*5 Baptisms*

Dear Friends and Family,

Long story. We did not have 5 baptisms this week (sorry), so just let me explain a little bit.

This week was our mission tour where Elder Gaverett from the Quorum of the Seventy came for a visit. He was a super nice guy and it was an awesome conference, but at the end of it, he asked us why we were only planning a month ahead. The average time it takes for an investigator to get baptized is about 6 weeks, so he challenged us to plan ahead AT LEAST 6 weeks for baptisms. Let me tell you, Elder Wightman and I left that conference inspired and the next day--during our weekly planning session--we made some goals and set some plans.

We had originally decided to just try and get all of our investigators a baptismal date, but as we prayerfully selected baptismal dates for these investigators, the date "July 29th" just kept coming up for every single one. So we prayed a little harder and a little more specifically, and came up with the big number 5! So hold us accountable: we will have 5 baptisms the 29th of July!

Just to prove that point, I'll tell you the story of Artemio Guerra: one of our investigators. Artemio was found about a year ago drunk on the side of the road by my old companion Elder Hale and his companion. They started teaching him but he always said that he was Catholic and that he didn't want to be baptized again. He still had that attitude when we went to teach him on Saturday. We went over baptism--what it is and how it's a covenant. We went over Priesthood Authority and how he needs to be baptized with proper authority. Nothing. Finally, (and Elder Wightman deserves the credit for listening to the Spirit on this one) my companion just said something like, "Artemio, we aren't trying to get you baptized just because we want to; Baptism is a blessing, and it will only help you get closer to God."

Artemio just sat there for like 5 minutes thinking to himself until finally he said something like, "I like that a lot. You both are always happy. All the Mormons are always happy; in fact I've seen nothing but happiness in the Mormon church. And I want to be happy. Why not be baptized?"
I was 100% speechless. He even wrote it down so that he would remember to "prepare myself for baptism the 29th of July". Now do you believe us???

I just want to bare testimony of the truthfulness of this Church. If you don't belive it, give it a try and you'll realize that you are happier and closer to Jesus Christ. I have a firm and bold testimony that Jesus is our Savior and Redeemer. He can offer us a better life than anything the world can offer. I've seen my life without Him, and take my word for it, it is so much better with Him.

I love you all and I know that God will bless you if you seek to do what he wants you to do.

Elder Arkoudas

Pic. 1: and neither one of us got a ticket

Pic. 2: our Branch's Dia Del Padre Luau!