Hermana Hailey Dean Ingram: Week 78 Final email (1 of 2) June 8, 2015

This week was one of the best weeks yet! And what a great way to finish!

Tuesday our investigator Carlos passed his baptismal interview. He came out looking a little shooken up so we asked if everything was ok. He paused and said, "I'm just really going to miss the two of you when you're gone." It's really hard to explain the love you feel towards your investigators. It's something I have never felt before! We LOVE them more than anything and it's amazing to see them change their lives around!

Alejandro is glowing! I have never seen him so happy before!

Alejandro

We visited a lot of members this week to say goodbye. One of them said something that I'll never forget. She said, "Hermanas, I'm sure I'll NEVER see you again in this life. But I know that when we're resurrected we'll see each other again and we'll give each other a big hug." It actually made me tear up a little. It's true! That's going to be one big day of amazing reunions with everyone I've ever met here! I can't wait!

Friday it finally started to hit me that this is all about to end. I can't help but think, "This is the last time for this and for that..." I will NEVER teach these people ever again. It's hard thinking about that. But that's part of the mission!

Making Pozole

The secret ingredient

Hermana Lucero

We have probably never eaten so much as we did on Saturday. EVERYONE wanted to make us food...and we couldn't decline...so we practically ate all day! I did eat the best pozole ever though...THAT was worth it! Hermana Lucero is a chef and she made us her famous pozole verde. She promised me that she was going to email me the recipe...that way I can attempt it at home. The only problem is that she buys half of a pigs head, 4 pig feet, and a pig's spine to add flavor and I'm pretty sure I'm not finding that too easily in Salem, Utah. I was always told that the special secret ingredient to a delicious bowl of pozole was "amor" (love) but what they never told me was that it was ACTUALLY the head of a pig... I'm not sure I like knowing that.

Carlos's baptism

Bertha's baptism

At about 5 on Saturday we started the baptism of Carlos and Bertha. Carlos brought his wife, who I had never met before and Bertha showed up in the back of her husband's mototaxi along with her daughter Allison and her son Johnny. I don't know what got into me but from the moment we started I was fighting back the tears! It was HARD thinking that that was THE LAST time I would ever be baptizing an investigator. It's an amazing thing to see these people make such big changes in their lives. It's hard to express! Anyway, Gustavo (covert) baptized Carlos and Ramon (ward mission leader) baptized Bertha. Towards the end of the service, they surprised me and asked me to stand and bare my testimony. I knew that I wasn't going to be able to hold back the tears. I was looking at 2 miracles! We found Carlos because someone decided to give us a false address. We thought we lost him but kept searching...he has COMPLETELY turned his life around! Bertha was golden from the start! She was READY for the gospel in her life. Both of them started crying as I was up there. But what a great way to end my time in that ward!

On Sunday Carlos, Alejandro, and Bertha all got confirmed members of the church. I was beyond happy for them. And, to finish sacrament meeting we sang hymn #88 "Placentero nos es trabajar" (it doesn't exist in English). I couldn't even sing the words I was so emotional. I've turned into a big fat baby here in the mission!