We had an AWESOME baptism this week... one of the most spiritual baptisms I've ever been to. There was so much love in the room, and the Spirit was incredibly strong the whole time. There weren't many people there, so it was a fairly intimate event, but the people who were there were full of love for their mother/grandmother that was being baptized.
Asencion Petris, the woman baptized, is the mother of one of the members of our ward. She has been visiting from Mexico for a couple months so we began teaching her when she got here. She has had lots of interaction with the Church because two of her children are members, but has never had the formal missionary discussions. The first time we went over she really didn't seem that interested, but little by little she opened up and as we got to know her we grew to love her as if she were our own grandmother.
After a couple weeks of teaching her, she admitted to us that she knew she needed to be baptized, she was just scared, and thought that she is too old anyway (she's 79, almost 80). In the lesson that she told us that I felt prompted to ask her to be baptized before she left for Mexico, even though she would be returning home in only a week. I bore my testimony of the importance of this sacred covenant, and in the middle of what I was saying I felt prompted to read Alma 34:32-33, which talks about not procrastinating the day of your repentance. We left the lesson with her committed to praying to see if she should be baptized here. We talked to her daughter-in-law on the phone the next day, and Asencion had said she still wasn't sure, but the scripture we had read her helped her realize she should probably do it sooner, rather than later.
The next lesson we had with her was with her whole family there - and each of the kids took a turn and went around telling her why they knew it was important for her to be baptized, and when we asked Asencion to commit, she did so with a smile. Her family loves her so much, and they want these blessings for her because they know how important they are. It made me think about my extended family who are not members of the Church either. As I bore my testimony to her about the blessing of eternal families, I was brought to tears as I thought about those I love that have not yet accepted these blessings. I want these things for my family - not because I want them to be "Mormon" or of my faith, but because I want them to receive the fullness of the blessings Heavenly Father has in store for them if they will accept the gospel of Jesus Christ. I know there is NOTHING more important, and I would love more than anything to see my own grandparents (and other loved ones) enter the waters of baptism and be sealed in the temple as an eternal family... I hope to someday witness that event.
I know that this gospel is true, that Jesus Christ is our Savior, and that His Church has been restored to the earth because of the love He and our Heavenly Father have for us. Through our own study and actions we can come to know Him, and I am so grateful for the opportunity I have to do that, and for the blessings I have received from having the gospel in my life.
Thank you for everything you have done for me. I truly hope that through my testimony you can feel the love that I have for each one of you. I love you.
Hermana Richelle Ouellette
NOTE FROM MOM: Richelle has sent pictures and a video clip that I'm working on posting--just a little technology challenged at the moment! Can't seem to download and save to a place where I can then find them and upload them....I'll have to ask one of the kids!!! Thanks to all of you for your love and support of Richelle!
Asencion Petris, the woman baptized, is the mother of one of the members of our ward. She has been visiting from Mexico for a couple months so we began teaching her when she got here. She has had lots of interaction with the Church because two of her children are members, but has never had the formal missionary discussions. The first time we went over she really didn't seem that interested, but little by little she opened up and as we got to know her we grew to love her as if she were our own grandmother.
After a couple weeks of teaching her, she admitted to us that she knew she needed to be baptized, she was just scared, and thought that she is too old anyway (she's 79, almost 80). In the lesson that she told us that I felt prompted to ask her to be baptized before she left for Mexico, even though she would be returning home in only a week. I bore my testimony of the importance of this sacred covenant, and in the middle of what I was saying I felt prompted to read Alma 34:32-33, which talks about not procrastinating the day of your repentance. We left the lesson with her committed to praying to see if she should be baptized here. We talked to her daughter-in-law on the phone the next day, and Asencion had said she still wasn't sure, but the scripture we had read her helped her realize she should probably do it sooner, rather than later.
The next lesson we had with her was with her whole family there - and each of the kids took a turn and went around telling her why they knew it was important for her to be baptized, and when we asked Asencion to commit, she did so with a smile. Her family loves her so much, and they want these blessings for her because they know how important they are. It made me think about my extended family who are not members of the Church either. As I bore my testimony to her about the blessing of eternal families, I was brought to tears as I thought about those I love that have not yet accepted these blessings. I want these things for my family - not because I want them to be "Mormon" or of my faith, but because I want them to receive the fullness of the blessings Heavenly Father has in store for them if they will accept the gospel of Jesus Christ. I know there is NOTHING more important, and I would love more than anything to see my own grandparents (and other loved ones) enter the waters of baptism and be sealed in the temple as an eternal family... I hope to someday witness that event.
I know that this gospel is true, that Jesus Christ is our Savior, and that His Church has been restored to the earth because of the love He and our Heavenly Father have for us. Through our own study and actions we can come to know Him, and I am so grateful for the opportunity I have to do that, and for the blessings I have received from having the gospel in my life.
Thank you for everything you have done for me. I truly hope that through my testimony you can feel the love that I have for each one of you. I love you.
Hermana Richelle Ouellette
NOTE FROM MOM: Richelle has sent pictures and a video clip that I'm working on posting--just a little technology challenged at the moment! Can't seem to download and save to a place where I can then find them and upload them....I'll have to ask one of the kids!!! Thanks to all of you for your love and support of Richelle!
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