Hi everyone!
I'm done with my first full week with Elder Welch in the
Left-Hand Creek ward in Longmont! It's been awesome! This ward hasn't had a baptism
in like 2 years, but not anymore!! :) It was probably one of the coolest weeks
I have had as a missionary. Elder Welch is awesome. It has been great getting
to know him this week. We have been on the same page about a lot of things and
I'm grateful to be his companion for sure. We have worked somewhat together for
the last number of months, but I never put in the effort to get to know him and
honestly didn't think I liked him. I'm glad that I was open enough to get to know
him and am PUMPED to be his companion this transfer. Yay having people be more
awesome that you expected beforehand.
This was a pretty exciting crazy week! We didn't teach tons
of people, but we did help some prepare to be baptized - so that was awesome!
My first night in this area we had an appointment with Mindy, the top progressing
investigator. It was weird cuz 2 other missionaries came too (transfers) and we
had to leave early and go to dinner. One of those was Elder Johnson who served
in this ward his last two transfers. After we left, he set her with a baptismal
date! She moved it back a week since Tuesday, but she is excited to be baptized
on July 18th!!
The other crazy thing started the next night for an
appointment with the two other progressing investigators. Elder Welch and Elder
Johnson had planned to move their baptismal date back from Friday June 26 to this
week or next week. However when we talked about it on Wednesday night, Katie
and Riley wanted to be baptized on Friday! They had already been
pre-interviewed and taught everything... so at 9:20pm, we agreed to do
everything we could to pull off a baptism happening two days later. The
challenge was they are 18 & 19 and live in Boulder... haha. In the church's
organization, it is designed for us to be in congregations where we live! So
Thursday morning we had to call our Bishop who called the Stake President and
the YSA Bishop in Boulder to figure out how to proceed. We got a baptismal
interview set up for both of them for Thursday. Lots and lots of other hoops we
jumped through. When we went over what we needed to do for it to happen on Wednesday
night in planning, it was just receive permission, reserve the room, and have
them interviewed. Doesn't seem that hard! Yet the amount of time we had to put
in throughout Thursday and Friday was significant! Suffice to say that it was
DEFINITELY a miracle for all of boundary issues to be resolved between 8am and
4pm on Thursday, to get a room reserved at 5:30pm, and have both interviews
done that same day. Thursday night, we were kinda in disbelief that we were
able to pull that off. We couldn't believe that the program was almost done as well
and that the baptism really was going to be able to happen the following day.
The fellowshipping family didn't really believe we could pull it off either! It
was a miracle!
The other awesome miracle in the baptism... Katie and Riley
were introduced to the church by a coworker at Boulder Pools. Sierra lives with
her parents in the Left-Hand Creek ward and they were taught primarily in their
home. Sierra's family has a tradition of getting their children nice leather
full set of scriptures with their name embossed on it when they are baptized.
But they had no way of driving down to Denver to the church bookstore to make
that happen in the 2 days between the appointment and baptism. Miraculously,
the family I had just lived with in Loveland - the Lamarrs - goes to the Denver
Temple every Friday morning! They finished up around 1 or 2 pm and were able to
purchase the specific set of scriptures for Katie and Riley! We were able to
have them drive through Longmont on their way home and get the scriptures from
them at 4pm!! Sierra's family couldn't believe we were able to pull that off
for them! It was awesome. :)
For the baptism itself, Katie and Riley forgot extra
underwear and towels. We brought extra towels and a member ran over to the
store to get them some before the baptism started. One person baptizing them forgot
extra underwear too and had to drive home and drive back for the baptism. I was
giving a talk before the baptism and had to add additional content so he had
enough time to get back and baptize Riley! My talk and the other talk were
barely planned ahead. The person conducting the meeting had never really
conducted one before. The Bishop was notified he was speaking 10 minutes before
he spoke. It was crazy how many things we were able to handle to enable the
baptism to happen. More miraculously, the YSA in Boulder was notified and sent 5
people up to Longmont to go and a couple who serve there came too. There were
about 20 people from our congregation that made it in addition to 10 others
including missionaries and their investigators. It wasn't packed, but it wasn't
5 people. It was amazing how many people were able to come being notified just
the day before or possibly the day of! We went from one family, Kaite and
Riley, and ourselves knowing about the baptism to all those people there in
less than 48 hours! Super awesome. :)
The last miracle relating to this story was the Spirit at
the baptism. Everyone who attended the baptism shared how great the Spirit was there.
The overall feeling of love and joy they felt. That was definitely the most important
most amazing part. Knowing that God was able to allow all the attendees to feel
of His love during the service that was all pulled together hours before it
started. The Spirit bore witness to us of the truth. No one really noticed all
of the things going on behind the scene because of the Spirit that prevailed. Everyone
I have talked to has felt spiritually recharged and filled from the baptism. :)
It's so humbling to know that God truly does make up the difference and is the
real cause of miracles to happen!
I'm grateful I was sent here just in time to be a part of it
and help pull it together! The sacrament meeting yesterday was filled with the Spirit
as well due to a missionary farewell (he is going to Japan tomorrow for his
mission) and the confirmations of Riley and Katie. I even got to confirm Riley
even though I met her 4 days before that! It was sweet. :) We are excited for
good things to come this transfer. I definitely saw God's hand in this week all
over the place (more things than just the baptism happened, but I'm out of time
and space to share it).
Have an amazing week! :) Miracles happen for sure!
Elder Jeff Campbell
Left to right: Elder Welch, Katie, Riley, myself
Me with Brother and Sister Lamarr
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