Dear Family and friends,
This week was a little more exciting. Well, I guess you can't really say if each week gets more exciting because every week holds a variety of surprises. But, the excitement doesn't stop in Andalusia, Alabama.
In our last Zone Conference, the assistants focused on doing service, especially for members (less-active and even active) and going through the Relief Society president to know who to help and what we can do. This week we decided to rake leaves and pick up pecans for our Relief Society president without her knowing. It was so good to be able to serve her. She does so much for us and is always willing to help us with our missionary work. She was so happy when she came home and saw her yard raked and the two big buckets of pecans on her porch. Even though we weren't our proselyting, we were still doing missionary work and serving God. Mosiah said it right, when he said "When ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God." This week we are planning on helping the "YW President" wrap her Christmas presents. I hope it works out :)
We also did some publicity for the Church here in our small town. We entered a float in the Christmas parade. The branch was so excited and they all pitched in to help. We had a good turnout and had fun during the parade. It was Friday night, and Saturday morning we got phone calls telling us we had made it on the front page of the newspaper and the internet site for the paper. We won second place in the religious float division! It was such a good thing that we were in the parade. If you get a chance today check out the website http:/www.andalusiastarnews.com or http://www.andalusiastar.com/. The picture should still be there and if not, I have a copy of the newspaper.
To top off the week, we had our first baptism here on Saturday. It was so sweet. Out little investigator was so cute as he entered the waters of baptism. Nikki said there is nothing as good as seeing your investigators be baptized, and it is true! He is a good kid and will do well in life if he remembers what he has learned. It is important to remember that importance of our baptismal covenants. I'm so glad we have a weekly reminder in the Sacrament every Sunday. It helps us recommit ourselves to living the Lord's way.
Love, Joanna