Miracles, Faith & Hope

Belen Baker, Tine Attari, Tiah Attari

Tine and Tiah were found through our recent converts and are so spiritually prepared. They actually took all the lessons in Portland, moved to Seattle and didn't know where the church was so never came. When we originally talked to Tine and Tiah and set their baptismal dates for April 9th they said they just wanted a refresh of the lessons and then they'd be baptized. When we had a lesson with them Thursday evening around 7:00 pm they were so receptive to our message. We were teaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ (lesson 3 in Preach My Gospel) Faith, Repentance, Baptism, Receiving the Holy Ghost, Enduring to the End. When we were talking about baptism we asked, "Are you still working toward your goal of April 9th? They looked at us and said, "is it too late to be baptized this weekend with Belen Baker? We were talking about it earlier and we thought, what are we waiting for?"

Belen Baker was contacted the end of February or beginning of March. She was a self referral through Mormon.org. She went to Church In Mexico with a friend 20 years ago and still remembered to this day the feeling of being part of a family. Her date was also originally set for April 9th and she asked to be baptized sooner. She said, "I love this church and I want to be in it forever! I love my family! I want to serve and hold babies and make Mexican food for everyone... and i make my food by scratch!"

These three individuals have been huge testimony builders for me. I gave the most heartfelt prayer of gratitude to God and have made promises with him to do better in my personal life. I want to develop a greater relationship through prayer with him and overcome my final temptations of Pride and patience.

This will give me a greater Hope and a greater faith in Jesus Christ. I have felt so many powerful emotions this week, good and bad, but when the Lord takes something away from you, its because he wants to give you something better. Not only am I growing and changing my life forever, I am on a perfect unification with my companion accomplishing great things. Although we had a couple bad weeks in a transfer we are the best of missionaries. It'll be hard to see him go at the end of this transfer. His time as an assistant is up and he will be called to labor somewhere else for the last six months of his mission. I still have two transfers left of this assignment and I am honestly not looking forward of doing it without the help of Elder Bunton. However, I will be learning something new and more challenging... I just know it. I dislike those growing opportunities but it's the only way we come closer to God and strengthen ourselves in eternal progression.

I am in my mind frame of I never want to go home but I can't wait for summer and being released. Ha Ha. I am having too many great experiences out here as a missionary and it seems to be going by faster and faster. Everyday I keep telling my self and more so today, "Elder Bottema, enjoy this moment, because ever too quickly it'll be gone." I've said that to myself over and over because I am trying to enjoy every moment and not miss a single event or opportunity. I love my mission, I love Seattle, and most of all I love God. God be with you till we meet again.

Love,

Elder Bottema