Elder Braden Baker: Everything happens for a reason

What an eventful week! Seriously it was probably the most jam packed week of my mission. SO MUCH happened I cant even explain everything in one email. I have the strongest testimony that God has a plan for each and every one of us. Well, where do I even start? I had the first ever dinner appointment where I was fed homemade pizza!!! WHAT, we were shocked. We had MLC, zone conference, a few baptisms, some great lessons, I hit my one year mark, and OH I'm transferring to Kakinada. Surprise!

So, we will start from the beginning of the week and make our way through. First was MLC and we distributed smartphones to our zone leaders in the mission. We can now use smartphones in our missionary work which is going to be so helpful!! Also, hmu on facebook now because I'm going to (learn how to) use facebook!! At MLC, I gave a training on how to use the new technology as missionaries and it went great. Also, the next day we had Zone conference and the rest of our Bangalore zone missionaries got their smartphones. It's an exciting time here in india as a missionary!!

Thursday, August 8th was exactly one year since I entered the MTC and started my mission. I dont know how so many things have happened in just one year but it's truly hard to think it's been a year because it went by so fast! Everyone says this but it's true. It's so so weird to try and imagine where I was one year ago and more importantly who I was. It's only been one year and I'm still only 19(until the 27th) but I feel like I have grown in years and years of knowledge, maturity, age, confidence, and experience more than I could anywhere else in my life. I'm not done though, it's only halftime. 3rd quarter is important and then I'll finish strong through the 4th quarter. I'm so excited for the second half of my mission with these wonderful people in India.

Okay, so Saturday was awesome!! The people I talked about last week in my email were baptized. In the morning, the Babu family was baptized. Then in the evening, Mamatha, Harshitha, and brother Chandrasekar were all baptized. It was one of the most spiritual baptism services I've been a part of so far on my mission. Everyone in the ward knew Chandrasekar very well because his family has been members for the past 12 years and to see him finally choose to take the step of baptism was amazing. Even Mamatha and Harshitha were so excited and so happy to be baptized. Their day had finally come they said. We actually taught an awesome lesson to them this week about missionary work and they are going to start preparing to serve a mission!! I asked why she wants to serve a mission and Mamatha said, "I want to be able to teach others like you taught me." AH I felt that. So so sweet. Anyway, it was so nice to see these people happy and excited to follow Jesus Christ. They dont even know the potential they just entered into either.

That was the other awesome lesson we taught this week. "The eternal glory that awaits the faithful far outweighs the trials of mortality." There was a member that has lots of trials right now but she has a strong testimony of the gospel. She shared how she cant explain the difference the gospel has made in her life. She said, "I see who I was 7 years ago and who I am now and I've changed so much" which is awesome!! Its true, if we allow the gospel of jesus christ to change our lives, it will!! But while she was saying this, I had the strongest feeling from the spirit just saying, "you have no idea of your potential." So I told herhow we can see the past and today but God can also see the future and our potential is more than we can imagine in the sight of God. He loves us and wants us to achieve our potential.

Okay, and finally just a little update. Sunday night I talked with President Thomas and then boom, Monday morning I got on a flight to Rajahmundry. My new companion will be Elder Trainor. I haven't met him yet but I'm excited to go see a new place and work hard in my new area Kakinada. So far I've served in Florida where the people speak English, then Chennai where the people speak Tamil, then Bangalore where the people speak Kannada, and now I'm going to Kakinada where the people speak Telugu. Let's go!! So much for all that Tamil I learned so far on my mission, it's time to start learning Telugu. I learned a few things on the plane ride to Kakinada so that's good.

Well, it was a crazy crazy week and lots happened and I've learned a lot. Cant wait for this next week. Until next time, love you guys.

Love, Elder Baker