I'll start off this week with my Disney reference from Beauty and
the Beast. In the musical (yeah, that's right, it is also a musical), Disney
adds a song in which Belle asks her father if he thinks she is odd, and he tells
her that from his point of view she is "creme de la creme". Belle replies
that "no matter what they say [he] makes her proud" and that she loves "the
funny way [he stands] out from the crowd". They realize that even though the
townspeople think that they are strange, they are the only family they have, and
they love each other no matter what others may say.
I thought of this recently when we assigned Disney characters to all the
missionaries in our district. I was voted Belle, because apparently, I'm odd. I
love it - Belle loves to read, is very sassy, and loves adventure. Yesterday was
Father's Day, so I just wanted to ask my dad, "do you think I'm...'odd'?"
Haha, I love you Dad, and no matter what they say, you definitely make me
proud. (although I haven't heard what they say yet... JK!)
Yesterday was also a beautiful sunny day for Tomoko and her son Kouki, as
they came to church, ate their lunch and hopped into their white
clothing....yes, that's right, their white clothing!
TOMOKO AND KOUKI GOT BAPTIZED!
It was a beautiful service. I was given the task to introduce them to the
ward, so I gave a brief introduction of who they are and how they met the
missionaries. Aoki Shimai gave a talk about baptism, and then the Elders sang
Come Thou Fount. We then proceeded to the baptismal font, and watched as Tomoko
and Kouki began a fresh start and their life-long journey to follow Christ.
After their baptism, Tomoko bore her testimony to the ward. She was just
glowing.
I was so privileged to teach Tomoko and Kouki. They are so wonderful. She
has such strong faith, she told us that she did not know everything, but she
knew that she was doing something good. As I watched her share her (short, but
soon to be longer) testimony, I was overcome with this feeling of peace. We've
spent the past couple of weeks frantically deciding what she needs to learn and
how we can teach it in such a short time, and it was at this point when she
stood up with so much confidence and thanked the ward for letting her be a part
of them that I realized what baptism truly is.
I used to think that when one has a testimony and a strong knowledge of the
gospel, that's when one should get baptized, but I've since learned that when
one receives baptism, it is an act of faith. I remember my own baptism, and how
I was 8 years old. I did not know why one pays tithing. I did not know that God
really did ask us to eat our vegetables (but I know my mom did). I did not know
what Salvation was, or even that there was a Plan for it. There was so much that
I did not know, but I did know the promise that baptism was, and that after my
mom had shown me the promise in Mosiah 18, I wanted more than anything to be a
part of it. I remember being filled from my head to my toes with warmth and
love, knowing that I was a part of something so much greater than I could ever
become on my own. I didn't know everything, but I had faith. That's what baptism
is: an act of faith.
Before I sign off, I thought I maybe should mention that we had transfer
calls this Saturday (it was a busy weekend for us). But I have only been in
Fukutoku and with Aoki Shimai for one transfer (she has only been here for two),
so we both assumed that we would not be getting a phone call and that neither of
us would transfer. We were half right. Neither of us are transferring BUT WE DID
GET A PHONE CALL (it scared us to death).
So maybe, I just might tell you that I kinda sorta might be TRAINING NEXT
TRANSFER! (WOOHOO). Yep, that's right, I am becoming a trainer, and Aoki Shimai
is as well. We each are getting a brand new missionary to train and teach the
ways of the Japan Nagoya Mission. The Fukutoku sisters have just doubled in size
(watch out, Nagoya city!). The "Bean"s will be arriving Tuesday night, and
staying over in the Mission home. We will go on Wednesday morning to pick them
up and welcome them to mission life.
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| Cleaning the Baptismal Font with Sister Aoki, June 2014 |
