Aug 19

Hey yall!

So Marion is great.  The luau is not happening but that is ok I'm at peace with everything. I learned what needed to be learned and now it's time to apply what I learned to my new area coming up in a week or so.

I got permission to start teaching mission prep. So for the last several weeks that's what I have been teaching. It's a lot of fun actually, I like to teach.

Sounds like everything is changed back home. Dani sounds good she was telling me she was having some pretty tough Bible questions from her investigator at the MTC so that's a good experience. ha the south is THE hub for anti-Mormon questions and trust me I think I have heard it all, sometimes I get a new one but not often. In fact earlier this week we ran into a Baptist missionary who wanted to have it out with us, and just as an example for Elder Hart I decided to bite. Pretty solid Bible bash but when the spirit isn't there it just doesn't matter how many times you back the other person into a theological corner, they wont change, and that was our object lesson of the role of the spirit in conversion.

On other news we do have a solid new investigator finally! Its been pretty dry nearly the whole time I've been here. Her name is Holly and she is a very free spirited open to anything artist who runs a local art place where they sell arts and crafts and do art lessons for kids and stuff. We have been doing some service over there and had an opportunity to teach and testify about the atonement and the book of Mormon while we were working with her. It was a really spiritually powerful lesson and then afterwards we were led to leave a blessing on her business. She does everything she can to help the community and struggling individuals and families and stuff so I feel it was a much needed blessing for her struggling business.

I'm still fairly certain that I will be leaving on the 28th but I will know for sure this Saturday. I am excited to have a change but I will miss Marion. I have learned a lot of very key lessons that will help me very much on my mission, and in my life. I know that everything in life is done with purpose and wisdom (2ne 2:24). There is no where I would rather be. My mission is going much to quickly, and that scares me a little. but all is well in zion!

Love you

Elder Bakker