Kara in College! All the Way in HAWAII!?!? Wow! Nathan in High School! Daniel in his last year of Middle school! Just imagining that throws my head for a total spin. Life just keeps cruising along for you all over there.
I didn't email yesterday because we had our Pday changed due to a Zone Conference we had yesterday. It was super great. I love Zone Conferences because we get to receive training straight from President. He is just an amazing man.
M got baptized! Almost all of her family was there supporting her along with a super great turn out from the ward. Her family was very impressed with the baptismal service and even more impressed with the turn out to support M in her decision to get baptized. Her husband who has been slowing down in his personal progress towards baptism gave the closing prayer. It was a powerful prayer. Among other things, he thanked God for the wonderful support that his wife was receiving as she took the steps to join HIS church. He also thanked God for letting him and his family feel like they were at home once again. He prayed for God to continue blessing him and his family and the families of all present so that we can continue living His commandments. It was wonderful.
I know that this positive experience in the baptismal service will serve a key role in the progress of the rest of la Familia. I so badly want to still be here when they all get baptized.
I had a wonderfully spiritually uplifting Sunday. I was fasting on Sunday with the desires being that the baptismal service would be a positive spring board type for the family of M toward the day when they too make their baptismal covenants. That prayer was answered. It was wonderful.
Sunday was also a day in which I just felt very loved by my Heavenly Father. That wonderful feeling of being enough and knowing that I'm doing alright surprisingly enough didn't come during the baptism. It came during sacrament meeting. We had a youth who will be leaving on his mission in a week give his farewell talk. It was a very powerful farewell. He is going to be a stud missionary. There was a moment in there where I was just sitting there thinking, "Wow, if I could only become 1/2 the missionary that this guy is going to be, I would be doing alright." But then, as I started thinking that, this young man, began to bear his testimony on how he knows that the power of missionary work is real. He explained how he can't wait to get to the mission field and begin helping people bring to pass miracles in their lives as he has seen the Elders do when he goes on visits with them. He even said my name over the pulpit! That was a tender mercy from the Lord for me. I realized that I'm doing ok and that my Heavenly Father loves me and is proud of the work I am doing. I felt so grateful to know that I had left even a small positive impact on this almost missionary's life especially since I have such a high opinion of him myself. In that moment my joy was full. It was just a wonderful feeling.
Love ya All!
Till next week,
Elder Ostler
