December Baptisms

This blog will follow many of the happenings, feelings and miracles of the Alice Springs District for the month of December. It has been a joyous experience. Prior to the Christmas Zone (District) Conference the 6 of us met and discussed a goal which the 4 Elders had just set. They asked our support as team members in the district, with explanation that though many might deem this impossible, they believed we could baptize 16 people in the month of December. Being new missionaries and believing in these great young men we excitedly threw in with their vision. That vision was conceived with faith, and a plan was set forth. We agreed as a District that we would share a portion of the plan, but the goal as a whole was withheld.
We committed, as an entire district, that we would faithfully follow the mission rules. We became a companionship of 6 as we found each other’s strengths and built upon them. We worked as a team. We prayed, fasted and depended upon guidance from the Lord. All of these things became an integral part of our lives. We put together daily and weekly plans, and then proceeded to work, always relying on further inspiration and revelation. These plans were modified as needed to achieve our ultimate goal.
In the final analysis, the names may have changed in some cases, but the goal we reached always remained the same. When one door closed, the Lord opened another one. We have grown to truly love each other. We love our Savior even more than we did a month ago. We understand the concept of teamwork better than ever before. We love our investigators and new members more than a month ago. In all of our baptisms we have found Heavenly Father’s children who had been properly taught, had attended the requisite church meetings and were worthy of baptism. Our missionary efforts were flexible and unrelenting, and always within the bounds set by our church and mission leaders.
We have much work yet to do. We have faith in each other. We have faith in the Gospel. We have experienced physical, emotional and spiritual exhaustion and renewal. After reaching the goal we were inspired to set and accept, we have taken a few hours to catch our breath and assess where we should now be going. No one will ever know how many changes of plans, miracles and “pre-filled baptismal fonts” we have experienced. It has been a glorious run. The magic number of 16 was inspired. We had to take so many twists and turns to reach the goal, but we know that what happened was supposed to happen. We also know there is still much to do. We are now better prepared to press forward. Our districts baptismal numbers may never again be the same, but they will continue.
We love and support our Mission President. We honor every church member and missionary who ever worked in Alice to prepare this field in order for us to be allowed to reap the harvest.