Sandor’s Desert Sojourn

  • Serving on the Streets of Katowice

    Every Tuesday night in Katowice, we have a service night where we do some kind of service project for the people here. We’ve made blankets for the homeless, we’ve sung carols on the street and in nursing homes, and this Tuesday we decided to hand out food on the street! It was fantastic!! We had…

  • Wszystkiego dobrego!!! (Happy New Year!!!)

    What a wonderful week!!!  We went to Ola’s Babcia’s house for Wigilia (Christmas eve), and it couldn’t have been better!  Her whole extended family was there (her grandparents, mom, sister, aunt, uncle, and cousins) and we had such a good time together!  Before dinner, we started out with a Polish tradition, in which you “exchange…

  • Family Photo – Christmas 2018

  • MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! WESOŁYCH ŚWIĄT!!!

    This week was a total whirlwind of service and preparation for the best holiday, CHRISTMAS!  A couple of my favorite things that happened:  On Wednesday, we taught Gosia how to make cinnamon rolls. Over 6 months ago, the missionaries were teaching Gosia, but she got really busy and couldn’t take lessons for a while. BUT,…

  • Falling in love (with Poland!)

    First off this week, Congratulations to my beautiful cousin Desirae on getting married!!!  I wish you and Paul the very best!! This week Siostra Harmon introduced me to the cutest little café in Katowice and I got to have real polish hot chocolate for the first time. It was SO GOOD. It’s literally just straight…

  • Beneath the Gaze of Mickiewicz

    It feels like a MILLION amazing things happen every week and I never know where to start!!  Here we go!!! 🙂 This week: We had EXCHANGES!! During exchanges, basically my companion and I travel to a different city and “exchange” companions with another sister duo. You are able to spend the day in a new…

  • When the World Came to Katowice

    This week has been incredible!! I don’t even know where to start!!! Some highlights include: – A United Nations global climate conference happening in Katowice the next 2 weeks!! Over 55,000 people representing 200 countries are coming to Katowice for this conference, so we’ve had the opportunity to meet amazing people from all over the…

  • To Warsaw & Beyond

    On Monday morning, my Polish district (8 Elders and 4 sisters) left the MTC and headed to the Salt Lake airport. We had a 10 hr flight to Amsterdam that afternoon, a sweet 2 hr layover, and then a 2 hour flight to Warsaw. The flights were both really good!!! As soon as we got…

  • DO ZOBACZENIA (Goodbye) MTC!!!

    Our Polish district finally received our flight plans and we’ll be flying to Warsaw this Monday (Nov 19!!!). Since this is my last week in the MTC, I wanted to take the time to list out a few things I’ve been MOST GRATEFUL for during my time here 🙂 My Companion!!! It’s just AMAZING that…

  • HE is with us!!!

    Hello friends and family 🙂 Well, it’s been another awesome week at the MTC!! Hope everyone had a great Halloween!! This week on the language: -We’re still out here working on our Polish!!! This week we learned our sixth case (cases are a sets of grammar rules that change the endings of certain words depending…

  • Serving on the Streets of Katowice

    Every Tuesday night in Katowice, we have a service night where we do some kind of service project for the people here. We’ve made blankets for the homeless, we’ve sung carols on the street and in nursing homes, and this Tuesday we decided to hand out food on the street! It was fantastic!! We had…

    img_1698 cut cut

    Every Tuesday night in Katowice, we have a service night where we do some kind of service project for the people here. We’ve made blankets for the homeless, we’ve sung carols on the street and in nursing homes, and this Tuesday we decided to hand out food on the street!

    It was fantastic!! We had people donate all kinds of canned / dried food and we ended up making a HUGE bowl of spaghetti. We set up a table near a huge mall and people just kept coming!!! We had some amazing conversations and met some great people. This service night was by far one of my favorites! 🙂

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    And, in keeping with my theme on prayer I started last week, I found a new favorite scripture this week: D&C 10:5!

    “Pray always, that ye may come off conqueror; yea, that you may conquer Satan”

    If we always have a prayer in our heart, we can find strength to overcome our struggles and our challenges. By ourselves, we can’t overcome all the challenges life will bring us, but with the Lord, we can! Prayer is SO powerful!! I testify of this!

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    Hope you have a wonderful week!

    Kocham was!!!

    Siostra Baldwin

    elizabethinpoland.wordpress.com

    letters/packages:Kościół Jezusa Chrystusa świętych w Dniach Ostatnich
    ul. Wiernicza 135
    02-952 Warszawa Poland

  • Wszystkiego dobrego!!! (Happy New Year!!!)

    What a wonderful week!!!  We went to Ola’s Babcia’s house for Wigilia (Christmas eve), and it couldn’t have been better!  Her whole extended family was there (her grandparents, mom, sister, aunt, uncle, and cousins) and we had such a good time together!  Before dinner, we started out with a Polish tradition, in which you “exchange…

    DSC00425

    What a wonderful week!!! 

    We went to Ola’s Babcia’s house for Wigilia (Christmas eve), and it couldn’t have been better!  Her whole extended family was there (her grandparents, mom, sister, aunt, uncle, and cousins) and we had such a good time together!  Before dinner, we started out with a Polish tradition, in which you “exchange wishes.”  Everyone has a wafer (like a really big thin cracker) and you go up to everyone individually, take their hand, and tell them all the good things you wish for them for the coming year. You wish them health, happiness, success, wealth, love, and anything you want for them.  Then you break off a piece of the other person’s wafer and eat it!  It was such a beautiful moment to be there with Ola’s family.  Everyone was crying and you could feel the love.  It was an absolutely unforgettable experience.  My heart is SO FULL!!

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    Dinner was amazing!  As is tradition, we had 12 dishes to celebrate the 12 upcoming months of the year. We had several different kinds of pierogi, potatoes, soups (my favorite was barszcz, a beet soup with dumplings.  SO GOOD!), and carp!  In Poland, you don’t eat meat on Wigilia.  Instead, you eat fish and the Polish tradition is to eat carp.  I had never tried carp before, but it was spiced pretty well, and I’m glad I got to try it! 🙂

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    Also this week we visited our friend who has been in a psychiatric hospital for the last several weeks. Siostra Harmon and I took a train out to Toszek, a little town about an hour away from Katowice.  It wasn’t until we got there that we realized the bus schedules online were wrong and the buses weren’t running, so we decided to walk to the hospital!  We were able to find the hospital and find our friend and visit her for a little while.  While she has been in the hospital, she has been learning English by reading a book in English and looking up every word she doesn’t know!  She has been wanting more books in English, and I happened to have an English Book of Mormon with me so we were able to give it to her and she was so happy!!!

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    This week I have been learning a ton about prayer! In the bible dictionary, it says: “The object of prayer is not to change the will of God, but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant but that are made conditional on our asking for them.”  I love this quote! Sometimes I forget how POWERFUL prayer is.  So many times in the scriptures the Lord has commanded us to pray to Him.  We don’t pray to the Lord because he needs to hear us to know what we’re thinking – He already knows us perfectly!  Instead, the process of praying to Him, allows us to better align our will with His will.  What a great blessing! 

     I am so grateful for prayer!  I am so grateful for the opportunity to be here in Poland, and for the opportunity to represent the Savior.  I love this Gospel!  I hope you all have a very Happy New Year!!!

    Kocham was!!!! 

    Siostra Baldwin
    elizabethinpoland.wordpress.com
      

    Letters/packages:

    Kościół Jezusa Chrystusa świętych w Dniach Ostatnich
    ul. Wiernicza 135
    02-952 Warszawa Poland  

  • Family Photo – Christmas 2018

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  • MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! WESOŁYCH ŚWIĄT!!!

    This week was a total whirlwind of service and preparation for the best holiday, CHRISTMAS!  A couple of my favorite things that happened:  On Wednesday, we taught Gosia how to make cinnamon rolls. Over 6 months ago, the missionaries were teaching Gosia, but she got really busy and couldn’t take lessons for a while. BUT,…

    DSC00366.JPGThis week was a total whirlwind of service and preparation for the best holiday, CHRISTMAS! 

    A couple of my favorite things that happened: 

    On Wednesday, we taught Gosia how to make cinnamon rolls. Over 6 months ago, the missionaries were teaching Gosia, but she got really busy and couldn’t take lessons for a while. BUT, she came to our Christmas party last week, loved the food, and asked to teach her how to make American cinnamon rolls! The cinnamon rolls turned out really well, and afterward we got to read some scriptures together and talk about Jesus Christ. It was such a good time!

    We got to go to a dom pomocy (a senior assisted living home) with our service group and sing for the older people that live there! We sang Polish Christmas carols and it was so beautiful! It was really one of those moments where you’re just serving someone else and you totally forget yourself- and you realize this (serving others and sharing the light of Christ!) is what it’s all about. Then we individually gave Christmas cards that we had made at another service night. The sweet older people who lived there were SO GRATEFUL and happy! One lady, Marysza, couldn’t stop telling us how much she loved us!! 

    One more great experience: the Katowice area includes the small surrounding towns, so yesterday we got to take a train to Zabrze and visit Anna. Anna is a sweet older lady who was baptized a few years ago and she loves the church, but she has Parkinsons and has been sick the last few months so she hasn’t been able to come to church. Siostra Harmon and I went with 2 other sisters in our branch to bring her some presents and to wish Anna and her son a Merry Christmas. Anna was so happy we came, and we were so happy we got to see her 🙂

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    On Sunday I spoke in Church! I spoke about the prophecies of Christ before His birth, the fulfillment of those prophecies, and His invitation to us to love and serve the people around us. Christmas time is the perfect time to recommit to serve others as Christ did!!! I love the way President Monson put it- “It is good to remember that he who gives money gives much, he who gives time gives more, but he who gives of himself gives all.”  And I believe that’s so true!! 

    I hope you have a very Merry Christmas!! Don’t forget that CHRIST is the reason!! Kocham was!!! 

    Siostra Baldwin 

    elizabethinpoland.wordpress.com  

    Letters/packages: 

    Kościół Jezusa Chrystusa świętych w Dniach Ostatnich
    ul. Wiernicza 135
    02-952 Warszawa Poland  

  • Falling in love (with Poland!)

    First off this week, Congratulations to my beautiful cousin Desirae on getting married!!!  I wish you and Paul the very best!! This week Siostra Harmon introduced me to the cutest little café in Katowice and I got to have real polish hot chocolate for the first time. It was SO GOOD. It’s literally just straight…

    IMG_1440First off this week, Congratulations to my beautiful cousin Desirae on getting married!!!  I wish you and Paul the very best!!

    DFC Wedding

    This week Siostra Harmon introduced me to the cutest little café in Katowice and I got to have real polish hot chocolate for the first time. It was SO GOOD. It’s literally just straight melted chocolate so it’s thick and chocolatey and rich and just amazingly good!!! I would definitely recommend coming to Poland just for the chocolate 😉

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    We had Zone Conference with Elder Massimo De Feo on Wednesday and it was amazing! (He spoke in General Conference a couple conferences ago and said, “To me, it is all about love”.)  I absolutely loved his conference talk then so it was such a privilege to get to hear him speak to us!!!

    A few points I loved:

    -Always have the courage to change when the Spirit tells you to!

    – Christ can change our very nature!

    Our Savior, Jesus Christ knows us so personally. He knows every struggle and trial and temptation we will ever go through. And because He is the only one who knows us so perfectly, He is the one that can change our very nature if we let Him!

    Like it says in 2 Corinthians 5:17,

    ” Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

    In Polish, to be baptized is “zostać ochrzczony”. The literal English translation is “to BECOME baptized.”  When we are baptized, we promise to remember Christ and keep His commandments- and through that process, and through Christ, we can literally become new people!!

    For service night, we went caroling and it was a blast!!  We  practiced a bunch of traditional Polish Christmas carols together and then went out to the street to spread a little Christmas cheer!  It was pretty cold but several people on the street stopped to listen to us sing and take pictures.  We even had a drunk man come up to us and start singing along! It was awesome (and SO funny!!)

    AND this week we got to go to Ola’s Babcia’s (grandmas!) house and have delicious dinner and then she taught us how to make and decorate traditional polish gingerbread cookies called pierniki!!

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    This week I am so full of gratitude!! I’m so grateful for my Savior, Jesus Christ, and for the opportunity to share His gospel in Poland.  I’m grateful for a Savior who knows us each individually, and who helps us to become better!

    I hope you all have a wonderful week! Kocham was and MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

    Siostra Baldwin

    Check out the blog!!! 🙂

    elizabethinpoland.wordpress.com

    Christmas letters or packages?! Send them here!! 🙂

    Kościół Jezusa Chrystusa świętych w Dniach Ostatnich
    ul. Wiernicza 135
    02-952 Warszawa Poland

    pics:

    1. Our daily wait at the tram stop!
    2. BEST HOT CHOCOLATE
    3. Ania 🙂
  • Beneath the Gaze of Mickiewicz

    It feels like a MILLION amazing things happen every week and I never know where to start!!  Here we go!!! 🙂 This week: We had EXCHANGES!! During exchanges, basically my companion and I travel to a different city and “exchange” companions with another sister duo. You are able to spend the day in a new…

    It feels like a MILLION amazing things happen every week and I never know where to start!!  Here we go!!! 🙂
    This week:
    We had EXCHANGES!!
    During exchanges, basically my companion and I travel to a different city and “exchange” companions with another sister duo. You are able to spend the day in a new city and learn a ton from another companion!! We spent an AMAZING day in Krakow!! This was my first time in Poland’s ancient capital city.  The architecture is stunning!!! I spent the entire day with Sister Godfrey from Mesa, AZ. She’s SO COOL and we have a ton in common – she went to BYU and she plays the harp!IMG_1523
    District Conference!!
    AND this week we had District Conference!! Here in Poland, every 6 months all the members in branches in the same area meet together and have a conference where you hear inspiring messages from area authorities and then have a big meal together. It was so awesome to see everyone, including some of my MTC group I arrived with 3 weeks ago!!
    EABG Krakow District Conference dec 2018 cut
    Greg!!
    Two nights ago, Siostra Harmon and I were talking to people at the tram stop while we waited for our tram.  We struck up a conversation with a man named Greg who immediately recognized our name tags and had some really awesome questions about missionary work, the Bible, and the Book of Mormon!  We talked for the entire tram ride and then since we exited the tram at the same stop, we continued talking for over half an hour!!  Eventually we had to go, but we invited him to district conference the next day, and he ended up coming and staying for the whole thing!!! Such a miracle!!
    Hope you all have a great week!! 🙂
    Kocham was!!!
    Siostra Baldwin
    Christmas letters or packages?! Send them here!! 🙂
    Kościół Jezusa Chrystusa świętych w Dniach Ostatnich
    ul. Wiernicza 135
    02-952 Warszawa Poland
    pics:
    1. Exchanges in Krakow.  Sister Godfrey and I are pictured at Main Market Square in Old Town Krakow next to the statue of Adam Mickiewicz — He is considered Poland’s greatest poet as his poetry inspired a nation to understand its identity and fight for its freedom.
    2. District conference!!
    3. Dystrykt Rodzina REUNITEDIMG_1554
  • When the World Came to Katowice

    This week has been incredible!! I don’t even know where to start!!! Some highlights include: – A United Nations global climate conference happening in Katowice the next 2 weeks!! Over 55,000 people representing 200 countries are coming to Katowice for this conference, so we’ve had the opportunity to meet amazing people from all over the…

    IMG_1470

    This week has been incredible!! I don’t even know where to start!!! Some highlights include:

    – A United Nations global climate conference happening in Katowice the next 2 weeks!! Over 55,000 people representing 200 countries are coming to Katowice for this conference, so we’ve had the opportunity to meet amazing people from all over the world!!! 🙂

    https://www.reuters.com/article/us-climate-change-accord/emphasis-on-urgency-as-climate-talks-begin-in-coal-city-katowice-idUSKBN1O10H5

    – A world-wide service day on December 1st called Light the World.  Our goal for the day was to share the light of Christ through service!!!  In downtown Katowice, we set up tables outside and worked with other volunteers to make fleece tie blankets to donate to a foundation that helps needy families!!  It was awesome to see people coming together to do service for people they didn’t even know!!  That’s the true spirit of Christmas!!

    My favorite scripture this week is 1 Nephi 7:12!!!

    “Yea, and how is it that ye have forgotten that the Lord is able to do all things according to his will, for the children of men, if it so be that they exercise faith in him? Wherefore, let us be faithful to him.”

    One of our purposes as missionaries is to find people to teach.  A common method we use is street contacting, but finding people can also come in unexpected ways.  We have faith that the Lord will direct us to people ready to hear our message.  As Sister Harmon and I were preparing for the service-day Light the World activity, we visited several fabric stores looking for fleece we could use to make the blankets.  We walked into an Alta Moda, which turned out to be a high-end Italian fashion store with luxurious fabric used to make custom clothes.  There, we found cashmere (at $150 per meter!), Versace silk (also expensive), and other very nice fabric.  Obviously too much for our tiny budget!  But in the process of searching for fleece, we met the store owner Viola and had a nice conversation with her.  She was very kind to us and treated us to some herbal tea and chocolate wafers and talked with us about the purpose of life.  She said her son might be interested in helping us teach our twice weekly English class so we left the store having met a nice family with an invitation to meet again.

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    Faith is the first principle of the gospel, and it is ESSENTIAL. Even when it’s hard, if we put our trust in the Lord, we can see miracles happen!! I am a firm believer that there are no such things as coincidences—the Lord has a plan for EVERY SINGLE one of us, and He has great things in store for us!

    I love you all!!! Hope this week is the best!!!

    Kocham was!!!

    Siostra Baldwin

    Here’s my address for letters or packages to be sent!! 🙂

    Kościół Jezusa Chrystusa świętych w Dniach Ostatnich
    ul. Wiernicza 135

    02-952 Warszawa Poland

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    1st Picture: Siostra Harmon and I with Sandra our Relief Society President

    2nd Picture: Ola!!! We love her!

    3rd Picture: BEST churros EVER

     

     

  • To Warsaw & Beyond

    On Monday morning, my Polish district (8 Elders and 4 sisters) left the MTC and headed to the Salt Lake airport. We had a 10 hr flight to Amsterdam that afternoon, a sweet 2 hr layover, and then a 2 hour flight to Warsaw. The flights were both really good!!! As soon as we got…

    SAMSUNG CAMERA PICTURESOn Monday morning, my Polish district (8 Elders and 4 sisters) left the MTC and headed to the Salt Lake airport. We had a 10 hr flight to Amsterdam that afternoon, a sweet 2 hr layover, and then a 2 hour flight to Warsaw. The flights were both really good!!!

    2018_11_20_arriving group

    As soon as we got to Warsaw, we met the Mission president and his wife, President and Sister Turek. They’re both AMAZING and they made us feel right at home!!!! We stayed in the mission home Tuesday night, and then Wednesday morning we met our trainers and found out what city we were going to. I’m in……

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    KATOWICE, which is in the far south of Poland!!! And I LOVE my trainer, Sister Harmon!!!!She’s from Nephi, Utah and she’s been in Poland a year. She speaks really good polish, and I’ve already learned a TON from her!!! She is also very very spiritual and she has a really powerful testimony!!! On my second day I went to buy something at a cash register and I couldn’t understand everything the cashier said to me.  I was slightly flustered but I used what Polish I did know and was able to make the transaction! Then I realized Sister Harmon had been right behind me ready to help if I needed it, but she let me do it all by myself!  Although I still am working on understanding everything, I am much more confident when I need to buy things.

    We live in a really nice apartment right across from a HUGE mall!!! The mall has a huge grocery store, a ton of clothing stores, and convenience stores. In Poland these huge malls are everywhere, it’s the best!!!

    IMG_1372And the food here is AMAZING!!! Pierogis (dumplings with different kinds of fillings like meat or potato) are so so good!!!

    Scripture I loved this week: Mosiah 26:18

    “18 Yea, blessed is this people who are willing to bear my name; for in my name shall they be called; and they are mine.”

    Missionaries literally bear the name of Christ, but here he is talking to all the members of the church!! When we are baptized, we take the name of Christ upon ourselves!! And because of that, we are His. I think that’s so beautiful!!!!!

    I love you all!!! Hope this week is wonderful!!!

    Kocham was!!!

    Siostra Baldwin

    And here’s my new address for letters or packages to be sent!!

    Kościół Jezusa Chrystusa świętych w Dniach Ostatnich

    ul. Wiernicza 135

    02-952 Warszawa Poland

  • DO ZOBACZENIA (Goodbye) MTC!!!

    Our Polish district finally received our flight plans and we’ll be flying to Warsaw this Monday (Nov 19!!!). Since this is my last week in the MTC, I wanted to take the time to list out a few things I’ve been MOST GRATEFUL for during my time here 🙂 My Companion!!! It’s just AMAZING that…

    Our Polish district finally received our flight plans and we’ll be flying to Warsaw this Monday (Nov 19!!!).

    Since this is my last week in the MTC, I wanted to take the time to list out a few things I’ve been MOST GRATEFUL for during my time here 🙂

    1. My Companion!!!

    It’s just AMAZING that the Lord knew exactly who I needed to be with these last 9 weeks!! I’m SO grateful for Siostra Sjodin and her amazing example to me!!!

    1. Morning Runs

    Siostra Aramaki and I go on the BEST runs during our morning exercise time- yesterday we broke our MTC distance record AGAIN and managed to get 4.5 miles in :))) literally one of the best parts of my day!!!

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    1. AMAZING nauczycielki (teachers!!!)

    I don’t even have the words to say how grateful I am for my teachers here. Not only have they taught me Polish, but they’ve helped me grow so much spiritually :))

    EABG w MTC Teachers cut

    1. MTC friends

    Little known perk of being at the MTC 9 weeks: you get to become best friends with the staff!!!

    1. Dystrykt rodzina (District family)

    This won’t be the first or the last time I say it, but I LOVE my district family!!! They’re some of the most spiritual people I’ve ever met and I’m so grateful for everything they’ve taught me!!

    EABG Final MTC district temple

    1. Devotionals

    This week we got to hear from an Apostle AGAIN. Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the 12 came to speak to us, and I learned a ton about goal setting and our “Missionary Survival kit”- which includes the scriptures, Preach my Gospel, and the missionary handbook!! The spirit was so strong the INSTANT he walked through the door. One cool thing I learned was that President Nelson carries a Missionary Handbook(the white handbook) everywhere he goes!!!

    Every devotional here has given me the opportunity to learn something new!!

    1. Choir

    Prettiest hymns + best gospel stories = one of the best parts of the MTC!!! I always leave choir SO spiritually uplifted!!!

    1. Księga Mormona (The Book of Mormon)

    The Book of Mormon is true!!! I don’t even know where I’d be without this amazing book 🙂 God’s love for His children is so apparent on every single page!!!

    1. TRC

    We had another great skype TRC this week with Filip, the sweetest older man. We got to talk about charity, the pure love of Christ! I just can’t wait to teach these lessons in person!!!

    1. My Family and Friends

    Thank YOU for all your love and support!! I’ve loved every single letter, package and email I’ve received. You mean the world to me!!!

    1. My Savior, Jesus Christ!!!

    I am so grateful for this opportunity I’ve had to be here at the MTC. Over and over I’ve been reminded that the Lord knows every one of us individually, and He has a plan for us. I love this gospel, and I love my Savior, Jesus Christ and I can’t wait to get to Poland in 4 DAYS to share this love with the people of Poland!!!

    Hope you have the best week,

    Kocham was,

    Siostra Baldwin

  • HE is with us!!!

    Hello friends and family 🙂 Well, it’s been another awesome week at the MTC!! Hope everyone had a great Halloween!! This week on the language: -We’re still out here working on our Polish!!! This week we learned our sixth case (cases are a sets of grammar rules that change the endings of certain words depending…

    DSC00098.JPG

    Hello friends and family 🙂 Well, it’s been another awesome week at the MTC!! Hope everyone had a great Halloween!!

    This week on the language:

    -We’re still out here working on our Polish!!! This week we learned our sixth case (cases are a sets of grammar rules that change the endings of certain words depending on the intention of the word.) Step by step we’re getting more confident in the language!!

    -Our first Polish skype TRC is TOMORROW and we couldn’t be more excited 🙂 more to come on that next week!

    Spiritual experience of the week

    One of my absolute favorite parts of the MTC is choir practice. Every Sunday and Tuesday afternoon, anyone who wants to goes to choir, and MAN, let me tell you, it’s awesome!!! This week the spiritual thought hit me especially hard. Our choir director, Brother Eggett said something that really stuck with me-  Preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ is like handing out FREE GOLD!! We have an amazing life- changing message to share with the world, and we should never be afraid to share the message for any reason 🙂

    Scripture of the week: 

    D&C 84:88- This week I read this scripture another time and it impacted me greatly!

    ” And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up. ”

    Being at the MTC has allowed me to gain such a strong testimony that the Lord will be with us EVERY step of the way when we are facing something challenging. No matter whether our struggles, when we rely on the Lord we can gain strength!! I know this is true!

    Hope you all have a great week!!!

    Love,

    Siostra Baldwin

    I love getting mail!!! Please send it to:

    Sister Elizabeth A. Baldwin
    NOV20  POL-WAR
    2005 N 900 E Unit  14
    Provo UT 84602

  • Hola a todos,

    I am celebrating having hit 1 year in the Mission! I thought my one year mark would never come, and the realization that now has come and gone is freaking me out!!  Missionary life is honestly the best life! You get to go around and teach and talk to people on the street, and in their homes. The best of all is you get to help them to see new ways to change their lives. One of the scriptures that inspired me to come on my mission is found in Joshua 24:15:

    “And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

    Celebrating my 1-year anniversary by treating ourselves to a shaved ice treat

    As it states in Preach My Gospel Study Guide on page 116: “you can help people by reading the Book of Mormon with them”. I believe this is totally true. This idea got me thinking about How we should use the Book of Mormon in our daily lives. Many people I have met out here don’t have a desire to read the Book of Mormon because they don’t understand it. If we take time to help our friends understand the Book Of Mormon they will come to the realization that what the Book Of Mormon teaches is true, and in turn, they will be able to apply its teachings to their own lives. Through my service in the mission and The Book of Mormon I have learned that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world and that through him all things are possible.

    I want everyone to experience this feeling. I am inspired by The Book of Mormon scripture found in Mosiah 2:17:

    “And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.”

    I am very impressed with the counsel found in the study guide.  Let me share some ways we can use to help our friends understand The Book Of Mormon so they can grow their personal testimony.

    1. Set up a time to read the Book Of Mormon

    2. While reading it with them, stop every few verses and explain what those verses mean to you.

    3. Pray sincerely and ask help from God so those you teach will be able to understand The Book Of Mormon.

    4. Act on the answer you receive from God to help your friends.

    If we apply these suggestions into our life, then we will be able to understand more about how The Book Of Mormon can answer the questions we have. For example, I have often wondered why the Lord uses young missionaries like me to accomplish His purposes. I found the answer in Alma 37:7:

    And the Lord God doth work by means to bring about his great and eternal purposes; and by very small means the Lord doth confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls.

    Thank you for the love and support you have shown me this past year. I couldn’t have made it this far without any of you.

    Send me emails! I would love to answer them and see how you are all doing.

    My email is Joshua.baldwin@missionary.org

    I love you all and have a safe awsome week!

    Buena Suerte and HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!

    See y’all in less than a YEAR!!! 🥳 🎉 🪅

    Reflecting on My 1st Year Serving the Lord

  • Hola a todos!

    What a challenging week. Am I right? We have been struggling to keep appointments with our friends because people are busy. They are interested though which is awesome!

    I am enjoying my time out here as a missionary learning and living the gospel of Jesus Christ. We, as missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, teach lessons every day that help others come unto Christ. Usually when we meet someone we ask: “would you like to hear a message about Jesus Christ?” Most of the time the answer is: “Sorry I don’t have time today” or “I am not interested in what you have to say.” It’s hard for me to understand, sometimes, the reasons for their lack of interest. Seeking out those who are interested is hard, I’m not going to sugarcoat it. 

    Our activities as missionaries range from preparing ourselves to serve by studying our assigned language, the scriptures, keeping ourselves fit, giving service, listening to people and their challenges, giving blessings, teaching the principles of the gospel, and encouraging people to find lasting joy in life by following Christ.

    In Doctrine and Covenants 11:21, we hear the Lord’s voice speaking to His missionaries:

    “Seek not to declare my word, but first seek to obtain my word, and then shall your tongue be loosed; then, if you desire, you shall have my spirit and my word, yea, the power of God unto the convincing of men.”

    I like this scripture because it teaches us that we must do our part to prepare to teach His word, and then He will help us to share it with others. I invite you to prepare to share the joy of the gospel with others.  As you do this, consider the following:

    How should I teach from the scriptures?

    What questions should I ask when I teach?

    What types of questions should I ask?

    How can I listen better to those I teach and to the Spirit?

    These are all great questions to think about. As missionaries, one of our main goals is to teach, but you can do it too!  Just like a High School math teacher explains a math problem to his students, you too can explain the gospel of Jesus Christ to your friends and family.

    I love my mission. I have learned how to communicate my feelings better and have come to understand that I am truly a child of God and that He loves me.

    Thank you all for the love and support that has been shown to me. I miss you all and look forward to seeing y’all very soon. You are awesome! Keep up the great work.

    ✌️ ❤️ 😎

    Until next week when I will hit a year out on my mission!

    Learning & Teaching the Word of God

  • Hola a todos,  

    This week was intense. We have been visiting many Spanish members of the Spanish Via Verde Ward here in Paradise Valley. I love that a Spanish Ward is located here. This is my first time attending a Spanish Ward, and it feels no different from an English Ward.  The Gospel is true in English and Spanish!!!

    I am so grateful to be serving here. I hope that I can stay here for at least 6 months. I have seen so many blessings while serving here. For example, I taught my first complete Spanish lesson this week. It was awesome and very uplifting. I feel I have come a long way in learning my Spanish. I have grown to love Spanish more now that I have been out here for almost a year. 20220906_143729

    In Doctrine and Covenants 90:11 says:

    Every man shall hear the fullness of the gospel in his own tongue, and in his own language, through those who are ordained unto its power.”

    The scriptures are true. The Gospel will be taught throughout the world in every language. It’s a blessing to know that the gift of tongues is real. With the help of the Lord, nothing is impossible. I can testify of that.

    Here are some ways from the Preach My Gospel guide book  (pg133) that have helped me strengthen my teaching in Spanish:  

    1. Recognize that you have been called of God by a prophet.

    2. Live worthy of the companionship of the Holy Ghost.

    3. Be obedient to the commandments and missionary standards

    4. Pray sincerely for divine assistance 🙏 

    5. Seek the gifts of the spirit, including the gift of tongues and the gift of interpretation of tongues 

    6. STUDY, PRACTICE and use the mission language each day.

    All these can help anyone to be a better disciple of Jesus Christ and to succeed. I pray that this email lights a flame inside each one of you to start learning a new language. Trust me the beginning will be a little rocky, but once you get the hang of it you will find peace and happiness, and will want to learn more. 

    Thanks for all the support and love given and shown to me. 

    Keep being awesome and will see you guys real soon!

    BUENE SUERTE ESTA SEMANA!! 

    ✌️❤️ 😃 😎 

    Teaching in all Lands & Languages

  • My latest Spanish speaking trio that includes Elders Johnson and Rasmussen and me

    Hola a todos!

    This week was super HOT! People stay indoors because of high temperatures during the day.

    I am enjoying my new area. For this transfer I have not one, but two companions: Elder Johnson from Tennessee, and Elder Rasmussen from Idaho. I am looking forward to learning to work with these new companions. So far I have found out that it’s harder to work in a trio because not everything is equally distributed such as speaking time.  There is a good thing about being in a trio:  we can visit a single woman; we do not need an extra priesthood holder.

    This week, we found 5 new people who seem truly interested in turning their lives around. I enjoyed the visits to the new people. I am excited that a lot of people here are interested in learning more. I have never seen this many people wanting to hear our message. I am truly grateful for the opportunity to be in this area.

    In our apartment hangs a banner signed by each current and former Spanish speaking missionary

    I feel that my mission experience has improved. I feel It has become much easier to talk to people in Spanish and English. Also, I have found new ways of doing missionary work. I learned that when teaching a lesson, questions are always a good idea. We can use open-ended questions, factual questions, and evaluative questions to make sure those whom we teach understand our message.  I guess I have been asking questions, but now I am more aware of this.

    This past week we had a Book of Mormon Study group at a member’s home and talked about Alma 32:33 which says: 

    And now, behold, because ye have tried the experiment, and planted the seed, and it swelleth and sprouteth, and beginneth to grow, ye must needs know that the seed is good.

    This scripture compares a mustard seed to faith. In order for the seed (faith) to grow, you must feed it with prayer, faith, attending church, reading your scriptures, and many other ways too. Missions are a good way to grow this seed. My seed has grown so much it has reached a small tree. My faith in Christ is so strong that I can press forward in my mission each new day in spite of challenges.  I am grateful for this feeling.

    I love each and every one of you and hope for the best. You guys are the best supporters I have ever had. Thanks for all the love and care shown to me. I love you all and have a good week! 👍 😎 🔥

    ELDER BALDWIN ❤️

    Los Tres Amigos y La Semilla de Mostaza

  • Hola a todos,

    This past week was awesome. On Sunday, I gave a talk in Sacrament meeting in the Snowflake 6th Ward. The title was Foundations of Faith and I based my remarks on a talk given by Elder Quentin L. Cook during General Conference in 2017 called by the same name. This is a great  talk! President Cook encouraged all of us to build our faith through scripture reading, going to church every Sunday, and enduring to the end. I chose two principles from the talk that impress me—Faith and Patience. I shared personal experiences and scripture stories that helped illustrate these Gospel principles.

    MY MOTHER’S CANCER: In 2012 my Mother, whom I love so very much, was diagnosed with breast cancer. This was a very difficult period of time in my life because I did not want to see her go through that. I was 10-years old and I remember feeling doubtful and overwhelmed. I was worried for my Mother because I wasn’t sure if she was going to make it. On one occasion as I was feeling down, I remember feeling a prompting that said: “Joshua say a prayer.”  I wasn’t sure where that feeling came from, but I knew that Heavenly Father answered prayers. So I knew that if I said a prayer, it would help my mother recover faster. Deciding to obey the prompting, I knelt down and prayed, and asked Heavenly Father to please help my mom recover. I told him: “I can’t live life without her, she means the world to me.”   As I finished that simple prayer with the faith that a 10-year-old boy can muster, I had a feeling that she was going to make it through this terrible ordeal.

    That day I learned a few lessons.  I learned that asking Heavenly Father for help in our hour of need with even a little faith, can bless our lives.  I also learned that trusting that my mother was in the Lord’s hands was very important. The other important thing that I learned was that the teachings of the Gospel can become alive as we go through these experiences.  Knowing that through Jesus Christ families can be together forever gave me hope. 

    Since that day, and with time and much effort, my prayers have become more open with Heavenly Father. I know that he does answer my prayers. I have learned to trust him more, and I know I can always ask for what I need.  AskingTrusting and Knowing have helped me learn more about Faith, the power of Faith and the blessings that come as a result of it. 

    September 2022 – Cancer Free!

    You will be glad to hear that as of now, my mother has been in remission for 10 years.  With faith, the help of doctors and family, and much patience—it took 7 years for her to feel better— she is now considered a Cancer Survivor.  She is a strong role model and leader to me. I am here today because of the work she put in, in teaching me about the importance of faith and miracles.

    THE WOMAN WITH THE ISSUE OF BLOOD: I would like to share another story. This story comes from the Bible. This story also illustrates the two ideas I am sharing with you today: Faith and Patience.

     In Luke 8: 43-49, we read about a woman who had had an issue of blood for twelve years and who was healed as a result of her faith in the Master.

       And a woman having an issue of blood 12 years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any,

       Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched.

       And Jesus said, Who touched me? When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, Master, the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?

       And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me.

       And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before him, she declared unto him before all the people for what cause she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately.

       And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.” (Luke 8:43-48)

    Can you imagine having a health problem, or any kind of problem for 12 years?  I know that when I have faced challenges for more than a few weeks or months I have become discouraged, or tired, even impatient.

    This woman was very patient and showed great faith. She knew that Christ would heal her if she touched His garment. Her patience and belief encouraged her to act.  This completed the last step of building her faith. She acted!  We too can do what she did: have faith, be patient, and act.

    DRIVING IN THE MISSION FIELD: My last story is about how faith and patience helped me endure the waiting time to be able to drive here in the mission field. Perhaps you think this is silly, but I tell you, not being able to drive is hard. After I’m done with this story you are probably going to try to enjoy your driving more in case one day you can’t drive! 😂

    Two of the trucks used by missionaries in the mountains

    Ever since I came out into the mission field I have been waiting, patiently, for the opportunity to drive. Each time a new transfer came around, I would find out that my companion would be the assigned driver. It would upset me so much that I did not know what to do. I began to feel like I wasn’t trusted with a mission vehicle, and that I would never drive. This situation went on until this transfer. At the beginning of this transfer I was worried. Many thoughts began to pop up in my head. What if I don’t drive? Why don’t they trust me? I had to exercise my muscle of faith, and be patient.

    As this transfer began I was nervous to look on the assigned driver roster and sure enough when I looked my name was there! I felt so happy!  I felt very excited. I felt that my time had finally come. I learned that having patience and faith even in things like this it’s important.  Faith and patience in all things are keys to finding lasting happiness.

    I was lucky to give this talk the Sunday before I left for Via Verde in Paradise Valley, Arizona; a suburb of Phoenix. It was difficult though to say goodbye to the members of Snowflake. I spent 3 months in this area and I felt I was just getting to, finally, know the members. Everyone there is so caring towards my companion and I am truly going to miss that area. 

    I appreciate being on a mission, but when you get moved around so much and cannot settle down in an area for a while, it’s hard. Please pray that I stay in this new area where I am at right now for at least 6 to 8 months. I really want an opportunity to feel what it is like to serve in one area for that long.

    Seeing and understanding the Gospel of Jesus Christ after you have been serving for 11 months is awesome.  So much knowledge can be obtained from serving a mission!!

    I testify that this work I am doing at this time will bless my family, friends, and me in many ways.  You guys are the best! I love the support and cards I receive.

    Please continue to send me cards. I love you all and will talk next week!

    ✌💓😎

    BUENA SUERTE ESTA SEMANA!

    Steering with Faith & Patience

  • Hola todos,

    And blessed are they who shall seek to bring forth my Zion at that day, for they shall have the gift and the power of the Holy Ghost; and if they endure unto the end they shall be lifted up at the last day, and shall be saved in the everlasting kingdom of the Lamb; and whoso shall publish peace, yea, tidings of great joy, how beautiful upon the mountains shall they be.”(1 Nephi 13:37)

    This scripture explains that those who bring forth the Lord’s work shall have the gift and power of the Holy Ghost and if they endure to the end,  they will be exalted on high in the next life. I truly know this to be true.

    It’s been such a blast to be out on a mission. I have learned many lessons. I encourage each young man and woman who will be reading my blog to think about serving a  mission. It is the greatest experience you will ever have in your entire life as a youth. I invite those who want to serve missions to talk to your Bishops and ask WHAT DO I NEED TO DO TO SERVE A MISSION? I know that if you do this you will find more joy in your life than you have ever felt before. I know this to be true.

    Many things have happened since my last email. First off, many of the missionaries that I have known since I have been out on mission have gone home. They finished their service to the Lord and have returned home with honor. It’s sad to see them go, but I hope that eventually I will see them again. It’s crazy how when you are busy doing the Lord’s work the time flies. Next month on September 27th, I will be celebrating my first year serving and I feel I have made changes in my life.

    I am grateful for this opportunity to learn, serve, and teach about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This week we found a very nice lady who seems interested in learning more about Christ. I am very excited to teach her about the Gospel. I testify that what we teach as missionaries—the principles and ordinances of the Gospel— changes lives.

    This past week I had exchanges with Elder Hatch, my Zone Leader. I can not explain how much I have learned from him. He is a great and knowledgeable missionary with a strong testimony and broad understanding of the mission purposes.  By serving with him I learned how to communicate with people much better and how to express my love for them—very important skills to have.  Elder Hatch is a beast Missionary. He explained to me that the mission isn’t about NUMBERS, it is about finding those who are fully committed to be baptized and to restart their life. Many missionaries think sometimes it’s all about NUMBERS, NUMBERS,NUMBERS. The question that often comes up is: “How many people can you Baptize in a transfer?”  Although numbers are important because they reflect missionary work, I want to focus on those that are fully committed to learning and have a desire to become members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I know there are many people seeking the Lord and His blessings.  I want to be available to teach the “ONE.”

    This past week we were lucky to have a member of the Church teaching us about roping on preparation day.  He attends the 1st Ward; his name is Terry Stratton. He is such a loving and caring guy.! I enjoyed this activity and I think that was pretty cool.

    Learning new things is exciting!

    Thank you all for the love and support. I miss each and every one of you, and pray for you each day too. Keep up the great work

    p.s. August 30th is transfers. I will be heading into my 8/17 transfers of my mission. We’ll see if I stay or if I go!

    Buena Suerte este semana!  💕 ✌️ 😎

    Adios! Until next week.

    A Promise and a Blessing unto All 🍇

  • Hola a todos,

    This past week was a tough learning experience. Many of the members, with whom we had set lessons, did not answer their doors. It’s difficult at times when all you want to do is share a message to change their lives. Thousands of missionaries today go through the same obstacles. The Savior experienced constant rejection too.  Not much to do other than continue working hard praying to find those who want to hear the good news the Gospel brings.

    My favorite part of the week was attending sacrament meetings for the 11th ward here in Snowflake Arizona. We had the opportunity to listen to a mission president and his wife who had recently returned from serving a 3-year-long mission in Uruguay. They spoke about having to send home 120 missionaries because of the Covid-19 Virus. I can imagine how hard it would be to have to send that many missionaries home!

    It would have been tremendously difficult for me to have to be sent home because of illness. I’m glad I’m still here.

    They also spoke of blessings we would receive for ourselves and for our families for serving a mission for The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-day Saints. I have grown to love my mission. I feel the time flies when you are so focused on your purpose in doing the Lord’s work. The book Preach My Gospel states that our purpose is to “invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the Restored Gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, Repentance, Baptism, Receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and Enduring to the End”. (PMG pg 1)

    During my time in the mission, I have come to know that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world. I know that The Book of Mormon testifies of Christ and that there are great miracles and blessings that come from reading that book. I know that serving a mission for two years is the best thing I can do at this time. The prophet of our day President Nelson stated that:

     “Every worthy, able young man should prepare to serve a mission. Missionary service is a priesthood duty—an obligation the Lord expects of us who have been given so very much.”

    He also explained that for young sisters, a mission is a welcome option but not a responsibility and he finished by inviting many more mature couples to serve.

    (Oct 2012 general conference)

    We need Missionaries NOW! Every day the world gets darker and darker. We must encourage each other to serve one another. Thanks for the love and care and support that I have received throughout my mission so far. I appreciate the love you give me! ❤️ ✌️ 🙏 😎

    Elder Baldwin

    A Mission: A Worthy Cause

  • Hey y’all,

    Interesting week for me.

    So after I got released from the hospital I got stuck and quarantined in my apartment  for a week and a half. Let me tell you it was no fun at all. Being cooped up in a place for a week and a half can have effects on you mentally and physically! It definitely affected me mentally because after I got out—back to work—it felt strange.

    Not seeing members for a week and a half was difficult. I am glad I am finally out.!!!

    The last  couple of days we have been visiting members again. Many of them approached me and said: “I heard you were in the hospital, are you doing ok?” I said “Yes, I’m doing so much better thanks to you guys. Thank you for all the prayers and dinners I received during this time.”

    Snowflake is a heavily populated member area. The people are kind and serviceable.  Most of them tell me “Thank you for serving here in Snowflake Elder you are doing a great job”. It is always nice to hear from members that the work is good.

    Not much happened this past week because of Covid—my companion Elder Carn came down with Covid too. I am glad to be out of the hospital and back in the Lord’s work.  I love every one of you!

    There is a video I love called “Being an Agent to Act. In it, Elder Bednar talks about having faith to see the miracles in life.

    In the scriptures, the prophet Alma testifies of the same principle that  Elder Bednar talks about. Alma said “And now as I said concerning faith—faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true.”  Alma the prophet and Elder Bernard testify that faith is necessary to see miracles. 

    I have a firm testimony of the church, and of the knowledge I have gained so far while I have been out serving a mission. It’s crazy-enlightening to dive deep into the doctrine of the Gospel. I am grateful for the time I have to do that.

    I truly believe I am blessed with the best parents In the whole world. I wouldn’t be here without their knowledge and diligence in encouraging me to serve. Thanks for all you do for me Mami and Dad. You guys are the best. Love you guys.

    Thanks to all for the support during this long week and a half I was quarantined. I learned a lot while I was out. One thing I learned was to eat healthier foods, and to plan out my meals better. Another thing I learned was that our Heavenly Father is always there for us. He will never leave us alone to suffer.

    Love you all and will see you very soon!

    BUENA SUERTE! ✌️ 😎 ❤️

    Elder Baldwin

    Good Riddance COVID & Back to the Lord’s Work

  • Hey y, all! This past week was crazy 🤪. I came down with COVID-19 on Wednesday, July 26th.

    It all started Wednesday last week when I had a sore throat. Then once Thursday came around I started feeling severe congestion and a tremendous pain in my chest. I asked my companion Elder Carn for a priesthood blessing, which he gave to me. My symptoms continued through Friday evening until my roommates took me to Summit Regional Medical Center to the ER that late evening in Show Low, Arizona. While there, they performed an Echocardiogram test on my heart. Turns out the wall that was protecting my heart was being attacked. So the doctors kept me there for 2 days and 2 nights.

    I am truly grateful for this learning experience because while at the hospital I had time to think and ponder. In April 2010, during General Conference, President Dallin H. Oaks, a member of the First Presidency gave a talk called HEALING THE SICK. I listened to this talk the second night I was in the hospital because I couldn’t sleep very well. It was a wonderful experience to hear what he had to say.

    In his talk, he spoke about the powers of the priesthood and the blessings that come from keeping the Ten Commandments. He said:

    Latter-day Saints believe in applying the best available scientific knowledge and techniques. We use nutrition, exercise, and other practices to preserve health, and we enlist the help of healing practitioners, such as physicians and surgeons, to restore health.

    The use of medical science is not at odds with our prayers of faith and our reliance on priesthood blessings. When a person requested a priesthood blessing, Brigham Young would ask, “Have you used any remedies?” To those who said no because “we wish the Elders to lay hands upon us, and we have faith that we shall be healed,” President Young replied: “That is very inconsistent according to my faith. If we are sick and ask the Lord to heal us, and to do all for us that is necessary to be done, according to my understanding of the Gospel of salvation, I might as well ask the Lord to cause my wheat and corn to grow, without my plowing the ground and casting in the seed. It appears consistent to me to apply every remedy that comes within the range of my knowledge, and [then] to ask my Father in Heaven…to sanctify that application to the healing of my body.”

    Of course, we don’t wait until all other methods are exhausted before we pray in faith or give priesthood blessings for healing. In emergencies, prayers and blessings come first. Most often we pursue all efforts simultaneously. This follows the scriptural teachings that we should “pray always” and that all things should be done in wisdom and order.”

    Sunday came and I was told by my nurse that I was going to get discharged from the hospital that day around 12-1. And so I did. At the moment, I am quarantined back at the Sundance house in my study room away from my companion and roommates. 😃 😊

    It’s been hard not being able to visit members and share our message. What’s crazy is that since I couldn’t go out to visit the members, the members brought me vitamins and groceries from Walmart. It’s just amazing how much missionaries are looked out for and loved here in Snowflake Arizona. It’s super tough though I am not going to lie. Being away from family for two years and getting Covid is super hard. But once we reached out to the members of the church, they care for you and bring you things that make you feel loved.  it’s just amazing!!!!  I can testify that we have some good members up here. I am grateful for these members and how much they help to further the work of the Lord.

    I am so grateful for all the prayers that have been offered on my behalf. I am feeling 3x better than before thanks to all the care and support I received and will continue to receive.

    Thank you all for being there for me. I did feel alone at times, but knowing that I was being thought of, really helped. I love you all and have a blessed, healthy, safe week.

    ✌️ ❤️ 😎

    Elder Baldwin

    My Experience with COVID-19

  • Happy Monday Y’all!

    This week was awesome! We have continued teaching the “B” family. They came to church again yesterday, Sunday July 24th. The best part of a Sunday is having our families come to church! It’s awesome to see this family wanting to better their lives.

    This week we are planning on inviting them to begin their journey on the Covenant Path by being baptized.

    This week we celebrated Pioneer’s Day with the community.  The festivities ranged from games, performances, good food, arts and crafts and Car Show. They had the grocery run , keg barrel race and chicken catch. Also a lot of fun was the money calf run and all sorts of other fun activities. I have decided I am coming back for the 4th and the 24th of July to Snowflake after my mission for sure! We also enjoyed the parade – I rode on a space-themed float with a life-size lunar module and the words: “Pioneers of yesterday took one giant for mankind. Pioneers of today take ‘one small step for man preparing to live in a higher and holier way.’

    We also enjoyed a Pioneer program, rodeo and fireworks!  I have never seen anything like it!  Snowflake was flooded with people coming from out of town bringing with them the spirit of Celebration!

    I am grateful for my pioneer heritage and freedom of religion. All of us are pioneers in many ways and celebrating these freedoms feels good!   I know for sure it was hard for the pioneers to do what the Lord asked them to do-crossing the plains was a difficult task.  We might not be asked to do the same, but the Lord has asked us to do hard things too.  The Pioneers gave us great examples of obedience and hard work.  They got us to where we are today, and now we can take it from here.  Let’s not disappoint!

    I am grateful for family and just like Vin Diesel says “Family is everything”. I experienced a sense of family togetherness during the celebrations and it felt awesome to know that through the Gospel of Jesus Christ families can be together forever. Wouldn’t you want to be with your family forever? I know I would.

    Thanks for all the love and support you all have continued to show me!

     I love you all, and good luck this week! Buena Suerte Adios! 👋 ✌️ 😎

    Elder Baldwin

    Pioneer Day in Snowflake AZ – Nothing Like It!