The Conversion Story of Bashira Shake

This week was seriously amazing. All of my mission dreams came true! I got to baptize Bashira, I got to go on exchange with my mission president and his wife, and I got to confirm Bashira while Elder David P. Homer of the seventy was also in the circle with me! It was a great experience. Zone conference was amazing and my interview was really good with president Thomas. He is a smart man, I want to learn all I can before I leave from him. 

So, Bashira was finally baptized this week and it was soo spiritual! She was so happy and so excited. I wish I could explain how special it was. I asked Bashira to share her conversion story with me and she wrote her perspective but I also wanted to share my whole perspective also. So here is the whole story in my words from the beginning.

I was serving in Bangalore and everything was going well on my mission. It was almost my year mark and I was serving as Zone Leader. Suddenly as everything was going good, there was an unexpected accident which caused me to be emergency transferred on August 13th. I was transferred to an area called Kakinada. Now, kakinada at this time in the mission was known as "outer darkness" and "the banishment area" in the mission. It is on the very edge of the mission boundaries and on the coast of India. The missionaries are about 2+ hours from any other missionary. The members did not trust the missionaries because there was no missionary work for a long time. I was devastated because the work was going so well in Bangalore and I was zone leader. I kept asking myself, "why did this have to happen to me? Why am I going to Kakinada?" After a while, it clicked and I realized that I needed to change my attitude. I asked the same question but my attitude changed and I told myself that I was going to find out the answer to why I am going to Kakinada. I was going to find out why.  On the phone president Thomas told me the past of Kakinada and how dead the work is and then challenged me and told me he wants me to have ten people on date for baptism by the end of the transfer. I was determined to get it done and when I left Kakinada after 5 months serving there, the sacrament attendance went from 75 to 110 and had over 15 baptisms.(Alma 26:12) 

Anyway, my very first preparation day in Kakinada, on August 19th, I got a phone call from a girl saying that her name was Bashira and she wanted to learn about Jesus Christ! I thought I was getting prank called to be honest but we met that night. We taught about the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ to Bashira and I felt the spirit stronger than any other time in my life. Bashira also felt that same spirit. Even though she didn't quite understand it yet, she knew she wanted that again. She started reading the Book of Mormon but didn't quite understand. Her whole family background is Muslim and has been Muslim for a long time. In the next 10 days, she was taught almost everything and started her journey reading the Book of Mormon. Now, Bashira just barely came to Kakinada for a training for a job. She didn't live there and she only stayed 10 days. She left before the next transfer call in the mission. I would have never met her and never taught her if I wasn't emergency transferred at the exact time I went. I know that was God's plan. Anyway, Bashira fell in love with the restored gospel and learning more truth than she ever had before. When she moved back to her village, I was able to stay in contact with her through WhatsApp and Facebook with the smart phone my mission just received a few weeks before. She read the whole Book of Mormon while hiding it from her Muslim family and finished it in about three months. She would wake up at 2 am to read the Book of Mormon while her family would fall asleep. She is now halfway through it for the second time. She finally asked her parents to be baptized and her mom told her that if she was baptized, she would need to leave the home and be disowned from the family. Because of her situation in home, she couldn't be baptized there. She had to wait until she moved out of the house and got a job and became independent. So, she had finished her training in Kakinada and was waiting for a job offer. For the next 5 months, she received ridicule and lost friends and family members because of her learning about Jesus Christ. She waited about 5 months for a job offer and finally got an offer for a great job with a good salary. It was a great opportunity for her, but the church was not there in the city of the job offer. Bashira told me with full faith, "Elder, I turned down the job. I know God will provide me with another offer where I can be baptized and attend church." She declined the job offer and seemed so confident that God would provide a way. Well, a few weeks later, sure enough Bashira was offered a job in Hyderabad and she accepted it and planned to move. At the same time, my mission president, President Thomas called me and told me I was transferring to Hyderbad. Hyderabad is a city with over 10 million people and I was transferred 5 minutes from where Bashira was transferred to for her job. We finally met again and in the next month, I had the amazing opportunity to baptize Bashira and President and Sister Thomas attended her baptism service. Two days later I was able to confirm her a member of the Lord's restored church with Elder David P. Homer, the second counselor in the Asia area presidency and member of the seventy in the circle with me. It was a spiritual experience I will never forget. Bashira has been the most Christlike example to me while she has learned the gospel. I can't put into words her conversion to Jesus Christ and what she has gone through so I asked her to also write her perspective and her conversion story. 

Here it is in Bashira's words.

 I want to write my journey of how hating Christians  has turned into me changing into a Christian myself. A long time ago, in my childhood Sundays were the only day where my mother used to allow me to sleep more in the morning. The remaining days she used to wake me up at 6 am only and sleeping is my favorite thing. We used to have a church near to my home and early in the morning they used to sing songs in the microphone very loudly and also they used to talk loudly and used to shout like mad people and even cry very loudly. I never was able to sleep peacefully because of their loud sounds. I don't know why but due to that I really got a very bad impression on Christians from my childhood and I was thinking that why are these Christians doing these things to show off to others. Another bad impression I faced was in the train one day. Usually I would go to my college in train. So one day I saw an old lady in that train and she came and sat right across from me and she asked all my personal details without me asking. Suddenly without my permission she put her hand on my head and read something and told me that from now on, you have become a christian. I thought she was such a mad lady. One last thing was that in my college grounds there used to be some prayer meetings and I saw people acting like devils dancing like something entered into their body and I really felt awkward. These are the negative impressions which I had on Christians. Later, one fine day when I was studying degree final year and my friend Ramidi Ravi Kishore invited me to this church but I really didn't want to go but somehow I went. When I sat in the sacrament meeting for the first time and everyone was singing hymns I felt the utmost peace in this church which I had never felt in any of the other churches before. After that, I just went for 2 to 3 times without having any intention to know more about church and I totally forgot about church. Later when I was taking training for TCS company in Kakinada, I suddenly was feeling too lonely and I felt like something is lacking in me. I used to read Namaz, which is the Muslim prayers we recite 5 times a day but I never felt peace. Then I felt something strong from my inside that was telling me to call to elders and talk to them. So then I called to elder baker taking his number from my brother Chaitanya and without even thinking anything about my parents and relatives what they will think, I started learning about Jesus. So, on Aug 19th, I still remember that beautiful day which changed my life when I met Elder Baker and elder Trainor. They started preaching to me and they told us about the restoration of this church and I was so very impressed by their class and I wanted to meet them again. Then they gave me the Book of Mormon but when I read it for first time I didn't understand anything so I used to ask Elder Baker a  bunch of questions. Elder Baker used to clarify me with lots of patience and love. So many of my prayers got answered from the Book of Mormon. I used to get many visions regarding my baptism but I was really scared to take my baptism😓. When my mother got to know that I'm going to church she told me very clearly and seriously not to go and she told me to go out of my house and never talk to her if I wish to take baptism. I tried convincing her that all God's are equal so she just questioned me an said that if all gods are equal then why can't u read Namaz and pray why do u want to follow Christians? It took me a week for me to answer her questions and even the answer which I told her was from the Book of Mormon only. There are many hard times which I faced in my journey. It is not at all easy for a girl from a Muslim family to take baptism. I have faced many consequences because of this decision. Many of my Muslim friends blocked me in whatsapp and facebook just because I'm sharing posts about Jesus. No one from my relatives are even talking to me now. There are the times when I used to read the  Book of Mormon at 2 am in a small store rook without my parents knowing. I used to pray a lot to change my mother's and father's mindset because I really wanted their support. I love my mother so much I can't live without her. One day while I was reading scriptures my father suddenly opened the door and asked me to pray about him. He even prayed along with me. This might seem small but i wont forget that. Also, I can't forget that day when my parents allowed me to take baptism. My parents are fighting for my baptism now with my relatives and supporting me now. I'm really thankful to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ for helping me so much and loving me so much. I'm thankful for this missionary work and I know that meeting Elder Baker is God's plan. He is such an awesome missionary. He is the person whom I will never forget in my life. Taking baptism and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost is my biggest dream in my life and yes I finally achieved it.😍😍 I know that God is helping me in my every step. He is guiding me to come closer to him and to live with him in heaven again. I know I'm alone in this journey but I'm strong because God made me strong. I can promise you now that whenever you leave me alone I will have the  Book of Mormon and Jesus with me. I will live peacefully and happily now. I don't care about earthly things anymore. All I want to have is to live with Jesus Christ again in heaven. 😍😍 I'm really thankful for everything I have in my life now.

Her faith and Christlike example has strengthened my faith! 

I love you guys!!

Love, Elder Baker

                                    Bashira with President and Sister Thomas at her baptism.

 Elder Gaddala walking into the sunset on the main road.

Chicken Mandi

 Really good ice cream

 The senior couple Elder and Sister Jensen made us homemade rolls and they were so good!! Like probably the best thing I've had in India. 

Bashira and her friends that came for her baptism

                This fruit plate was given to us by a member this week and it was beautiful!!

 

                                                            Zone Conference picture

 This was just a cool picture of Elder Gaddala petting a dog by a puddle in the sunset.

Pictures from Charminar, an old Muslim mosque. It was way cool and we even ran into some members!

We Found a Lost Sheep

This week went by really fast because on Tuesday and Wednesday I was on exchange with Elder Idso in his area and then on Wednesday night, the assistants came to go on exchange with me. So, Thursday and Friday I was with one of the assistants on exchange. That was an awesome experience to be with them and learn from them. We also had some more miracles and the work is just going well right now in Hyderabad! I am even more excited for this week though because we have Zone Conference and Bashira's baptism!!

I was on exchange with Elder Idso this week. First of all, It was TOO much fun to teach a lesson to someone who spoke good English and my companion knew the doctrine well and is a good teacher also. It's been a little while since I had that. Anyway, we taught a powerful lesson about the priesthood authority and how to receive the gift of the Holy ghost. At the beginning of the lesson, I was asking some pre questions to get to know them. The lady was just straight bragging about her church that she has been raised in and showing us all her stuff from her church. By the end of the lesson, the spirit touched her and she got quiet and said, "Elders, I have been going to church for the last 30 years and hearing the scriptures and the messages and then just simply coming back home. I've been doing this for 30 years and never received the holy ghost." So, I invited her right there to be baptized and receive it by someone holding the correct authority. She accepted. She and her son came to church Sunday and she set herself a baptism date. It felt good to have someone understand true doctrine and be ready to act on it.

Another miracle that happened while I was on exchange in this area is that I found a lost sheep with the help of the Meacham family. So, my friend back home got his mission call to my same mission which is pretty crazy so we were excited about that. Turns out his sister Sydnee served in Washington D.C. and while she was serving she found an Indian online and taught him and introduced him to the gospel and then referred him to the elders. He was taught and baptized but they lost contact with him. When they found out I was in India, they gave it a shot to tell me his name. I asked where he lives and they said Hyderabad! The very next day, I had an exchange to go to 3rd ward that I had planned 3 weeks ago. I went with Elder Idso and we had an appointment in this guys same area. I called him, and told him that I know Sister Meacham that he met online. He was excited that we called and came and we met him! Turns out he went inactive because his work transferred him a while back and he was working every Sunday. He still has a testimony and reads the Book of Mormon. Just 10 days ago, he moved back permanently to Hyderabad. That's right when I called him and met him. He was excited to come back to church. The whole timing of everything was just amazing for me to talk with the Meacham's the day before I was going on exchange in this guys area that had just moved there permanently and was ready to come back to church. We found a lost sheep. Shoutout to Sydnee and the Meacham family and the Elders that taught this brother. Obviously a bigger shoutout to God, the one who organized it all and has a grand plan.

This week I was studying the Atonement of Jesus Christ and I don't feel like English is sufficient for me to put into words the atonement. It is the single one thing that makes everything in life worth it. 2 Nephi 9:6-9 explains what would happen if there was no atonement. We would be cut off from the presence of the Lord, we would be damned but "O the wisdom of God" to have literally a perfect plan. The Atonement is the perfect and only way to save all mankind from death and sin and be able to progress, to feel hope, and most importantly return to our father in heaven. There is so much more but I am grateful for a God that has such a great plan and Jesus Christ for his atonement. 

I love you all and will see you next week!

Love, Elder Baker

                                     This is brother Emmanuel Paul, the one Sydnee found

                                            Elder Gantner and Elder Mungamari, our AP's!

                                          A huge thing of chicken for a big wedding function

                                                         Picture of the street at night

                                              This is called Shawarma. That's all chicken

                              This is just a normal typical side street with some street vendors

                                      A view of my area from the top floor of the apartment

                                         Eating some rice and chicken curry with our hands

 We are all with the Karra family. Their son is serving in our mission and the AP's live with him in                                                              Bangalore so they made us dinner

Ancient Kings, Golconda Forts, and 500 year old Tombs

Last week on Monday, we went as a whole zone to go visit this place called Golconda Fortress which was the capital of a 14th century kingdom. It was built for like an army and battles and stuff over 600 years ago. It was so cool. After that, we visited the actual tombs of where they buried the kings of that kingdom. There were 7 kings and they each had a big huge Muslim tomb building built where they were buried. They were so cool. After some arguing with the other missionaries in my zone on whether to pay for a tour guide or not, I finally talked everyone into it and we all chipped in our 30 rupees(40 cents) each to pay for our tour of the tombs. Let me tell you, it was totally worth it. We learned some super cool things about the architecture and how they built these amazing structures over 500 years ago. Also, we learned that there is still an underground tunnel from the tombs to the forts but they wouldn't let us go inside the tunnel. At that time, the closest and most trusted person in the kingdom was the King's barber. He was the only one trusted enough to be that close to the king with a knife because everyone wanted to kill the king then. Crazy stuff and super cool buildings!

One day this week, we had to cancel some of our plans because we had to travel across town to conduct a baptism interview for another ward. I was happy to go conduct a baptism interview, don't get me wrong, that's totally awesome but we had to cancel some stuff because we were told last minute about it. We prayed that God could place some people in our path to meet and talk with as we traveled there and back. The travel is about an hour and a half there and another hour and a half back. We met an investigator that was taught before by the Elders before me and got to talk with him on the way there. As we got to the metro station, we met a member on the metro and talked with him. After we did the baptism interview and went out, a member from the other ward was going to the metro so we traveled with him. As we talked with him, turns out his relatives live in our area and he gave us a referral to go and teach them. Finally as we get out of the metro and we are going to get an auto, we met another investigator that we have been trying to meet with. We got to set and appointment with him to meet this week. It was awesome! Even though we thought we had to change our plans, I think God had a plan all along. 

Well, Bashira was interviewed for baptism this week and obviously passed with flying colors. She is doing amazing. She even came to our District Council this week just because she wanted to. Everything is coming together so nicely with her journey in the gospel. She is studying the Book of Bormon daily and loves it more and more each day. Similarly like I have felt, she also has felt from the inmost part of her heart that the gospel is true and there is nothing that will change her mind or stop her from living it. Even her parents are starting to support her and her decision to be baptized which is a big change from when they first found out about her learning about Jesus Christ. We are planning to do her baptism in the next two weeks. She has invited all of her friends.

I totally love my companion right now. His name is Elder Gaddala. He is from Mumbai and he is a stud!! We are doing great together. Elder Gaddala is super nice. When I was sick, he made me breakfast and lunch. We have too much fun as we are out finding and roaming he streets of India. Hahah we also had a great time today playing basketball. I don't have much time to write but I'll add more pictures this week!

Love you guys!!

Love, Elder Baker 

                                                     Bashira with us at district council

    Some good food that someone made for us. It's a chapati and curries and some pulav rice.

            I just got a new mattress this week luckily, but this was my old mattress, what the!!?

                                                           Ice cream is my favorite 

                                      This is called Chicken Mandi and it was soo good.

                        The Chief Minister was in Hyderabad and there was so many people.

                                                   Nenu inca na prema Elder Gaddala

 This was just a beautiful cloud one day we saw and took a pic. the silver lining and sun rays. 

                   THIS is Varghese, the legend we found last week with the crazy miracle.

             Elder Gaddala and I sitting on the couch. the dad of this house loves photography.

                             Bashira treated us to some ice cream after our lesson with her.

            This cake wasn't actually for me but it was my 18th month mark so I cut it and ate it.

                                       Some arches at Golconda forts. This pic is so sweet

                The main tomb of the king. His body was buried directly under this huge tomb.

                                                            Smaller Muslim buildings 

   This is another huge tomb. We actually went inside this one and saw where the body is buried.

           This is the Taj Mahal. Hahah just kidding I wish, just another tomb but it is still sick!!

 Some of us Elders sitting together in the top of the fort 

 The view of the city from almost the top of the forts. they are built on a mountain.

 Elder Gaddala and I rocking the matching kurta's.

Some big rocks at the top of the mountain

 This is at the top of the fort. I pictured it where like the guys stick their bow and arrows in the gaps and shoot their arrows through. 

This is inside one of the buildings. It was all white and would've been a fun place to go paintballing. 

 We were taking a picture in the arch at the top and this worker just stayed with us. He was chill though. 

This is the view from the bottom of the forts looking up.

The workers in the arch doing their thing

 Me in my kurta in this sick corridor 

 This is the building from the outsides with the cool arches. Inside those pillars are the sweet arch corridor looking thing. They made this huge building out of these huge stones 500 years ago!