Week 79

Hey Everyone!! It was great hearing from you all!! I had a good week:) Crazy as usual.  To answer your question... the reason we have p day on Friday is because on Monday we are in the office all day in meetings with president, taking the numbers of the mission, studying graphs and the numbers of the week and planning what we can do to do better! We also plan what we will teach in the mission meetings that are coming up, and other activities making the agendas and stuff! So its a pretty busy day. Then the rest of the week we usually meet with president a couple of times to plan things like changes, missionaries that are having problems, other meetings and stuff like that!! It definetly makes time go by way fast!!!! I dont even feel it. 

We had a good week with the investigadors!! We had 10 people in church, tomorrow we have a baptism with a guy named Noe and next week his wife will be getting baptized. So that makes me happy because families are the best:) Then we have another family, "The Acebedo Family" and they went to church on Sunday and told us Wednesday that they want to be baptized!! So the Lord is really blessing us lots right now. 

Me and my comp are getting along great. He is awesome!! You guys actually met him on Christmas, and you will see him again on Mothers Day:) 

I love you all so much and thanks for the email. I am glad to hear that everyone is doing good...that casts are coming off, and that everyone is doing good:) Just Riggs that is a little sick... but he will be in my prayers:) I love you all and will talk to you soon!! adios. 

elder baker

Week 78...cont.

Hey mom!! Just letting you know I am doing great.. and just a little reminder my p days are now on Friday:) love you!!!

Week 78

Hi everyone!:) Well, it was another good week here in El Salvador!! I got a little sick at the beginning of the week, but I am ok now. But, as for you guys everyone sounds good! I loved the pictures and I love how much everyone is skating!! haha They are all gonna be so good when I get back! 

So, as for me, it was a pretty busy week! We went and visited some of the furthest areas during the week, and with me getting sick just made everything even more crazy! But, now that we are in changes week things will just keep getting crazier!! First thing about changes is... President is taking away the Traveling Assistants because the Area Presidency said he should only have his 2 Assistants and thats it. So, me and Elder Contreras, starting Wednesday, are no longer the travel AP's. Then this morning president called me into his office and told me that he wants me to be one of his Assistants. So me and Elder Juarez are now going to be the 2 AP's of the mission! So thats a little crazy. Just a little bit more stress;) hahaha... but, it will be fun and a good experience!! Now that I am an AP, my p-day will be on Fridays. 

There is lots to come. Tomorrow the new missionaries get here... so we will be getting them and doing stuff with them all day, getting them all of their stuff, teaching some stuff and then going to presidents house to eat dinner with them! Whats crazy is I remember doing the exact same thing when I first got to the mission like it was yesterday!! Time is going by so fast. But, that's the best part of always being busy is that you don't even feel time. I love you all so much and thanks for the emails. I am doing great and miss you lots! adios.
elder baker

Week 77

Hooyyyy!!!   

    Well it was a good week! I did get to go back to Atiquizaya again, so that was cool! I love going back to my old areas and working there. Other than that I went and visited areas I have never worked in, but it was cool!! I love that I'm getting to know the whole mission and all of the missionaries! Its an awesome experience. 

Well something crazy is that this week we had the "leadership meeting" that we have once every month... and I have gone to so many and I loved them because I always felt like I learned so much!! But, this week I had to teach in it... for the first time I didnt get to go just to sit and learn!!! Me, Elder Contraras, Elder Juarez, Elder Griffin and president were the ones teaching the meeting! Was i a little nervous?? Yes!! hahaha... it was just something new!! But, I liked it! That is something that the mission has helped me with... giving lots of zone meetings and now leadership meetings! I have learned how to plan, and teach in front of big groups of people! Talks aren't as bad for me now... haha but thats pretty much my week!  

A cool experience that happened this week was seeing an investigator that I visited with some other missionaries at the begining of this change, and that we had put a baptismal date with, and when I saw him again he came up and said "Hey Elder Baker.. I got baptized!!" ...and it just felt good knowing I got to meet him and see him make the decision to be baptized and than a couple of weeks later he remembered me and he is a member now!!:) haha 

I can't even describe how many blessings I have recieved this change!! But, I am so thankful for them:) 

I am glad to see that everyone is doing good! ...and that they are skating:) haha I love my family and miss you all lots! The lessons sounded great mom!! It was planned very well. Thanks for everything and I will talk to you soon!! adios. 

elder baker

                                                                                                                                         ps, yes i got the camera!!

Week 76

Happy monday!! Well, it sounds like everyone had a great week... and that always makes me happy:) No broken bones, lots of school and work, and getting ready for sports!! It sound like everything is just going back to normal and how it has been for years!!;) haha 

Anyways, I had a good week! I got to go back to Magdelena!!!! My first area. It was crazy! Its been over a year since I had set a foot in that place! I loved it. Seeing the people again, talking to them, and taking the missionaries to some of the old investigators we had that never got baptized so they can start teaching them again! Being able to talk to and see how the missionaries are doing there! Then after I left Magdelena, I went and worked in Atiquizaya!! haha My second area. So it was a pretty cool week! The bishop heard I was coming and invited us to dinner and it was cool to see all of the new people they are teaching! After that we left to visit some other areas, but it was pretty much a normal week, just lots of lessons and traveling!! haha but I love it! 

Today we were in our meeting with President and we were talking about how the mission is doing... and its just cool talking about and seeing how the mission is and what we can do better, talking about sending missionaries to other areas or future leaders in the mission! It just an experience that I am going to be so grateful for the rest of my life! Its been such a blessing. Well thanks so much for the emails. I'm glad to hear everyone is doing so good! I love you so much and I'm still alive after two weeks of driving in elsalvador. haha love you so much!!  
elder baker

Week 75

Hi everyone!! I'm glad to hear that everyone had a good week. Even though it was a little bit of an easier week and not as crazy, it sounds like everyone had a good week! I love the fact that even though Jace and Gage broke their arms they keep skating!! hahaha I love my family! Everyone looks great! Haley sent me a picture of the family that you guys put on Instagram and I loved it! You all look so happy. 

This week was amazing! I got to go back to some old areas, and on Sunday I was in Molino (the area that i just left)... so I got to see everyone again! ...and I got to see the family Avila (a family me and Elder Lopez baptized) get called to be ward missionaries, and the president of the Gospel Principles class! I loved seeing them! They said it was a great surprise that they weren't planning on having! They are amazing. I just loved seeing so many people in church that I got to teach and now I get to see them passing and blessing the sacrament, teaching classes, and playing a part in the work of salvation! This is one of the reasons I love doing what I am doing... I get to learn so much! ...and help lots of people! ...and God has helped me sooo much... more than I can even describe!! I would never have been able to do this with out his help. I just try to study as much as I can, and rely 100% on the Spirit because without either one of those I couldn't do this! 

I hope everyone is doing great! I haven't gotten the package yet, but I'm sure it will come soon! I haven't gotten a camera yet, but I'll go look for one today so I can start to take pictures again:) 

To answer your question... yes I can drive now! I have been driving these last couple of days, and let me tell you that people here CANNOT DRIVE!!! haha but its fun;) 

Thanks for the email and I'll talk to you all soon! Have a great week. adios!!

elder baker

Week 74--(Cont.) I share this with you because it was one of those moments that, as your mom, made my heart very happy!

Colten~

I know your time will be short today… As you always have lots to do! There is something that I have been thinking about that I wanted to share with you. 

I'm sure you vividly recall the day we went to see Dr. Udall, after you had broken your collar bone the second time. You were so sad. It broke my heart. You looked at me with tears running down your face and asked me why this stuff keeps happening to you. Do you remember that? Do you remember what I told you?? 

I told you that the only thing I knew was that there was no doubt in my mind you were destined for amazing things. And maybe, in some small way, all of these trials and difficulties were going to help prepare you for those things. They would help define you and make you the person you need to be to fulfill the role your Father in Heaven has in store for you. That was when I explained, to you, the analogy of learning to dance in the rain… Instead of waiting for the storm to pass.

As we look back on your mission so far – – and you think about the missionaries whose lives you have touched… Your companion whose mother had died… The elder that you just met at the zone conference… and countless others...I believe your experiences have helped you better relate to the individuals who have needed you.  

Does that make sense? 
I love you so much and couldn't be more proud of you.  Not because you are an AP--but, because you live your life in a way that you are worthy to be one.  

I miss you.  Every day.
XOXOXOXOXOXOX
Love--Mom


Your Reply~

You are right!  My life has literally led me to this point perfectly... and I am so thankful for it!