Elder Braden Baker: The Elephant and Elder McGuire

Last week was transfer week and Elder Datla and I received a new companion, Elder McGuire, to be in a trio until Elder Datla leaves to the MTC on the 18th. So, technically it is just my new companion, but we are in a temporary trio. The last few days have been so good! Elder McGuire and I are having some way fun times and some really funny stuff together. I'm excited for the next transfer together. So, Elder McGuire was actually born in India in Calcutta but when he was six months old, he was adopted. He grew up his whole life in America. So, he looks super Indian but his personality is super American. We have got along great. He does sports and farming so he and I are ready to work hard. We are also going to get up and go hard in the morning workouts and get ripped. Big things coming in Kakinada this next transfer.

So, we picked up Elder McGuire On Friday at the bus stop in Kakinada. That same night, we were invited to a wedding function. Now, if any of you know an Indian or have seen a traditional Indian wedding, you know it's a BIG deal. They go all out with the decorations and rent a big function hall and get all the best food and band and everything. So, when we picked up Elder McGuire we told him that the member trust with missionaries is super good right now. We said how much the members love the missionaries in Kakinada. Hahaha and we didnt tell him we were going to a wedding that night. We told him the members did a welcoming function for him because they were just so excited for a new Elder. Elder McGuire was nervous and was making sure he got all ready. We got there and he was shocked they would do this huge function just for him. We met one of our members and I said, "Thank you so much brother for inviting us, oh and congratulations on your sons wedding!" And Elder McGuire just died. Hahaha we couldn't stop laughing. It was way funny. We had some good food and we ate in peace but when we went inside to get some ice cream, one person asked me for a selfie. Next thing we know, I have a line of people that want a selfie with me and for the next 10 minutes, I was pushed up against the wall taking selfies with people. I could've set up a booth and asked 20 rupees each and made some money haha.

The next day, we traveled to Rajahmundry to have District Council. Also, I am the district leader this transfer. I'm way excited because the Elders in our district are awesome. We have two other trainees that just barely got here. One from America and one from India. Those elders each have good trainers also. We had a really spiritual and fun district council. Today for P day we are going back to Rajahmundry to see the elephant and get a blessing! We have lots of new Elders in our zone, so they all want to go get blessed from the elephant. I'm down to go see it again.

One really sad thing that happened this week was we went to see and teach all of the kids. When we went to their home, I could just feel and see in their faces something happened. Something was not right. We talked to them for awhile and finally they told us that their pastor found out that they have been coming to our church and came to their home. He sat all the kids down and scolded them for coming and got mad at them. The pastor told them to not let us come to their home and not to come to church with us again because they are really scared he might come get mad again. Oh, I was SO frustrated. That pastor is taking away the agency of these kids. The kids told us that they are really sad and really want to come to our church. They said they have learned so many more things from us and enjoy our church better. They said they feel loved, and peace and more understanding when they come with us. But, their pastor is scaring them. It reminded me of a scripture from the New Testament in 2 Timothy 1:7 that says, "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." I wish the kids would just choose for themselves and not be forced by their pastor. Please pray for them to one day be baptized and join the restored church.

We had a great lesson with Sandeep and Solomon Raj this week. Solomon Raj is the father of Sandeep and he is the one that had a stroke and his vocal chords are paralyzed. Also, his right arm and a little bit of his leg are also paralyzed. We taught them the full plan of Salvation and mostly focused on the resurrection and living with their mom again. It was really really good. I showed them a picture of my uncle's sculpture depicting the resurrection. It is a sculpture of an old lady passing through the veil to meet Jesus Christ and on the other side, her body is made perfect. We explained how his paralyzed body would also be made perfect because of Jesus Christ. He started crying and we invited him and his son Sandeep to be baptized on December 28th and they accepted!! Solomon Raj has paralyzed vocal chords so he can't talk. But he can understand clearly what we are saying and can communicate a little bit back. When we invited him to he baptized, he looked at me for awhile and it was silent... I didn't know how he was going to respond or what he was thinking. He can't lift his arm to give a thumbs up and he can't speak. But out of nowhere he spits out a loud audible, "Okay! Yes! Bagundi!!" Which means good in telugu. We were all so shocked and soo excited. It made me so happy. This will be a special baptism for sure.

Christmas is coming up so quickly! I can't believe it's already December honestly. This will be my second Christmas away from the family which makes me sad but it's so crazy to think I have been gone that long. I absolutely love the Light The World program the church is doing for december. I love to serve and love everyone as much as possible. I'm so grateful for all of the Christlike people in my life that I have looked up to and admire. Ultimately I am grateful for Jesus Christ this Christmas season and His example of serving and making every one person he served feel like they are special. That is something I an trying to do and we all should try and do this Christmas season is to be the light in someone else's day. Make them feel special by serving them. That will bring the spirit of Christmas. The greatest happiness comes from bringing it to others.

Love, Elder Baker!!

Someone we are teaching asked me to sit so he could take a picture of me on the piano hahah.