Oscar the Baptist

Queridos Amigos,

This week was absolutely amazing! I wish I had enough time to write about every funny moment and every miracle of the week.

We had zone conference this week and one of the assistants did something special this time. He'd gone and interviewed some recent converts and learned about their story and filmed it.

He started out by first showing a picture of them at their baptism and asked the missionaries who knew the people to share the story of each person. Then, he showed a video of the new members explaining why they got baptized. He ended each interview with a question. He asked, "if you had the missionaries that taught you right here in front of you, what would you say?"

Almost always the people shared their gratitud and many teared up. One of the last videos that he shared was of Oscar. He asked me to share how I found Oscar and the story of his baptism. After I finished talking, he showed Oscar's interview and I started balling. It was so incredible to see how much that man has changed. He's a completely new person and he's changed my life.

Oscar goes to the same church building as the assistant, and apparently the ward has given Oscar the nickname of "Oscar the Baptist" because he's baptized 6 people! Haha the whole ward knows that Oscar loves the gospel and wants to be an example of Christ.

My whole mission is worth it just for the chance that I had to meet Oscar and play a small part in his conversion.

I invite all of you who are members to remember your own baptism and ponder how it has changed your life.

I love you all so much!

con amor,

Hermana Chaffin

¡Bautismo!

Queridos amigos,

This week was absolutely amazing! It was busy and crazy and I loved every moment of it.

Monday we had a lesson with Victoria and she said that she felt ready to be baptized this week! So, we left that lesson trying hard not to shout for happiness.

Tuesday we had district meeting and then we were in charge of a ward activity. We basically had a free yard sale. We had a bunch of donations of clothing, and we organized it and then gave it away to those that need it. We had a great turn out and we really enjoyed ourselves.

Wednesday Victoria had her baptismal interview, and it went amazing! She was so happy and seemed so at peace with her decision. We also celebrated my halfway mark by buying icecream and wearing pants!

Thursday we had a bunch of amazing lessons with investigators and we just had a fantastic day.

Friday was the day of the baptism!!! It was absolutely amazing! All of Victoria`s family came to support her and it was simply beautiful. The spirit was so incredibly strong. I love her so much and it will be so hard to leave her and her family. They are a huge part of my life that I will never forget.

Saturday we had a normal day teaching and testifying.

Sunday Victoria was confirmed, and her family also came to support her in that. It was so wonderful to see that whole family sitting on the bench in front of me and my companion. One day I hope to see that as a regular thing with all of them baptized. They`re all getting there, some just slower than others.

I`m so grateful for this blessing that I have to serve a mission and get to know some of God`s wonderful children. I could never learn what I´ve learned here in any other place. I`m truly humbled to be a small part in the Lord`s work here.

Thank you all for supporting me in this decision. I love you all so much! Keep smiling!

Con amor,

Hermana Chaffin

"The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph" -Thomas Paine

Bautismo!

Queridos amigos,

This week was truly a week of miracles!

Tuesday I had exchanges with Hermana Walker and then we had a lesson with Oscar. He was still struggling with smoking, and we had a great lesson on faith. We discussed showing our faith with actions.

Faith is not waiting for the Lord to help us and then doing something. First, we need to act, showing our faith, and then we receive the Lord´s help.

During this lesson, I received the strongest impression to ask Oscar to be baptized this Saturday. I would have thought I was crazy if I didn´t know that this thought was from the Holy Ghost. I could not deny that the Lord was telling me to invite Oscar to be baptized.

Oscar said that he would pray that night and then let us know the next day.

Wednesday I was reunited with my sweet Hermana Medford and when I told her what happened Tuesday I think she thought I was a little crazy. When we went to talk with Oscar, we could sense that something was different. He told us that he´d gotten his answer and that he wanted to be baptized Saturday! We felt the Spirit confirm that this was the will of the Lord, and we were so grateful that so many prayers had been heard. Oscar quit smoking from that moment on, and we began to set up everything for his baptism.

Dieter F. Uchtdorf said that a sacrifice is when we give up something good for something of far greater worth. I´ve been in the mission for 5 months now, and up until 6 days ago, I was sincerely questioning if the mission was worth it. Not that I wanted to go home, I simply felt like I wasn´t fulfilling the purpose God has for me. I couldn´t see the "far greater worth". I felt stuck. I was obedient and trying to be humble, buty I wasn´t seeing the fruits of my labors.

My experience with Oscar has been nothing short of incredible. The Lord is truly working miracles here, and I´m deeply grateful to be a part of those miracles.

I´ve come to realize my weaknesses and all my falts. I´m quick to doubt but just the same I´m quick to ask the Lord to sustain me and strengthen my faith.

I don´t know what the future holds for me here in Buenos Aires, but I do know that the Lord has great plans and I´m going to do all that I possibly can to help Him fulfill those plans.

This is His work, and I´m going to do it His way because His way is the best - and only way.

I know that this is the true church of Jesus Christ and that it was restored through the prophet Joseph Smith. I know that we are led today by a prophet of God and I know that the Lord has a plan for each and every one of us. Jesus Christ is our Savior and only through Him and His Atonement can we return to the presence of our Heavenly Father.

I love you all, you are in my prayers.

Con amor,

Hermana Chaffin