Baptisms and Chicken Foot Soup

Hello to one, Hello to all!

As for this week... we had 8 baptisms planned. We ended up with 2 which was still great, but a bummer too. 4 kids from the same fam just weren´t ready yet, but we´re working with them. 2 brothers from another fam are ready, but daddy said no. That hurt too. But, as you´ll see in the pictures, we got a family married AND the parents baptized! That was just awesome to have happen. I love the feeling of touching a life, of showing the family that Christ simply is waiting, allowing them to open the door and reap the blessings!

This family though... what a mess this week was. So first off, we go to have a visit early in the week, turns out a lady living in their home went nuts and started attacking the family, hitting them with rocks. She ran and is in hiding. A few days later, we go to get them for their interview and they pass barely. We had a few scares there. Then the next day we wait, we wait, we wait, and they don´t show! The bishop ran out to their place and turns out she had a seizure! That was Friday night. So the bishop tells us not to worry, to plan the baptism for Sunday after church, Mission President doesn’t like that idea and says it HAS to be before so they can be confirmed in Sacrament Meeting, but the family doesn´t know this, we don´t have money to call them, and it´s 10pm Saturday night! So we had a fun SURPRISE, Wake up and come be baptized! But all went well. They are having some issues in the home and with finding work, but we are working with them bit by bit and I´m really excited for them because SHE asked about how to begin paying tithing! The devil REALLY is working hard, especially with those preparing for baptism!

Ah, and as for my week of famine... the members were AWESOME and we ate all the time! Haha. One day we had lunch, and the following 2 appointments, the families fed us! I am content as can be! One house though, I started laughing and was taken for a loop. A big one too. I look in my soup and think 'yum! Chicken' Yes, it was chicken, but it looked like fingers, like a baby's hand, and I thought that chicken's didn't have fingers. Now I´m just confused. I had one of their treats, chicken foot soup!

Mom, I hope these pictures come through, we had an awesome celebration for your birthday with cakes, candles, and a sign! It was a fun day.

General Conference is coming up and I´m so excited! I can´t wait to hear our prophets and let them work wonders in the lives of some investigators. If you remember an email a few weeks ago, we had a man who was really hitting hard on prophets, polygamy, and Joseph Smith. We invited him to come see for himself at Conference and he is bringing his family! Also another family that really is just awesome, just NEVER come to church! I have the highest hopes for them, and they are coming to a session with us too. I am so excited for this.

Oh and to wrap up, a cool experience in a DM this week. I got called to do a practice run to invite a fam to church with us. Our victims were the Zone and District Leader! Yikes! And... I don´t know Spanish, the only North American. But all went well, we were talking about Sacrament and the man said he had to go buys his groceries that day, no other day, and I felt the strongest impression to open my mouth and say the following (in Spanish): You can buy clothes, you can buy food, but Brother, you can´t buy the blessings of God. The whole room gasped, literally! Haha it was funny, but that comment and testifying afterwards, that was the coolest experience! The Zone Leader got up and with a few jokes about how Elder McGinn is Mr. Baptize or Die, he said what a powerful spirit that just shook the room. That this practice was taken to a whole new level. That was just awesome and a builder to my excitement. I love this work, it is booming and so is time!

Changes are coming up soon, so I may not get an email in next week. I´m not sure, just a heads up. I love you all so much and pray for you daily! I love my Savior, recognize his Hand in your lives, each day, and you will be lifted higher, you will feel his presence! If you have a challenge, face it, but don´t do it alone, none of us were asked to go alone. That is the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

Elder Griffin McGinn