Baton Rouge Temple Trip

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

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We have had another wonderful week. We have been in New Orleans for four months.

At the beginning of the week, we both worked on our personal mission goals, as Elder Neuenschwander suggested. These are goals that each missionary sets for themselves for personal growth and accomplishment. He suggested different scripture study goals, Christlike attributes that we might want to develop, consistent journal writing, getting along with companions, powerful prayer, etc. We are happy to report that we each have made some goals and we are striving to reach them.

We had a wonderful experience this past Saturday of going to the Baton Rouge Temple with some of the members from our ward.  We had twenty-one members go to the Temple to perform Baptisms for the Dead. As you can see from the photo, Don is still behind the camera.  The members love getting their picture taken and he loves taking their pictures.

We gave the Espinoza family a ride and we were able to enjoy visiting with them more on the way up and back.  They have been members for about a month and half and we have been fellowshipping them.  He has been called as a Ward Missionary and is working with the missionaries quite a bit.   They also have a two-year-old little girl that loves Don's goofy faces.

Just so you don't think that we're not having fun!  I tried posting a picture of Don.  It was of his goofy face and the kids around here just love it!  They watch him like a hawk to see it and then giggle up a storm.  We've even had Thomas Diaz do it right back the next time we visited their home.  Of course, one minute later, he's serious with that great smile that opens hearts.  We all went to lunch afterwards and since most of them don't speak a word of English, we all are learning how to play charades very well.

We have done a lot of Priesthood Directed Visits this week.  We enjoy the visits and getting to know these people better.  They all seem to be so appreciative of our visits.  We are reading the Book of Mormon with them in English and Spanish.  One verse each.

We did get a chance to talk with Brent's Mission Office this week. They have coordinated a visit from the Mexican Consulate to provide information for the missionaries on how Mexicans can get a divorce. We have a couple of people that need a divorce in order for their boyfriend/girlfriend to be able to get baptized. We are hoping to receive that information from them this week.  (We don't have a Mexican Consulate in Louisiana.)  I spoke with Sister Bindrup, who works in his Mission Office, she told me how much they love Brent and that he was made a Trainer this week.  I told her that we love him too.  Mail is always appreciated by our missionaries and I'm sure Brent loves hearing from you as well.  His address is:

Elder Brent Lake

North Carolina Raleigh Mission

6508 Falls of Neuse Ste 100

Raleigh, NC 27615-6845