A Wedding and Two Baptisms

10 August 2015

Our investigators got married! And then baptized! Last week in Sunday school she reminded me of something I had forgotten. It was the fourth lesson with her and the first with her husband. She had accepted a baptismal date and asked if they had to get married. I was really direct with them that day. She says I told them, "¡Casense!" I told them that a lot of people postpone marriage and that it prevents them from being baptized. I told them not to let that happen. She said that she always thought she needed money to plan a wedding but they accepted the commitment, planned a simple wedding, done! The timing was right and they were ready.

We accompanied them to the marriage ceremony Wednesday at 8:30 am where a woman judge with a ridiculously exaggerated sing song voice married two of my favorite people. His parents stood beside him, her father by her, and I imagined her mother might have been present in spirit and happiest of all because she is the only one who knows what this really means. She sure will be there in the temple next year when they are sealed and I hope I am, too.

Usually at weddings there are two families getting to know each other and everyone is labeled as either friends of the bride or groom. In this case the families already know each other well but there was a new family, the Los Mares ward. Several members came to support them.

As she hugged me after the ceremony she whispered in my ear, "Usted es responsable por este matrimonio." And later she told me to tell my family that I am responsible for her wedding. I don't think her family knows but mine will. She told me to tell everyone that she is "¡FELIZ!"

When we taught her husband on Friday he was really sick. I felt bad that we had to teach him but he wanted to be baptized and we had a few more principles to teach which we did in one lesson and then we went and found some neighbors from the ward to give him a priesthood blessing. It was a good experience for him to receive a blessing and he said that it felt like warm water falling on him and running down. He said he didn't feel better immediately but that the annoyance and the weariness were taken away.

 They were baptized yesterday and her father went, along with the little boy she watches, his mother, and the mother’s boyfriend. Our bishop talked to her father a lot, which was great. They are both military and had stories to share. Hermana Fullmer is predicting that her father is Los Mares' next baptism. We'll see what we can do...

She was baptized first and we stepped out to meet her at the stairs with her towel so she could watch her husband be baptized. As she climbed the stairs she started crying.

The ward is wonderful and excited to welcome this new family. They already assigned visiting teachers who introduced themselves and gave her a little gift after her baptism. The Relief Society also gave them a stack of books because they realized how much she loves to read. It was really thoughtful.

I wish I had lots of time to tell you about this week and write all of the details but I will just have to read you my journals when I get home. We're happy, the new members are happy, the ward is happy. A wedding and two baptisms!!!

Love,

Hermana Eva VanCott