"It's been a really great week, topped off by the baptism this Saturday! It was a great day, and combined with the confirmation at branch conference yesterday one of the best weekends of my mission! The branch has done a really good job of taking him under their wing, and he's already a part of the family. It's so good to see someone be baptised who is immediately so involved in the branch, and I think we're definitely on the way to our goal of baptising future leaders for the church.
Everything else is going well, we have some changes on Tuesday so that we can start working in the new areas here in Athens, and to open the new area in Paphos. I've also been able to talk to P on the phone a few times this week, he's doing really well and has lots of good questions about the gospel that I've been discussing with him. I wrote him a letter this morning about our potential to become like Heavenly Father, which is something he's fascinated by and has been reading about a lot. I kept it simple and based in the scriptures, and I really enjoyed writing it. I felt like Paul writing one of his epistles! :)
I love it here! I have really good friends in all 3 of the branches and I love that you get to see the other missionaries so often, it's a great atmosphere."
"M. came to church today so that was a great moment.
There was such a nice atmosphere of love and friendship between the members. "
"We finished the day at the office where I did some work with the online referral system. We get 1 or 2 referrals every week now through the church's website which is great. We're hoping to use the Internet more effectively soon which I think will bring great results."
"I had email correspondence with a university professor here in Athens who would like 36 copies of The Book of Mormon for his students and would also be interested in missionaries coming into the university to deliver a presentation about our beliefs. It's exactly the sort of opportunity that we're looking for as we really want to show young people that ours is a religion that is still relevant today, and to raise the awareness of the church here in Athens. If even one person in a class of 36 has interest to learn more it will be great, and hopefully through this professor we'll also be able to make connections with other similarly minded people."
The Baptism
"A. asked me to baptise him which will be a privilege and a great capstone on the around 8 months that I've known him now."
"We had really good talks by Elder Szvoboda and V and a beautiful musical item on the piano by Alinda. The baptism took 3 times as his feet kept coming up."
"After the baptism A. bore his testimony. It was so amazing, he talked about the changes he's seen in his life and how he wants to bring repentance to all the world as he's seen how it changes a person. He has really been accepted and loved by the members and it is clear he will be am important part of the branch."
"I'm grateful for this wonderful day. I'm grateful for repentance and how it changes people and for these wonderful people that over the last 18 months have become some of my closest friends."
