Elder Braden Baker: Unto vs Into

I just realized that I have been in Kakinada for almost 2 months and I swear it feels like maybe 2 weeks. When I first got here, I was determined to make a difference and really help this ward grow and change and improve. I have just been working hard and doing my part as best as I can and leaving the rest to God. My dad always told me one quote, "Pray like it all depends on God and work like it all depends on you." Well, I have learned while on my mission that I can truly truly speak with my Heavenly Father through prayer and ask for His help. I think I've learned even more that after I pray and I get up off my knees, it's time to get on my feet and get to work!! Just like it says in Doctrine and Covenants 123:17, "...let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed."

I am definitely seeing His arm being revealed in my work as a missionary here in India. This Wednesday and Thursday were super slow and we had no appointments during the day time which was hard because it's kind of hard to go finding when you dont speak the same language hahah. We still met most of the people we are teaching and had some really spiritual lessons. We also had Zone Conference on Saturday which I loved. I totally love President and Sister Thomas, they are amazing. President Thomas just amazes me with his scriptural knowledge and wisdom and makes me die laughing with his sense of humor. Sister Thomas is just like the picture perfect mission mom.(Mission president's wife) I really admire both of their testimonies also and the story of how they got here.

What was awesome is after zone conference, President and Sister Thomas got to meet with Bashira!! So, she is still just absolutely loving the gospel. I can't share her whole story here because it's just too good and I can't do it justice. Basically, she has allowed the gospel into her life and is letting it change her into a better person and she has felt the joy and happiness. She has been reading the Book of Mormon and during some of her personal study, she came across Mosiah 2:17 which says, "...when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God." And she immediately messaged me and said, "Elder, I need to be a missionary" This was just one of the moments on my mission where I felt the spirit so strong and I felt so happy. That is the same scripture that I chose to put on my missionary plaque back home. There's not a doubt in my mind that everything happens for a reason. I came to Kakinada with an emergency transfer and little did I know that at the same time Bashira also came to Kakinada and she was only staying for about 10 days for a training. It's not a coincidence that my 10 days and her 10 days just happened to overlap in the exact same place in the world so that we could meet and I could introduce her the restored gospel. That is not just a lucky plan, that is God's PLAN!

We had a really awesome, spiritual lesson with Kamalaker this week. It was also God's plan for him to meet us. Three weeks back, he was walking to his church and it started to rain right as he was walking by our church. He said he didn't want his clothes to get soaking wet so he just came inside our church to stay dry. Well, that's when he stayed for our whole church service and a brief introduction lesson of the book of mormon. (Because of course, if a brand new person walks into the church for the first time ever, the Sunday school teacher that day just spits out book of mormon verses left and right. I mean this guy was asking me to find Alma in his orange bible) Anyway, we taught him that week and he was hesitant about the new doctrine. He is a professor and lawyer and has been his whole life. He is an older man. He knows quite a bit of things and he told us he didn't like younger people trying to tell him what is right at first. But, he came again to church because of how he felt there. This time, he heard a speaker at church speak on baptisms for the dead so he let us go teach him again to answer his questions about that. He was just blown away that we actually lived this doctrine. This week though, we taught him the Plan of Salvation and his walls tumbled down and he allowed the spirit INTO his heart. He literally jumped up and grabbed paper and started taking notes and writing down scripture references. He was asking us, "Why haven't I known this doctrine my whole life?? You young men are coming into my home and teaching me new doctrine each time and it finally makes sense." He called his daughter in Bangalore and his son in Hyderabad and we gave the Elders referrals there in each area. He has so many questions and now he is just interested to study and find out for himself. He read 1 Nephi chapters 1-5 and watched the new Book of Mormon videos along with it in one night. He asked when we could come back because he is craving more.

Well, one of the hardest things as a missionary is the difference of one letter in a promise from Nephi. In 2 Nephi 33:1, it says, "...when a man speaketh by the power of the Holy Ghost the power of the Holy Ghost carrieth it unto the hearts of the children of men." The one word that sometimes is hard for missionaries is the word unto. Notice it doesn't say into. We dont have the power to force it into their hearts but we can bring the spirit right up unto their hearts. In the case of Bashira and Kamalaker, the Holy Ghost was carried right up unto their hearts and they have chosen to let it in and they can feel the blessings.

I love you all so much!! Choose to let the spirit into your heart. Well, that is my week included with my pondering. There are lots more people I'm teaching and more rice I'm eating that I could talk about but this email is already too long which means half of you will open it, see the length, and scroll right down to these pictures, LOL.

I still love you all!

Love, Elder Baker

Selfie with a light up Hindu god

Harshitha's birthday party

At the birthday party

Rajahmundry zone

Eating some WAY GOOD chicken biryani, they spoiled us tonight for sure. He works at a restaurant and said he sells one plate for 300 rupees...($4.50 ish)