Donnie Got Baptized

I could hardly wait until studies were over so I can email you and tell you about everything!!!!! Ok ok where do I start... Hmm. Maybe... DONNIE GOT BAPTIZED!!!!! Best weekend ever? I think yes! His family was all going to come (which is huge) but just a few hours before the baptism his little sister had a seizure. He found a ride anyways and he just looked a little bummed. Once he got changed all you could see in his face was anticipation! Finally he reached the water and was baptized by his new friend in the ward, one of the priests, named Griffin. He's 16 too. After, he said he felt so much better. Talks were given and then he asked to bare his testimony. He told about Katherine's seizure and how he immediately dropped to his knees to pray for her. That blew me away because they are not close siblings at all. His testimony was tender and heartfelt. He then said, after the closing prayer, that he would be leaving the next day for his grandparent’s house for a few weeks so he couldn't be "affirmed." We talked with leaders and the bishopric and they said he could be confirmed that night. And the man he wanted to confirm him was in attendance. He is a sweet 80+ year old man who gives Donnie rides to church. The confirmation was beautiful.... or in Donnie's words: Divine. He enjoyed laughing with all the members after and sharing testimonies with each other. Our ward members kept telling us no one would come since his baptism was on Saturday ( they like to do it on Sunday) but his baptism had the highest attendance! 40+ people were there! Donnie is now anxious to take the next step to receive the priesthood and we are trying to get in contact with him and convince him to come back for the youth temple trip on Saturday. It was the best weekend ever! He's mentioned going on a mission before... I think he will.

                                                                             

Donnie and Griffin, just before Donnie was baptized.

We were all super pumped that Donnie got baptized. Sister Ferrin, Donnie and me.

We just received permission to have all friends and family on Facebook. I think I want to convert my home Facebook into my missionary one. I would just hide my photos and previous posts, etc. until I get home. I have to unfollow all friends and family but can still be their friends.

Just so you know... to correct any confusion, I still desire to chase tornadoes!!! I get all excited for storms and then... they happen, sirens go off, and I get a little scared. Just a little though! I haven't cried yet.

An inspirational speaker is coming to our mission next Tuesday. I love inspirational speakers! The duet for the next transfer meeting is not coming along. I am stuck in my ways! My mind creates solos across the whole keyboard. I've composed a song, but it's not a duet and I don't know how to turn it into a duet. I have no clue how it will work out. I hope Heavenly Father can give me the talent to create a duet.

I have a funny story to tell you. You thought you were proud of me for eating fish? You will NEVER guess what I ate this week!!!!! I still can't even believe it myself! (And I have video proof) So at Zone meeting we were told who lost a Zone challenge. The challenge was to see which District could contact the most less-actives. The losers would have to eat yucky stuff. Well they announced the winners and we thought only the last place District would have to eat the yucky stuff... Nope! All the losers had to! So they told the winners to buy yucky stuff. They laid it out on the table. Jabenero peppers, caviar, and.... octopus. The majority of people took the jabenero pepper dipped in caviar. I knew if I took that I would be having stomach pains for a week. My only choice left was the octopus and I was not about to be "that sister" who is the only one who doesn't do it. I was one of the last ones. I stepped up and said "someone has to take a video!!" I poked it... and then Elder Carlson started counting down from 60..... I was thinking 2 things at that point: 1- This is going to be such a good mission story!!! And 2- My dad will be beyond proud of me! Everyone started counting at "6" and then at "1"..... Without even thinking I threw it in my mouth! It was horrid!!!!! It was chewy and a little pokey... And I started gagging!!! Way bad! I thought I was going to lose it. I ran to the trash can and grabbed it and Elder Loveless said "don't you puke!" I was so determined not to lose it! I finally swallowed! And opened my mouth.. And the crowd went wild. I SWALLOWED A FLIPPING PIECE OF RAW OCTOPUS! And then I kept sorta gagging after... And I had to get a smoothie for the ride home so I wouldn't get sick... and then I laid in bed for 3 hours feeling absolutely awful with a pounding migraine but I kept smiling the whole time because I did it! I still did what work I could from bed and then we went to dinner. I ate almost all of it before I felt the gags coming again. Then we went to mutual and the elders came to interview Donnie and we all talked about it and laughed and I still felt terrible - and a good nights sleep did nothing for it! Every meal I ate made me feel awful. I just had to wait it out. And I now live to tell the story! I ATE OCTOPUS! Aren't you beyond shocked right now?!

                                                                           

My Octopus snack.

Ok.. now on to the more spiritual side of things.. I have felt very disobedient this week. Just not getting out on time, we spent forever at a members house and I didn't try to suggest we leave, Facebook is hard... I was just struggling. I've been trying all week to be obedient but it seems like nothing was working. We even had a Zone meeting training on obedience and I got all pumped up! Yesterday I was in deep thought mode all throughout church. I just wanted to figure it out! Little things just kept coming up about God's will... His will... In sacrament meeting, someone who was giving a talk said "Do EVERYTHING He asks!!" Then, I have no clue how, but I found an amazing scripture. Hebrews 10:32, 35 & 36. The Lord asks me if I remember my first greatest struggle on my mission.. I do. It was a long time I had to work that one out. He tells me "you overcame that! Now be confident. You can overcome this. Your confidence is what will bring you blessings." Then in verse 36 The Lord is really blunt and straightforward with me, "for ye have need of patience." Yeah I know... Then He says, "after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise." Ah. He wants me to do His will first! Then I thought of how I got through that first great struggle on my mission. I remember being on the phone with President Andersen and we read 2 Nephi 4 together. Read it! The whole thing is basically all my thoughts! I have labeled it the best "punch Satan in the face" chapter ever! I was reading it as part of my studies today. I just kept getting farther on the edge of my seat because it applied so well to me! Nephi exhorts me to pray and ask Heavenly Father some very specific questions. A few were to be encircled about in the robes of righteousness, ask to be redeemed and delivered from Satan, and (this is my favorite) to shake at the appearance of sin (disobedience). I got down on my knees and prayed. Now I might add that for a while my prayers have felt different.. Not close to Heavenly Father and I didn't like that. I wanted to feel close to Him again. When I prayed, I felt that. I focused everything I had in picturing Him, looking into His eyes and speaking to Him. At the end of my prayer I was caught up in my thoughts. I thought of the day when I will stand to converse with Heavenly Father. Then after talking with Him, He will look at me and say "I know that was hard (meaning life and the trials and challenges), but you did it. Well done, thou good and faithful servant." Then I'll get to hug Him. Words cannot describe how close I felt to Heavenly Father. I know I can be obedient. I listened to a CD talk entitled "Sleeping Through Gethsemane" by Diana Hoelscher (YOU NEED TO LISTEN TO THIS it will change your life!) and she said she was praying and saying she couldn't be perfect. She heard Heavenly Father tell her "I never asked you to be. I asked you to die trying". That's what I want to do. And that's what I realized. I still have almost a year to become the missionary I want to be. I have time to correct myself and I can become the person I want to be for the rest of my life! I will die trying to be obedient and perfect. It was such a special experience to have this morning.

Well.... I think that's it for my long email of randomness! Not much happened this week. We're searching for new investigators to build our teaching pool again! It's getting late and we need to buy food! I love you so much. So much! I love my mission!

~Sister Rokovitz~

                                                                           

Thrift Store fun.

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