Εβδομάδα 30: BAPTIZING SOULS AND BREAKING HEARTS

- September 09, 2019

ALRIGHT HERE WE GO...

HELLO EVERYBODY!

Honestly ya'll are better off skipping to the pictures because words simply don't do justice for weeks like these. Other than PERFECT! plus our faces can just say it all!

If a spiritual hangover exists I'm definitely on one haha ;)

SO MUCH LOVE...AND WHITE...IN ONE DAY. NO WORDS COULD ACCURATELY DESCRIBE IT. MY HEART IS FULL ❤

Its crazy to believe this is my mission. I'm still trying to wrap my head around this not all being a dream, because that's exactly what it feels like...

So if you wish to read, here's my attempt to sum up and reflect the past 7 miracle filled days...

TOP 3

1. DAVID AND FRANCIS WERE BAPTIZED!

My heart is full. I've absolutely hit a new level of a spiritual high I would have ever imagined. David is incredibly strong spiritually as he has been able to discover his true potential as a son of God and as a disciple of Christ. His testimony and desire to share the gospel will bless and touch so many lives. Francis has had a heart of gold from the very beginning. He has been attending Greek class for quite some time before we really felt the Spirit testify that he was ready to receive the restored gospel. After the loss of his wife and his precious little boy in a tragic accident, the knowledge of the plan of salvation, eternal families, and temples changed his world. His love for the gospel radiates and is simply contagious. In the near future, Francis is excited to attend the temple where he will be sealed to his wife and his little boy. We have truly seen Francis' countenance change from incomprehensible despair to indescribable JOY.

I love our friends so much! My heart could have burst!

2. Did translation for the 1st time @church!

I got a curve ball thrown at me during sacrament when I had to do translation for Marcel!! Sister Baird usually translates but she gave a smashing talk today and when I got up to tell Elder Nicolis he needed to translate, he looks at me, smiles, and sweetly goes, "you cant do it today sister Gale." And I had no choice but to go for it! I have never felt the gift of tongues like this before, holy smokes it is REAL! I thanked Elder Nicolis afterwards for forcing me into it haha. He said he had a prompting that I would need to do it which was funny because I was actually getting a promoting that I might need to do translation and had been practicing in my head with the previous talks. So it all worked out and I did my first official sacrament talk translation! Check that ore off the list ;)

3. We ate dragon fruit!

Actually not that impressed, but its alright. Looks way cool tho, like a giant white kiwi. I think we got ourselves too hyped up but it's just one of those mission "ya gotta do" kinda things!

OTHER NOTEWORTHY THINGS

•Got lost in a Santorini looking spot. Blue roofs, white buildings and all! Not a bad place to be lost at that's for sure!

•After the baptisms, Sister Baird and I saw a guy fishing out on the edge of the rocks so we decided we'd walk out there and ended up giving him a Greek BoM! Sister Anderson commented afterwards as she watched us walk out that we were being literal fishers of men! she told us to not be surprised if we see the pic she took in the Ensign soon haha :) President Anderson loved seeing how we're doing missionary work even at baptisms! He said we're gonna need to have a new section in Preach my Gospel (PMG) labeled, "you find when you baptize and you baptize when you find" haha so true tho.

•got a referral from Martin, his friend apparently had seen him having video lessons with him so he asked for our number. So we chatted with him and it turns out he thought we were pretty and wanted to date us.... yeah NOPEEE!

• we got home Weds and there was a mo-ped by our bikes...UPGRADEEE! haha I wish. We snuck a quick pic on it, glad it didn't tip over!

•Sister Baird got something called "mushy peas" aka baby food for adults haha, it's an English thing.

•I called Francis to ask him what his favorite dessert was since it was his b-day the next day... offered him cookies, ice cream, cake, etc. He responded saying, "football, only football, I love football!" Haha okay Francis, not a dessert but we'll work with it! So we got him a new soccer ball and he was beaming when he got it

•We had 8 investigators in sacrament! And ALL of them were talking about their baptisms coming up! They are even more excited than before! Also new record for Larnaca Branch of 46 people!

SPIRITUAL THOUGHT coming from...

D&C 18: 15-17!

"15 And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!

16 And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!

17 Behold, you have my gospel before you, and my rock, and my salvation."

Nothing could be more accurate or filling! This is the gospel of Jesus Christ. A foundation built upon that cannot and will not fall. This is my promise to you all.

Till next week, love you!

Love,

Sister Gale

PICS!

1-4 Francis got baptized!!

5-10 the baptism crew!

11-13 David got baptized!

14 Kamal got baptized!

15 my favorite Africans all in one picture!

16 beautiful location for an even more beautiful day!

17 President Anderson is the greatest of all time!

18 missionary work in action! Being literal fishers of men!