A Baptism and a Rat

 Hello to all,

So I guess I will start off with the biggest thing of the week, the Baptism! So we had planned to have the Danielle and Alex baptized together but on Wednesday we were contacted by a member who Elder Dunn knows from another area who is good friends with Danielle (the mom). She said that Danielle wasn't being honest with us and that she has been drinking and smoking. So we went to talk to her and she told us about the drinking and we said we would have to look at the baptism and maybe change it. So we prayed about it and we decided to change it. But she decided that she still wanted Alex (the son) to be baptized on Saturday. So we talked to the ZL's and to our ward mission leader and our bishop. Everyone thought it was a good idea but our bishop. He wanted to wait so that it would make Danielle want to be baptized faster. So we talked to Danielle again, she said she wanted it to be on Saturday so that's what we decided. We prayed about it and we all felt good about it. So Alex's baptism was on Saturday. He asked me to Baptize him so I was super excited to do that! He is such a fun kid! He is 8 years old, just like my last baptism! Haha. It made it a lot less stressful knowing he was young! Every time we come over to their house all the kids, Stephen 9, Alex 8, Tristan 6, and Tony 3, are all running around and playing and throwing stuff and jumping all over us and they really are so much fun! We love going to their house. So Danielle is a single mother. Her partner left about 2 months ago and they have a restraining order against him because he is violent. He tried to come back, it didn't go well and he is in jail right now. So she is really strong, She’s upbeat, usually, and does a great job trying to corral the crazy kids! 

    So the next thing will make mom freak out. We were studying on Tuesday and we kept hearing this weird noise outside. It was like a scratching metal sound. So we went out into the "Backyard" All it is, is a cement pad that we keep our Rubbish Bin on. We looked out the window and there was a Rat. Not like a little mouse, Like a huge rat. (See picture below) We started putting our Rubbish bags in the recycling bin cuz we don't have a real Rubbish bin to put it in. We put them in the recycling bin cuz something kept chewing holes in them. So back to the story. The rat is jumping from the ground against the metal sheet fence and into the rubbish bin and then it will get food and then jump out go into a hole under the fence and then come back and do it over again. It did that for a few hours. Then we left and we haven't seen it again but we think it’s still doing it. We were going to trap it and then take it somewhere else and let it go, but we looked at the traps at the hardware store and they were like $35 so we didn't want to kill it so we are just going to let it be. 

    So the other good thing that happened this week is we started to play Touch Rugby in the morning with the other Elders in the Zone. So we have usually 8 of us playing so 4 a team. But we start at 6ish so we have to wake up at 5:45. So 45 minutes early to go. It is so fun and totally worth it but it was nice to have a break yesterday and not have to go and get to sleep in. Haha. I am loving Rugby. I got some cleats, they were left in the flat by other missionaries so I got sweet, basically new, Rugby cleats. 

     So other than that we haven't been doing anything too exciting. We are trying to get more people to teach so we are visiting all the potential Investigators, and trying Former Investigators now. We really need a miracle when it comes to finding. We try to knock doors and meet people but no one really is interested, especially when you knock on their doors. So pray that we will be able to find new people.

    Do you remember Feagi? Well we have been trying to meet up with him again and he hasn't answered his texts and we can’t really go over cuz his family is hard out Catholic. So we don’t know how his family would take it. His Fiancé is still in Samoa and so she hasn't texted back. So we figured we would wait tell she got back. So I texted him on Saturday night at like 10pm and HE ANSWERED!!!!! He texted back at about 10:30 as we were going to bed! He said he has been busy getting ready for the wedding in December and said that he wants to meet up and will let us know! It was awesome! I tried something different this time, all the other times we texted him is was basically how are you can we meet up sometime and this time I just talked to him. He loves cars and so I just asked about the cars and just ended with we wanna see you again sometime and he actually answered! I was so happy! So pray that he really does text us to meet up again! It really made me realize how important that relationship is. Not only with us and our investigators but with us and Christ. He wants to help us but until we have that relationship with him it will be really hard to want to learn and want to become better!

I haven’t had a chance to use the Family History book that you made for me, mostly cuz we really aren't teaching that much. But I actually have been studying how to use family history better in my work and so I will hopefully get to use it soon! I do love reading it though. Even if that’s all that it gets used for it was worth it. I really brings me a lot of comfort and it makes me remember where I come from and how important one person is. I think about how if grandma and grandpa hadn't become active again I probably wouldn't be on a mission right now. It makes me realize that Less Active work is just as important as teaching new people. So thank you for the time that you did put into it!

Yep that's my week! I love you all!

I’m really jealous that you are all in St. George. I realized that I miss it there as much as I miss home. That really is my Heaven on Earth. It’s a time to spend with the family with no other distractions to keep us apart. (Unless you’re Haley with Heaps of Homework! Haha.) But I hope you have a fun time! I love that Hike (Kanara Falls) and actually have pics of it still on my camera. It’s nice to have those to look at! I'm jealous about the Grand Canyon though! I tell people I’m from Utah and they all say they have been to the Grand Canyon and I tell them I have never been there even though it’s so close! haha. I hope you all have fun!

We are really short on time today, so I am sorry that I can't e-mail everybody back this week. Thank you so much for the letters they mean so much to me. I'll try and write everyone back next week.

Love you Guys!

Elder Seelos

I got to baptize Alex (we are still working with his Mom) The sulu I am wearing was a gift
from Elder Dunn. Definitely a highlight of my mission so far.

 

In the apartment with the Zone Leaders, Yes, I am the only Howlie in group...

We must have some really good food in our rubbish bin because that is ONE BIG RAT!!!