"Growing Gratitude"

This past week we had mission conference and Elder Sitati from the Seventy came and spoke to all of us. He did a Q/A and spoke of his experience of him and his wife converting to the church in Kenya. He was a super intellectual guy and it was so fun to hear him talk, especially so soon after General Conference! I learned so much!

Our Branch did a special fast this past Sunday for the missionary efforts for the area. I am so grateful for the chance I've had to be apart of this Branch. I have learned so much from the last minute calls to teach Relief Society (right after sacrament ends), sacrament talks every so often, and being so needed and utilized! They are so few in number and like President Eyring talked about in this recent General Conference: "I have felt that transformation of growing gratitude for blessings and a love of God increasing across the Church. It seems to accelerate among members of the Church in times and places where there are trials of their faith, where they have to plead to God for help to even carry on." A lot of them have to struggle to keep going, but they are so amazing and unified and I am definitely grateful for them and all that they've taught me in my short time being here!

Thank y'all for the support every week! I am grateful for all the examples I have in my life and even among the trials, I am truly grateful I am here, I know God is changing me into who He wants me to become! Love y'all!

Sister Baker

Picture Explanations:

I FOUND MY FRIEND! I had a religion class at BYU with this girl and we would always talk about my mission call to the FTM (she had just put her papers in) and then that class ended, only to find out that she got called to the exact same mission as me! At mission conference, we finally met again on the mission!!

The Toxey District Reunion

October 3, "5 Months"

This week was another good one and having General Conference at the John's plantation was an amazing way to end it! I got so much from it and I kept thinking about the many families and individuals in Toxey that need to hear certain talks! I thought Eyring's talk seemed to perfectly describe our little branch! It was something else to hear the speakers talking about missionaries and thinking that I was one of them! The theme to me seemed to be finding joy in the work and letting God's will override our will, something that I am really working on! "What can be more joyful than sharing the Gospel with God's children?"

This week was amazing as I have finished the Book of Mormon for the third time since I have been out and then to hear conference and all the talks about the power in the Book of Mormon! I am so very grateful for that book and all that I have learned and felt as I have read it! I am so grateful that it has been a part of my life growing up and now that I have felt of that joy, to want to share that with others! 

An experience that really touched me this past week was when we were able to meet with Rachel at her shop and share with her the Family Proclamation for the first time and talk about the temple and eternal marriage with her. It still amazes me how something I grew up always knowing really touched her and comforted her knowing that families still continue on after death, that we believe and teach that. I am so grateful for the many examples of strong marriages and families in my life! That proclamation and General Conference make me so grateful for living prophets and apostles and continued revelation!

I love my Toxey Family!

Love and miss y'all!

Sister Baker