The 26th is my birthday how about that day....

Dear Family,

I am well. We survived a transfer week and are happy to be still together here in Gilroy. First off, the missionaries here in this zone are awesome. All of a sudden our missionaries have begun baptizing long time eternal investigators or formers. We're not quite sure what it is. They keep saying that the only thing they are doing differently is asking people to be baptized. It is fun to get astonished calls from missionaries sounding surprised that their investigators said yes. As this happens more and more of our brothers and sisters will enter the waters of baptism.

We had a related experience this week. We had been working with our long term investigator, Alicia Hernandez. We were teaching a lesson, but nothing went the way we wanted. She had to leave to go somewhere, the kids were rowdy, and we just couldn't get her to focus. Because she was in a hurry she told us, "I have to go. How it. The 26th is my birthday. How about that day?" We were way confused as we said a prayer and let her take off. We picked our jaws up off of the floor and went in for the night. We were so confused by the way she accepted that we didn't count it as a baptismal date until last night when we talked to her and found out that she was completely serious.

Sometimes I think we, as missionaries, get to caught up in having everything perfect. That lesson was the case. It was one of the most distracting lessons I have ever taught.

I guess the spiritual point we can draw out of it didn't come until last night when we talked to her. She had told us how she had been seriously praying and seeking to know about baptism. The night she told us she wanted to be baptized, we just took too long to invite her. She was ready after the opening prayer, all we needed to do was invite.

In other news, I am sure you have heard about the earthquake and tsunami. We are glad to here that all of the missionaies are safe and accounted for. We actually reviewed our emergency action plan for the zone the morning the tsunami hit, not knowing the news. The missionaries in Santa Cruz were moved out of their apartments to the Stake center. Luckily, no one was in danger. The only damage that happened in the mission occurred in the Santa Cruz marina. A few boats are no more but a mast sticking out of the water. Thank goodness a boat can be replaced, a life can't.

I loved the pictures of Victoria Bailey Mugleston. I would love to have a photo mailed to me so I can put it in my family picture album I use for teaching the Plan of Salvation. Give her a big hug from me.

Love,

Elder Badger