Hey,

So wow this week was great! Different than most, but I was able to see some fantastic miracles!!

Sister Trisha Williams is a sweetheart! So we had committed her to have her baptismal interview this past Sunday which was a pretty big hurdle. A great step of faith for her, she almost had to back out of it, but we made it work for her and she came. At about 20 til' the top of the hour she left sacrament meeting to be interviewed by our zone leaders. She came back at the end of sacrament meeting. We went up to her and asked how it was, she said it went well and continued to ask how the primary program went and such (SUPER CUTE), and we just kept talking as if she wanted to avoid the subject. She asked me what I had planned on the 23rd for my birthday. We had said that the only thing is that Elder Berntson and I would take our hour dinner at 8 and come home so he can make me dinner. She then said that we now had different plans and proceeded to invite us a baptisim she would be having for herself on my birthday...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I just started jumping and laughing, mind you this was outside the chapel. I was so happy for her!! This was such a big step for her and her family!!! She will be forever blessed and her husband will feel that!! They will have an eternity together!! She is just soooooo great!!! I am so excited!! Best of all, she is so excited!!

So if that wasn't enough, on Saturday was one of the most spiritual baptisms I have ever witnessed. What was better is that we had sister Jones with us... So Saturday was a high stress day, we had told Sister Jones of the baptism only 2 days previous and told her we would get her a ride. Well after a few people fell through on the ride, we were going to have to call her and let her know that unfortuately we didn't have a ride and we already had so much we had to do, but she actually called us first and asked if we had found her a ride and that she really wants to go... When an investigator calls and says that she wants a ride to a baptism, YOU GET THEM A RIDE!! Especially an investigator who about a week earlier told us that she isn't ready and that she wants to go back to her baptist church!! So we called the whole ward, then the stake... eventually people from Louisiana to give this poor woman a ride the baptism! Finally we found someone who happened to be going that lived down the block!!! Everyone else was either sick, out of town, or whatever!! We made so many calls! But we got one, and that isn't even the miracle!!! We met her at the baptism, her second one, and we sat next to her and listened to the wonderful program!! Then the baptism was performed and on the way back I pulled her aside and we just talked and at the end, we asked her what she was waiting for? She said that she didn't know but that this baptism was just a feeling that she couldn't describe. She looked awestruck and then Elder Berntson bore a powerful message and said that God is talking to you right now that this is your answer! And she said, "I think it is. I will be baptized on the 31st." Wow... I was just stunned at the way the Holy Ghost took that. Haha He know what He is doing!! Then she came to church and said for the first time that her mom was excited for her and that just by the glow she had that this was something she needed to do.

I have a testimony of the Holy Ghost. That He is very real. That there is nothing on this planet that creates faith besides His witness. That everything that is genuine and good in our lives, depends on obtaining and keeping His presence. The blessings of the Spirit come when we need it most as we work to fulfill the work of the Father. As we heed these promptings, we too can know of our Savior just as Sister Jones and Trisha experienced. That happiness lies in that still small voice and first recieving that gift! I pray that we can all have an added portion of the Spirit in our lives as we follow the commandments! I love each and every one of you! Thank you so much!

-Elder Tommy Walter