Ten baptisms and a party

Week 14 began with a holiday -- Labor Day. We used it as a day for shopping, especially for fruit for the famous fruit salad plate Signe would create for the party this evening. Every year President Skaggs (a member of the missionary presidency) has the Mission President and the office staff over for an evening pot-luck party with some of his family. The food was great, and the conversations with Presidents Watrous and Skaggs, and with Elder Budge, we interesting and fun-filled. From right to left are President Skaggs, President Watrous, Sister Watrous, Signe, Gary, Sister Healey, Sister Skinner, Sister Budge and Elder Budge. It was a perfect evening, with perfect weather in their lush backyard.

The rest of the week fairly whizzed by, moreso than some other weeks. President Watrous asked both of us to monitor phone use by the elders, and Gary spent most of the week setting up utilities for new apartments and helping Elder Wong make decisions on which apartments. Gary also spent much of Friday auditing gas receipts on the church's PaymentNet, something he also did while at BYU.
Saturday we were asked to attend a baptism in Costa Mesa: to be with the elders and to take the adjoining photograph. It was one of the most spiritual baptisms we've ever attended. Ellyne Denker was positively beaming when she emerged from the font, and then we witnessed something neither of us had ever seen before. While Ellyne was changing, the congregation was invited to make comments. Two of them were a non-member relative and a non-member friend (wearing a cross). They were very supportive of Ellyne's baptism, since her joining the Church had clearly changed her attitude about many things. Bishop Watkins then welcomed her to the ward and said some loving things that would make even the most calloused non-member interested in our beliefs. A young Elder Reidhead, from Springville, also gave a short talk about the importance of missionary work. A great afternoon in all ways, especially since it added to deeply to our own testimonies of the Gospel!

Sunday was a long day: ward council, the three-hour block, and choir rehearsal. But we remember we are involved in the Lord's work. We've tried to call our 'charge' Jessica, but she hasn't answered her phone. We continue to pray for her.