Elder Drake McFall: Week 41 - Baptism Number One

August 26, 2013

I can honestly say that this whole week can be summed up as successful! I finally had the opportunity to have the baptism of someone I was teaching. Now that sounds selfish, as it was the Lord, Heavenly Father and the Holy Ghost who really deserve all the credit, but I was sure glad to be there! What an incredible day it was. It was a little stressful come Friday as we were double checking with individuals in the ward about the plans, we come to find nobody had done anything to prepare...Nobody had done the program, which we were told would happen, nobody organized the luncheon, which we were told would happen. I mean we didn't even have someone who would be there to fill the font, also something we were told would happen! So that was quite the Friday night we then had! We went ahead made phone calls, I went over to the church and made up the whole program after getting in touch with Alannah again. She was like "nope nobody came and got it!" So we did it, but that is totally alright! Because things went really well on her baptismal day! It was one of the most spiritual experiences I could say I have had in my life. What a blessing it truly was. I'll be honest, before the service my heart was nearly pounding out of my chest. I was nervous because I didn't want to say the words wrong and have to do it again, but in the actual ordinance, I was calm, and everything went well. Afterwards I was just brimming with joy and I was shakin' a little bit from what I felt. Not sure why, but I was! It was just one incredible experience. It just is satisfying on the end of the missionary; to finally see someone make the promise and make that commitment that I teach about and study each and every day. As a missionary that is what you look forward to, from the day you enter the MTC you just want that first baptism. "How great shall be your joy if you bring one soul unto Christ" And how great my joy truly is!

Earlier in the week we had our Mission Tour with Elder W. Craig Zwick of the 70. What an opportunity that was. A few things I learned there--

1. Spiritual projection.

As we are on our missions we begin this projection spiritually that can be hindered or progressed by our determination and our attitude. Often times as a missionary we can get lazy and lose that fire to learn more and deepen our spirituality. Or, we can decide to utilize the very time we are given to prepare ourselves for the eternity. We have this upward progression in our missions from the MTC to the day we go home, then what? For me I realized that after my mission my spirituality is in my hands. I don't have time scheduled each and every day to get all of that study in. But from this I learned how important that will be, and that the spirituality I gain will never be something that I regret.

2. True meaning of repentance.

We often look at repentance as something that is full of sorrow and pain; but simply it does not have to be that way. Repentance is truly us becoming more Christ like. We are admonished to "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect". Repentance is the ONLY thing that allows us to "Deny Ourselves of All Ungodliness". How grateful I am that I can repent, that I have a Heavenly Father who wants me to repent, and a savior who has made that all possible through his sacrifice.

Okay there were many, many other things but I thought I would share a couple!

This week will be spent trying to fill our investigator pool back up now; what a work that will be! Hopefully we can heed the promptings of the spirit and get that all figured out!

Gotta jet, I love you all! You are in my prayers daily!

Oh, and check out this new church video

http://wellbehavedmormonwoman.blogspot.com/2012/09/new-video-taking-mystery-out-of-mormon.html?m=1

Love, Elder McFall (see my entire bog and photos at eldermcfall.blogspot.com)

Alannah at her baptism 8/24/2013