This week was really good. Temple trip (which was really good) and busy last minute things, but everything went well for Peter's Baptism. This font takes at least 2 hours to get luke-warm. We were going to fill it Saturday night and warm it Sunday morning, but bishop said not to. So we got to the chapel at 5:30 in the morning to fill and warm the font. That meant waking up at 4, getting ready, and taking the 10-15 minute bike ride uphill to the chapel. I almost fell asleep on the ride up. But the baptism went well. Nice and short, one speaker. And on Friday I think it was, he asked me to baptize him. So thats my 3rd person I've baptized. Pretty cool experience. He really enjoyed the baptism as well which was good considering how nervous he was. Something I've noticed about pretty much all the people I've helped to get baptized is that they all go through a big trial. But the ones that come out on top are really strong converts.
Pare ended up coming to church, and really enjoyed it. On one of our first lessons she said she was a lot like Joseph Smith going to lots of different churches looking for the right one. She said she doesn't like the crazy rolling on the ground ones. So she liked ours. Last lesson she had some doubts and want to be a fence sitter (for at least the word of wisdom), and is really tired of being pulled so many different ways by friends, family, and everything else. Hopefully we'll be able to talk to her and help her to see that following Christ will be the easiest path. Aubrey didn't get baptized on Wednesday. We called him at 5 on the way back from Auckland when we stopped at Pokeno's for some ice cream. He said that he didn't like the font and wants to get baptized in the river. Isn't that the weirdest concern you've ever heard of? We've got a lesson with him tonight and hopefully we'll be able to clear it up for him. I wouldn't mind doing it at a river, but both bishop and President Lekias both said if there's a font available, use it. This'll be an interesting one.
The temple trip was really good. We had to get up early so we could leave on the bus at 7:30 in the morning to get to Hamilton in time for the session. It was really fun being on the bus with heaps of Samoans that sang the whole way down. Man, Islanders are mean singers. There were so many people in the session that quite a few men had to sit in the balcony, which included me. So I was one of the last ones, and when I got to the Celestial Room they said it was about time to leave. After that we had a really good conference at the Higgens Road chapel (my first area chapel). Then on the way back we stopped at Pokeno's ice cream. The one where you can get heaps of scoops of ice cream.
I'm happy healthy, and now that I'm back in the city, gaining weight again. Things are heating up and raining more, and I'm still loving every minute (except for biking in the rain) of it. Love you all thank you for your support.
Aroha nui!
Sincerely,
Elder Sorensen
