Elder Braden Baker: Love As He Loved

Hey everyone, this week was so awesome and I just want to say that if you want to feel more happier than you ever have, go serve someone else and share the light of Christ with them. I promise seeing someone else so happy will make you happier!! I definitely have been feeling this lately as we are serving people for Light the World this December. Also, my testimony of prayer continually gets stronger and stronger every day while I am here. I know that God is watching over me and answering prayers every single day. I know that the things that happen are not by coincidence and miracles are still happening!! As we align our will with God's will, he will answer our prayers and give us anything we ask for, I know that!

A miracle happened to my companion Elder Tolbert and I this week. So, last week Elder Tolbert had his wallet and white handbook stolen from his backpack while riding the local train. Considering that the population of Chennai is the same as New York(around 10 million), we figured that he would never get his stuff back. Now this week we were on the train again and Tolbert had been praying to get his white handbook back because it has some very important, irreplaceable things in it. We got on the train and he said he had a feeling he needed to talk to someone on the train so he prayed and asked God to show him who. As we get off the train, we talked to nobody. We were a little disappointed but whatever. I noticed that a guy I was standing next to had got off and had been following us so I said hi! He started talking with us and just asked the normal questions we get every day. But, then he stares at our name tag and says, "That looks really familiar. I found something on the ground and I recognize that church name." He then reaches in his bag and literally pulls out Tolbert's white handbook!!! It was a miracle for us. God directs his children and answers prayers.

So, on Saturday we had a baptism for an awesome young man named Shiva!! He is the happiest, most energetic, crazy, outgoing guy ever and is awesome. Anyway, he doesn't speak a ton of english but loves learning from us. He was baptized on Saturday and afterwards stood to bear his testimony to everyone and he stood there and was smiling HUGE ear to ear for a minute. Then, unexpectedly he starts bawling and couldn't explain how happy he is feeling right now. He brought the spirit very strongly and it really touched me to see the joy that this gospel brings to peoples lives. The next day is when he was going to be confirmed and receive the Holy Ghost in sacrament meeting. Well, Sacrament meeting started and he wasn't there... 20 minutes pass by and he still isn't there. We tried to call him but his phone was shut off. Turns out he got on the train without buying a ticket and as he got off, they checked him for his ticket and he didn't have it so they detained him and was holding him there until he could pay the fine!! We had to have a member hurry and drive to the station and pay and pick him up and bring him to church. He barely made it in time to the end of Sacrament to get confirmed and receive the Holy Ghost. It was a big adventure but Shiva is the newest member and first convert baptism in the Tambaram branch.

To Light The World here in our branch, us missionaries had an awesome idea. There are some members in our branch that don't have the money or house to buy and put up a christmas tree and decorations for the christmas season. So, we chose a few families who didn't have any decorations in their little home and we went and bought a christmas tree and lights. We then bought some arts and crafts stuff and made little decorations out of popsicle sticks and pass along cards and anything else we could find. Yesterday was the day we went to deliver the trees to the houses. We didn't tell them that we were doing this by the way so it is all a surprise!! We got together with a few of the YSA's and a few members that wanted to join and we started traveling to their homes. We went to the first lady, Sister Kanchana and she is the sweetest lady ever. She was soooo happy and couldn't stop smiling. It was so cool to see her surprised and so happy. The next family was Mary Ramesh and her family. Now, she was even more shocked when we all showed up and set up her tree and lights and decorations. I'll never forget her saying, "Elders, I love you!!! Nan romba happy, romba happy!!" as she is crying happy tears. That means, "I am so very happy" in Tamil. It made me so happy to see her and her family so happy.

This was one of the most fun I have had yet on my mission. Serving others is the way to share and spread the love of Christ this Christmas season. I invite all of you to take part and join in the Light the World initiative this year. I know that by doing so and focusing on the Savior's love for us will make this Christmas awesome. I love you all and if you can't tell already I am so excited!! Until next week everyone! And now for you that just scroll down to see the pictures, here you go, I'm not offended really I understand... (;

Love, Elder Baker

> Joy to the world with Mary Ramesh