"Super fun, I still love baptizing people."

Hey

Wild week.

Had divisions on like Thursday or something, so we could get all the baptism interviews. So Sharp went to Nargana and Sagers came here. Only it was sketch because there were massive thunderstorms happening so Sharp didn't get here until like 3 hours after when he was supposed to come back because they had to post up and wait it out. But we had no idea where he was haha.

On Saturday, we had the two baptisms planned for Gladys and Javier. He's the older brother of Chamille and Flaco, the two kuna kids we baptised in Panama Viejo. 

We had to get up early and row over to the clinic to get Sharp's stitches out, then go visit Alberto in Yandup, then get back and get everything ready for the baptism. I don't know if I've explained how we get rid of trash before but we just throw it in the ocean. Everyone does. I love it, it's so easy and fun. I felt bad at first but literally there's no other way to do it, so you just have to do it. Gotta live like the people no? And the sea just takes it away so it's fine. 

Except when people dump it they kinda just dump it on the shore so some spots on the island are just little piles of trash, including the best baptism spot we've found, so we went over and cleaned it all up and threw it somewhere else. 

When we were getting ready to start, Gladys wasnt there, so we ran to her house and her family said she went to Suidup. Like I said, she's crazy. So we were like ugh forget it, we´ll do hers later. 

Went back to the church, everyone showed up late, including the branch president. But we had two of the girls speak and one of them cried a lot and made Javier cry...haha. Then we walked over to the spot, definately the sandiest spot on the island because the rest of this place is reef, and dunked him. Super fun, I still love baptizing people.

Javier's Baptism

Sunday was especially stressful. We wanted to baptize Gladys before church so we could do her confirmation as well. So at 8, we went and got her and told the branch president to meet us over at the church. So we were over there and the baptism jumpsuit's zipper was rusted. And we literally have like no other baptism clothes so I ran home and got one of my white shirts and we found some pants. This took forever and the branch president never showed up. He said he didn't want to do it that early so he just didn't come I guess. We are very annoyed with him lately. So we put it off again until after church.

Longest two hours of church ever...we usually don't have three. But I was super frustrated and annoyed with people. I had to teach Sunday school and the kids acted probably how I used to act. But everything was difficult and we finally got to doing the baptism. We had a short introduction and I gave a little talk then Elder Sharp baptized her right next to the chapel. Urchin central right there. It's a miracle they didn't get pricked big time. 

Gladys' Baptism

I was looking back on it though and every baptism I've had so far has been like a super stressful day leading up to it. But once we actually do it, all my worries and like anger disappear. And I realised that baptisms dont need to be like a big deal, as long as you have who needs to be there. Which out here and in Panama is usually actually very difficult, but whatever.

And we did have snacks for this baptism. Everybody loves eating corn flakes out here. Only it's water mixed with evaporated milk and a ton of sugar and the corn flakes just floating in it. So somebody made that in like a bucket, with some dirty well water, and it was delicious.

Today for P-day we went to the Monte early in the morning to look for cañya blanca, the sticks they use for walls. We had to go way back in the jungle and chop down the rainforest looking for them. Such satisfying work, I love it. We brought back like 300 sticks for the branch councilors house we've been helping him build. Humongous spiders back there though, like legit the size of your hand and they build their webs right across the trail.

Spiritual thought! This is what my talk at Gladys´ baptism was about. I talked about how baptism isn't the end of your path, but it's the beginning. And when we get baptized we are basically promising that we are going to follow Christ and be like him. But that going to church and reading the scriptures and praying aren't all it takes to be like Him. We have to be nice people! Like help others, be sad with those who are sad, consolar those who need consuelo. I don't know the english words for that. But anyways, becoming like Christ requires an entire change of who we are, not just what we do.

Glad to hear someone got stung by a stingray, and yes Max is a shoobie. That is his entire life. 

And happy birthday to dad! We're eating hot dogs and a tuna I smoked a few days ago for dinner tonight to celebrate. I had no idea he was 49, I thought he was like 43. 

And what what Aaron is already home? I guess that means two years ago from recently we TP´d a few houses together. 

Oh and we still teach institute but less and less people have been showing up so it's getting lame.

We still haven't met the new mission president. He keeps cancelling his trips out here.

Love you all! Miss you.

Elder Green