Ermina got baptized!

 Hey yall! This last week was a pretty good week! We had an awesome lesson, and it was so cool I wanted to share it in a bit more detail. 

   I went on an exchange down to Midland, and I really liked it there. It's a super sweet place. I got to be with my old comp Elder Holgreen and with Elder Griggs. Seriously so fun to be with Elder Holgreen again! I ended up being down there for 2 days and we taught one of their people on date, and taught some member lessons. I got to hold this huge snake named Japan, and I taught a lesson with this snake around my neck haha. That was definitely a first. 

   We found a girl named Loica this week and this was one of the coolest lessons ever. She's from Cameroon. We met and got to know her, and then she explained that she doesn't believe in Jesus Christ and she doesn't really even believe in God, she just believes in a superior being. We started off by sharing that there is a "superior being" and he is our Heavenly Father.  We testified of His love for her and how he created the earth for us, and everything in it and around it. We talked about how we are here on this Earth, and it is God's greatest desire to have us back with him! But there are a few obstacles to getting back with him, and that's why he sent Jesus Christ. It was really powerful and the spirit was so strong, especially as we explained The Atonement of Jesus Christ. We read Alma 7:11-12, and asked if she's ever had any pains, sickness, affliction, temptation or infirmities happen and how she felt. She told us she felt so alone and didn't even want to continue in life. We were able to share that Christ suffered all those things so that she would never be alone, and it was insanely powerful. By the end of the lesson, she wanted to come to church and grow closer to Christ. So cool to see such an instant change in someone!

   The other big thing, Ermina got baptized!! Ermina is the mom of Evelyn, the little girl who we were able to baptize. Evelyn gave a talk at the baptism, and said "I'm so happy that my mom is becoming a part of God's family with me." It was the cutest thing and so powerful. Ermina was so happy and so ready! It was such a great experience.

   Those were the few main things that happened this week. Love y'all! Talk to ya next week!

Love, Elder Ryan