Week of December 12th

Hopkins is doing well, it's definitely winter now. No snow just super cold haha
We have our zone Christmas conference tomorrow so I'm super pumped for
that, we all made videos to show so that'll be neat. Basically there
is just lots going on with the holidays! We had 2 baptisms this past
weekend. Stephen was baptized, and it was sweet to be apart of. The
other sisters had taught him before I got here and then he dropped us
for a good while, and then wanted to meet again like 2 weeks ago and
was just baptized. It was really cool to see him grow and become truly
converted. He is also bipolar so I know it's been hard for him but I
love that the gospel is for everyone and he just has this glow about
him and is so so happy. Like after he was baptized he just said a
prayer and couldn't stop smiling.
Pvt Hagler was also baptized at Fort Jackson. We usually have a few
baptisms but it's super special when you get to actually teach them.
Idk if I already explained this but at fort Jackson we teach by
ourselves and not with a companion, and it's just pretty intense but
also the best. I got to teach Pvt Hagler right before he was baptized
and it was really sweet. I LOVE being able to teach the soldiers. It
might possibly be our last week there which will be way sad but we
aren't sure yet.
Oh and on Saturday we were invited by our investigators to go to this
Christmas play downtown and the first Columbia baptist church. It was
pretty interesting, but so fun! Their church is literally huge, it was
neat.
Spiritually wise I had a neat experience with prayer. We were
preparing for our trainings that we give at our zone meetings and I
was training on ambiguity. Which is a weird and tricky concept kinda
and I wasn't sure exactly how to do it or what to say
and I was a little stressed out. And then I just got this over
wheeling feeling to pray and ask God what scripture to read. My
mission president had just shared personal experience and MLC so I
knew that it was real. Anyways so I prayed and got this super strong
impression to read 2 Nephi 3 and when I read the heading I was
initially confused as to why I was led there, but then I read in verse
21 "Because of their faith their words shall proceed forth out of my
mouth unto their brethren who are the fruit of thy loins; and the
weakness of their words will I make strong in their faith"
Which brought me lots of peace and everything worked out! I just love
the Book of Mormon so much you guys, I know God lives and loves us.
And I know we all have trials and weaknesses we are trying to
overcome, and that the gospel of Jesus Christ helps us. He just wants
to help us. And He can. LOVE YOU
xo sister buckey

STEPHEN