Final Countdown

One week from today I will no longer have a companion. It's going to be so weird. And thus begins the final countdown. I'm already getting texts like 'enjoy your last Tuesday!' Yikes! We are living up every moment and I'm brutally pushing my greenie so she doesn't have a melt down the moment I walk out the door. Ah kids. They are terrified until you leave them and they realize they never needed you anyway. I'm excited for her to have that experience, but before she gets there I'm going to try to keep her from hyperventilating.

We had an awesome baptism on Sunday. I love baptisms where you're not worried they aren't going to show. This one was solid, plus it also included two 8 yr olds so even if our girl backed out we were still going to get someone dunked. "M" is a very petite girl, but let's just say she has a very curvy figure and I knew we were going to have a hard time finding a jumpsuit for her. We even checked out 2 other chapels but about an hour before the baptism, I knew we were in big trouble. We were on the prowl for a medium cotton jumpsuit with the elastic waste. Yes, it HAS to have an elastic waste I replied to all the Elders confused by my request to scour every chapel in a 20 mile radius. Just in the nick of time our Zone Leaders showed up with the perfect fit. Well, it was the closest fit. "M" was about in tears over how unfeminine it was making her. She thanked me a million times that I let her keep her big, bright coral and gold earrings in. "Thank you for letting me keep at least some of my glamour!" she said. But she knew what she was doing was worth it. It wasn't over. As soon as they announced it was her time to be baptized, I got a strong feeling to get up and follower her in. As soon as I entered the bathroom all I could hear was someone hugging real tight the toilet bowl. I calmly walked back out into the font area and told the Bishop that we would have to have the kids go first. Oh the poor thing. I don't know if it was nerves or morning sickness but she was having a spell. It certainly didn't stop her and right after the boys went she got down in the water and her husband baptized her. The spirit filled my heart and I could feel my eyes welling up with tears. It happens at every baptism! Rain on my face! But honestly, it's the best feeling in the world. I'm so lucky to be a part of it. 

In other news, the week was filled with me making my kid cry on a regular basis. I'm sorry! Sometimes you have to use tough love! I'm learning so much about motherhood...it's terrifying me. She also started driving. This is my life. I'm going through all the stages, first it was potty training and now driving! The teenage years are the worst! 

Some precious moments include a 3 yr old girl praying to "Dioscito". That's like the English equivalent of saying "baby Jesus" in a prayer. I had to hold in my giggles, but it really was so precious. She must have said it a half dozen times but she was just really asking Dioscito for the sweetest things. 

Today I have a busted blood vessel in my eyeball so I fit right in for Halloween. I'm pretty sure I'm stressed but I think that's to be expected and I've been drinking Diet Coke for breakfast. Survival. 1 week. 

After the baptism, the Bishop sat down with us for a few minutes to sign the baptismal record and give us a little pep talk. It ended up being a really good lesson on prayer. I'll be speaking in our ward this Sunday on prayer so it came at no better time. One thing he talked about was our need to teach people the different kinds of prayer. It's really easy to give general, basic prayers or group prayers. But do investigators and members know the difference between these general prayers and a real, conversation with our Heavenly Father. He really got me thinking. Our personal prayers are a chance to do just that, communicate with our Father in Heaven. A huge part of that communication means to listen. I can't even begin to count the amount of times where I just said a quick little prayer, maybe even asked something super important and then closed and hopped into bed. Where was my time to listen. The Bishop reminded me that in the communication of prayer, we talk and then we STOP, we listen, then we respond. Then He responds. It's a two way communication in every sense of the definition. I was so grateful for this reminder especially to remember that although I have grown up this way, the rest of the world has no idea what the blessing of prayer means and it's our job to share that with them. Phew. That was close, now I have 8 days to go back and reteach everyone I've ever talked to!

'Tis the final countdown...

xoxo, 

Hna Hall