Final Pictures

The Axtell Family

Graffiti Bridge

Marie on Halloween

Finally Cotton Season

 Paul and Paula (recent converts from the Gulfbreeze ward) come visit

The Cass Family, one of my favorites

Loren Castagna, also one of my favorites

The Carroll's, they might all just be my favorite

Baby Boyce

Out of order but Paul and Paula again

Best Bacon I ever had, and not just because the man looks like Jesus Christ.

Last night together as trainer and trainee

Last time seeing the beautiful Mission Home

Sister Fletcher

MTC companion Sister Kirkham

November13,"Final Email Y'all"

Wow! How am I here already? When people say that it all goes by so fast, you think they are lying at first but now looking back it all feels like a blur. And then I look at pictures and emails and journal entries from in the beginning of my mission and that Sister Baker feels like such a different person. To say I have grown is an understatement. 

This past week was another growing week for us, our testimonies of the church, and especially the Book of Mormon, have been attacked like nothing I have ever experienced, but walking away from it all I am SO grateful. Because of all that, I came away knowing stronger than ever just how true it all is and that I will never walk away from it! I cannot separate from the Gospel of Jesus Christ because it has become, and is still becoming, who I am. I think it is fitting that I was able to finish the Book of Mormon one last time before I come home, and it really strengthened my love for that book. 

This past week I gave my "farewell" talk in the Pace ward and looking around it was really like looking at my family! I love these people, they have become such a big part of my life. I am so grateful to be ending here, in a ward I love with a companion that I love. (Oh and by the way, Sister Boyce is TRAINING next transfer!!)

I was starting to question, as most missionaries do the end of their missions, whether I have done enough, whether I gave and became and done what the Lord needed me to give and become and do. I was really praying that I would be able to know if I had done all that God needed me to do and this past week proved to me that I did. Seeing how much I was loved by the members and people here and how much I loved them, showed me that it was enough. Not that I didn't make any mistakes, not that I was perfect at everything a missionary is supposed to do and be, but I saw that I got what I came here for, and that was to experience God's love and help others experience it too. I am so happy.

Well this is it! Next time I talk to y'all it will be FACE to FACE! Ah! I am excited! See you Thursday!

Love y'all!

Sister Baker 

Pictures:

Sister Boyce's birthday was this past week so we celebrated it by having men sing to her in spanish

eating at the famous Mcguire's (Irish pub) we both happened to wear green! 

doing Bishop's Storehouse right by repping cat shirts from Walmart

My favorite Sister May

typical southern parking

we ate at this place called Chicken Coop, where they legit have roaming chickens walking all over the place-it was amazing! 

November 6,"Every Time My Girls Come I Feel Better"-Sister May

If I ever thought I was just going to ride out my mission for these last few weeks, Heavenly Father quickly humbled me. So this past week Wendy did not get baptized, in fact she won't meet with us anymore. She sat us down and went strait Baptist on us, with her Bible verses and wouldn't even let us have a chance to help resolve her concerns. For a good 30 minutes we just had to sit there and take it and see someone we love retract every good feeling and experience they had with the church. It broke my heart. It surprised us both, but it wasn't the first time something like that happened to me, and honestly in that moment when so much negativity was being thrown at us, all I could say was "I know that the Book of Mormon is true." And those things that were being denied, I never knew stronger in my life that they were all true, I was so sure. I felt such peace knowing that in that moment, if nothing else, at least I knew. I think this is the unique sense of happiness everyone talks about; that even when things are hard and not at all what you expect, you can know in your heart, that what you are doing is right. And to make matters even better, our other BCD Tristan dropped us the same day. At that point I just had to laugh. My mission has helped me see that I can face all my trials with happiness, and at the end of the day all that matters is that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is true. It doesn't matter what I suffer or deal with, because God is real and the Book of Mormon is true, so really what else matters? 

I have been praying a lot this past week to help me see why I am here these last few weeks, why I needed to be here. And as I looked at my companion and saw how hard it was for her to see Wendy and Tristan go, I saw the reason why. These last few weeks were not about me, my mission has never been about me. In so many ways it has been about the people around me, especially those closest to me. I saw that I was needed to be here for Sister Boyce. I was there to love her and reassure her that it was all true, and just because someone walks away from it, it does not change the truthfulness of the path we walk. 

This past week was hard, probably one of the hardest weeks of my mission to be honest. But as I was reflecting upon it last night, I could truthfully say, "This week was a good week." I felt that. I knew that. I know that the afflictions I bear are swallowed up in the joy of Jesus Christ. 

Love Yall! See you in a week! 

Sister Baker

October 30,"Maddies Baptism"

October 30,"TRUNKY O TREAT"

This past week we had an amazing lesson with Wendy and Cheyanne about the law of chastity and the word of wisdom. We were a little worried going in, mainly because of the sweet tea phenomenon here in the south but it was such a spiritual lesson. We were talking to Wendy all about how the Lord sometimes asks us to give up something small so He can bless us more. I think that was a lesson I really learned this past week as well. She really seemed to understand it all and said that it was such a small thing that she is willing to give up to the Lord, who has done so much for her. She is truly converted to God and it is so cool to see the positive changes it is having in her life. 

The Pace ward had a Trunk-o-Treat this past week, and Sister Boyce and I did a room. Cheyanne, our investigator, helped us out A TON, spending hours with us cutting, assembling, arranging, the whole thing. It turned out so good, and we had so many investigators and less actives come. There seemed to be more nonmembers than members, and everyone had a blast. 

Also, MADDIE JONES FINALLY IS AN OFFICIAL MEMBER OF THE CHURCH!!! Maddie has been waiting for over a year to get baptized, each time her mother pushing the time back. She at first told Maddie that if she was still going to church for 6 months she could get baptized, she was, then her mom told her in the summer, she was still going, then a year, and she was still going. Finally her mothers heart softened and now she is a baptized and confirmed member. It was such a spiritual baptism, the whole room was OVERFLOWING with how many members from the ward showed up to support her, and keep in mind that NONE of Maddie's family came. Brother Cass, one of my favorite members and also Maddie's sunday school teacher, was able to baptize her, and it was such a sweet moment seeing them hug in the font. Brother Cass had a pretty similar experience when he was younger so they related well to each other. In essence it was such a happy day!

I had my exit interview with President Smith and can I just say I am so grateful for my President. I know he loves me and sees so much for me, and we are planning on staying friends after the mission. I am so grateful for my mission. It means so much to me. It has humbled me beyond belief, it has been soul stretching and the hardest thing I have ever done in ways that were different than I expected, but is has helped me grow and for that, I will forever be grateful. I know this is the Lord's church. He is real. He lives. He loves me. He has been the constant source of strength when I had no where else to go. I want to thank Him for all that He has done, without Him I am truly nothing. 

I love this work! I love my mission!

And I love y'all!

Sister Baker

October 16,"It Is The Truest Thing I Have Ever Felt..."

So this past week we were really worried about Wendy. Some of her family members were not too happy about her decision to investigate the church, and they really let her know that while she was at a family gathering this past weekend. Then she came back into town and she was so busy we were not able to meet with her until Friday night when her and Cheyanne surprised us at our house. She told us about all the negative things they said about the church and how it made her feel, but good news, she is still wanting to meet and is really trying her best to be prepared for her baptism. Wendy wants to make sure that she is 100% before making this decision, knowing that it is a big decision, one that she will often have to stand up for. She is asking lots of questions and the members and the Bishop are so good with them. Rusty, her son that was previously not too interested in meeting with us or keen about the idea of Mormons, came to church and seemed so happy after. He was even asking us when our next lesson with them is, despite the fact that he has never stayed for a lesson. It has been really neat to see how the gospel is blessing their family and helping them draw closer together. I think this experience for Wendy has been a big eye-opener to her. She wonders why everyone and everything is fighting so hard against her in the days leading up to her baptism. I think she is starting to see it is because it is true. She said after our lesson Saturday, "I may not know everything about the Mormon church, but it is the truest thing I have ever felt..."
Maddie Jones is doing wonderful and is excited for her baptism this Saturday, which is also her birthday! We are very excited for this special girl to finally do what she has been waiting for over a year to do, to enter the waters of baptism. It was her birthday wish.
I will forever be grateful for a wonderful companion. I am so grateful to have a best friend by my side, and that we get along. She makes this road a little easier to walk. 

Love yall!

Sister Baker

October 16," 18 Months"

I hit 18 months of serving as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints this week. It is a very surreal feeling, to say the least! I am so grateful to God for changing my plans and asking me to do more for Him than I thought I was able or willing, to serve a mission. It has made me all the better, deepened my faith in His son Jesus Christ, and allowed me to have the experience of a lifetime. I cannot imagine my life without this refining, humbling 18 months. 

We had zone conference this past week, my last one. We talked a lot about role-plays, contacting, using the Book of Mormon, essentially all the things I am working on. It left us very inspired to work hard and see miracles in Pace. 

We had a lesson this past week with Wendy, before she left on a trip to see her family. We were a little worried, considering that some of her family are not too happy about her taking the discussions. She told us that she knows and understands more now about the church than last time she took the lessons and that she cannot deny what she felt when she got the priesthood blessing in the hospital, so she isn't too worried about it. I am very grateful she had that amazing experience with the blessing, that she felt the "warmth going through [her] body starting from [her] head, right as they put their hands on [her] head." Whenever she starts to doubt, she thinks of that and knows she cannot deny it. We have been praying for her and fasting and hoping we can see her this week. Good news: Wendy was was able to see some blessings from Heavenly Father, like getting a new job and things working out for her financially. I think having that experience where she met us, then everything going wrong, then her staying strong proved her faith, and now she is seeing some blessings from it.

I also had a little miracle this past week, we were going through investigators and deciding if we should drop them, and I came across Annie's record. We decided to call her up, our last hope at seeing her and she picks up! I was able to talk to her and find out that she has been waiting for us to call her, that she found some work and has been busy a lot, that she misses us and wants to start meeting with us and go to church again, and that she has been telling everyone that she is Mormon! We are still working on seeing her, but I am so grateful that again, this is NOT my work, it is so much holier and more divine than I sometimes understand. 

Love yall! Thanks for all the support and love, I really appreciate it!

Sister Baker