WASHINGTON D.C. SOUTH MISSION: BAPTISM OF JOEY

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

BAPTISM OF JOEY

This pictures includes the 3 sisters; Kim, Bagley, and Bennett and Owen and Joey with their friend before the baptism.

Sisters Bagley, Kim, and Bennett were the missionaries involved in the teaching of Joey.

Sis. Bagley shared their story with us.

Owen was a member of the church and came up to the missionaries about 7 or 8 months ago and said that he wanted his wife to learn about the gospel so she could become a member. I came into the ward shortly after that and we assumed that Joey was not interested, that her husband just wanted her to learn the gospel. So we started teaching her about Jesus Christ and a few weeks passed. We learned that before she married Owen and moved to VA, she was in Tennessee with her parents. Her step-father took her to the Baptist church a few times so that was all she knew about Jesus Christ.

During one lesson we were talking about the story of Lehi and the tree of Life. We applied it to their lives and said Owen had partaken of the fruit and now he wants you to also partake. She really liked that. We took them to the Visitors Center when the DC South mission was performing. She loved it. After these two events she really started learning and gaining a testimony. We told her we needed to set a baptismal goal with a date. She agreed with us. We continued to teach her about the commandments. When we were teaching her about tithing she asked "Do I pay tithing before I pay rent and food?" We told her, yes and then Sis. Kim shared a powerful personal experience about tithing. So we asked her if she would pay tithing and she said, "Yes, because I really need Him right now." What a sweet lesson I learned from her. With all the bad weather in Jan, we finally set a firm date and she was baptized on Feb 16, 2010. They are very excited about going to the temple and being sealed together. At the baptism, Owen said the closing prayer and in his prayer he said,"Please, Help me and my wife and my son to be together forever. It will be hard, but help us." What a humble plea to the our Father in Heaven. This has been an amazing experience.

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Stephanie Smith Fireside

Last Sunday evening we were privileged to attend a fireside in the mission. It was held at a beautiful old chapel in McLean. One of the pictures shows the inside of the chapel and the wood beams on the very steep-pitched ceiling of the room. The gym is under the chapel in the basement. I have never seen a floorplan like this one. Very unique. This fireside hosted Sister Stephanie Smith. Her story was in the Ensign sometime in the last year. She has a remarkable conversion story. She has held very high government positions and at one time was 5th in command at the CIA. She said something at the first of her talk that I wrote down: she said, "I've been on some remarkable adventures. But no adventure in my lifetime has been as extraordinary and life-changing as my path to conversion and baptism in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints. She then told about her introduction to the church. She was at a time in her life with tremendous worldly success achieved after clawing her way to the top without any regard for others, and she felt her life was shattering into a million pieces. At this time she turned to a colleague she admired who was a member of the church. He told her two things. That her Heavenly Father knew her by name and loved her and that Heavenly Father had a plan for her success. The next day he sent her a map to the temple visitor center. She told how when the missionary sisters came to her door, she didn't think she could relate to these young women. The first thing they did was ask if they could sing to her. They sang,"I am a Child of God." That was the beginning of her conversion, a long a beautiful story. You can read it on the web at Meridian Magazine. Her testimony was a real inspiration to me. There were over 350 people there and she does a great missionary work speaking to investigators. What a blessing to have heard her and felt her spirit.

Chelsea Our recent Convert

We have met the sweetest young sister. Chelsea is amazing. She joined the church during the last year and has an incredible testimony also. She never misses any missionary function and we were able to take her with us to the Stephanie Smith Fireside. She also came to the mission home a few weeks ago and we had family night. She gave the lesson and is was unbelievable. She is hoping to go on a mission next year. What a great young woman. This is a picture of her with Elders Ganaway and Gifford.