Baptisms, Fires, Transfers and Parades!

     As for us getting to the temple, well..... it didn't work out! We had way too much to do and not enough time!  Anyways! Hmmm... 

     Well,  this week we got transfer calls and yes I am getting a new comp! His name is Elder Lindsay, I think.  He will be here tomorrow night.


Elder Johnson and Elder Bird say goodbye after three months in Albany and Corvallis.


     We basically had an alright week!  We started out really slow, and towards the weekend things picked up.  We are teaching a new family of eight or nine, the Prestons.  They are really cool people, so I will let you know how that goes!

     Our baptism (Sat. Nov. 13, 2010) was awesome!   The Vaughns really need it in their life.  We baptized the little kids on Saturday:  Angel, Venessa, and Ricky ages 10, 9, and 12.  The rest of the family is getting baptized here in a few weeks.  It's too bad we had to push back some of the baptisms but they just wanted a little more time.  But it happens, and after they saw their kids get baptized they want to push the date up now but I think we're sticking with Thanksgiving weekend.  Wow!  It's almost Thanksgiving and the year will be 2011 in 6 weeks! Wow! Wow!  Time goes by way fast!

     This week we met alot of people, really too many to even talk about. We were in the Veterans Day parade.  It is the biggest Veterans Day parade on the west side of the Mississippi.  We basically walked all of downtown Albany, handing out B.O.M's,  talking to people. and handing out more cards and pamphlets than I will probably see the rest of my mission!  Hah!  It was a cool, fun experience!


    

Parading the streets of Albany!

     Also this week we started teaching a girl named Jessica Valentino.  She is 16 and is so ready to be baptized, so hopefully that will happen next month.  We met another kid named Josh, who came up to us and asked us why baptism is so important and why we have to be baptized,  He is way smart too! Haha! He said, "I know Jesus was baptized, and he was perfect so that means we really need to be baptized."  I was like, "Dude you're sick!"  So we set a date with him. He just got back from Iraq and said he really didn't believe in God but he just started reading and praying.  He told us, "And now you guys are walking around here so I felt like I needed to ask you these questions." It's so cool to see how the Lord works.  People just have to open themselves up and let Him work.  That was pretty nuts but I am not surprised. I see so many crazy things and its so cool to witness people change their lives for the better!

Missionary work on the other side of the tracks in Albany!

     Last night while I was writing letters,  I heard some big bangs and people yelling, along with sirens all over, so I just ignored it for awhile, thinking it was another gang fight, until I heard a huge bang! I got up and walked outside to see what it was.  To my surprise the buildings across the street were completely engulfed in flames! I have never seen a fire that big!  We put on our clothes and ran over to get pictures.  The flames were like 30 to 40 feet high.  We video taped it and took pictures!  (We'll post those shots later.)

Not sure if the green babies are investigators or new companions.  We'll get the story on that later.

     That's my week in a nut shell!  I love you guys and I hope you are enjoying your time in a warm comfortable work environment.  The only warmth I get in the rain is the Spirit! Hahaha! jk!

    Love,
    Your baby boy Brock!