June is over and with it, our "harvest' month has come to a close! We had a goal of 60 baptisms this month as a mission and...we had 78!! We're all really happy for the progress the work has been making here in Ontario. And while my companion and I didn't have a baptism this month, I'm choosing to count my lovely friend Hannah from back home in Michigan who was baptized this past week!!!! That's right Hannah, this shout-out is for you! I am so happy for you and I know that you are going to be blessed in so many ways because of your decision to be baptized. I just cannot express how thrilled I am for you right now! I'm pretty sure my companion is just as excited for you as I am, if not because of the blessings, at least because she won't have to hear me say "Hannah's getting baptized!" every couple of minutes. ;)
This past week has really been a week of miracles. We are preping for a baptism this coming Sunday, and simply seeing how the Lord prepares each and everyone of His children is amazing. He loves each and every one of you. Joanna, our investigator who is getting baptized on Sunday, was meeting with us and we started to review the interview questions and she pulled out her camera, took a picture of them and then said she was going to memorize them and write summary answers out in order to prepare herself. It was the funniest/cutest thing ever.
This Sunday, I also experienced my first "walk-in" since I've been on my mission. The Spanish Sisters had tracted into a French-Canadian man, Gilbert, over a month ago who had said he wasn't interested, but still took the card they gave him. Turns out his son is a member out in British Columbia, so he gave his son a phone call and asked if he had sent the missionaries to his house. His son told him he hadn't, and Gilbert joked that God had sent them. His son said God probably had and encouraged his dad to go to church. He told his son no and that it wasn't the right time, but for the past month he wasn't able to shake the feeling that the missionaries had been sent to him. He told us that he just felt very strongly he should attend our church this past Sunday, and so he drove himself over! We taught him after church, and he accepted a baptismal date. He's called his son who will come out and perform the baptism at the end of the month.
Jen, a woman we've been teaching who has two young sons, also came to church on Sunday and has been meeting with us and then talking to her friend, a member of the ward, for hours on end about the gospel outside of our lessons. We're hopeful for her and praying that things continue to go well for her.
In other news, the Chinese is coming along well. I'm starting to think (some of the time) in Chinese, and have accidently responded to people who don't speak Chinese using Chinese. It's a problem, but one I'm glad to have! I've also become a bit of a Butter Tarts connisuer if I do say so myself (did you know they have Butter Tart flavored yougurt here?!), and I have yet to find any that beat Grandpa Jimmy's Scottish Bakery in Grand Bend. Maybe I'll make it out there eventually in order to get some. For those of you who haven't had butter tarts before, go. Get up from in front of the computer and find some. They're my favorite. They will be your favorite.
Love you all! And have a fantabulous week!
Sister Makena Bauss
Bao Ailei Jiemei
包爱蕾姐妹
This past week has really been a week of miracles. We are preping for a baptism this coming Sunday, and simply seeing how the Lord prepares each and everyone of His children is amazing. He loves each and every one of you. Joanna, our investigator who is getting baptized on Sunday, was meeting with us and we started to review the interview questions and she pulled out her camera, took a picture of them and then said she was going to memorize them and write summary answers out in order to prepare herself. It was the funniest/cutest thing ever.
This Sunday, I also experienced my first "walk-in" since I've been on my mission. The Spanish Sisters had tracted into a French-Canadian man, Gilbert, over a month ago who had said he wasn't interested, but still took the card they gave him. Turns out his son is a member out in British Columbia, so he gave his son a phone call and asked if he had sent the missionaries to his house. His son told him he hadn't, and Gilbert joked that God had sent them. His son said God probably had and encouraged his dad to go to church. He told his son no and that it wasn't the right time, but for the past month he wasn't able to shake the feeling that the missionaries had been sent to him. He told us that he just felt very strongly he should attend our church this past Sunday, and so he drove himself over! We taught him after church, and he accepted a baptismal date. He's called his son who will come out and perform the baptism at the end of the month.
Jen, a woman we've been teaching who has two young sons, also came to church on Sunday and has been meeting with us and then talking to her friend, a member of the ward, for hours on end about the gospel outside of our lessons. We're hopeful for her and praying that things continue to go well for her.
In other news, the Chinese is coming along well. I'm starting to think (some of the time) in Chinese, and have accidently responded to people who don't speak Chinese using Chinese. It's a problem, but one I'm glad to have! I've also become a bit of a Butter Tarts connisuer if I do say so myself (did you know they have Butter Tart flavored yougurt here?!), and I have yet to find any that beat Grandpa Jimmy's Scottish Bakery in Grand Bend. Maybe I'll make it out there eventually in order to get some. For those of you who haven't had butter tarts before, go. Get up from in front of the computer and find some. They're my favorite. They will be your favorite.
Love you all! And have a fantabulous week!
Sister Makena Bauss
Bao Ailei Jiemei
包爱蕾姐妹