2/16

Hello all!

This week was a good one! It was spent focused mainly on preparing Linda for her baptism! We had two lessons with her and a lot of principles to cover. I was a little panicked but then during the lesson I was so calm and not rushed at all. We got through everything and she understood and accepted everything. It is incredible how everything just makes sense to her!  Also, I thought I would write out Linda's whole story because it is just one big miracle.

Yesterday Linda Carter entered the waters of baptism and it went without a hitch! Linda's first experience wih the church was 30 years ago when she did a favor for a man she worked with at the VA in Lake City. His wife was dying of cancer and she let him go home during his lunch break to help her with her medicine. To show his appreciation he gave her a Book of Mormon and she read it. She didn't have any contact with missionaries or any formal teaching. She had mentioned his experience to us quite a few times. It truly was what softened her heart to the church. Anyway, fast forward 30 years ago when Sister Wimkler and Sister Parshall knocked on the door. Linda was sick with the flu and today she says that she has no idea why she answered the door when she felt that way and was in her pajamas. She told them to come back and gave them her phone number. A few days later they gave her a call and set up a time to have them over for dinner the next week. Well, she saw them at Target a few days later and they told her that they were both being transferred. A couple days later (Sister Wright's and my second evening in Gainesville) we showed up at her house for the dinner appointment. She was only slightly surprised that we were different missionaries. She welcomed us in and treated us just like family. We started teaching her and she told us all about her first experience with the Book of Mormon. She started progressing and we prayed about her baptismal date. Before we could commit her to it, she said, "You know I'm going to do it, right?" We were caught a little off guard and committed her to be baptized February 15, 2015. Everything we taught her made sense to her and made her happy. Every time we brought a member to her house she told them about how she was first introduced to the Book of Mormon 30 years ago. So about two weeks ago I decided to ask her what the man's name was. She said that his last name was Henderson but that she didn't remember his first name. She also explained where he lived and I knew EXACTLY where she was talking about and knew it was in Deep Creek Ward, my first area!! I couldn't remember if there was a Henderson family when I was there. Linda also said that it could be possible that he wasn't alive anymore. All of a sudden I had the thought that I would ask someone in Lake City if they know a Brother Henderson. We would love to let him know that the Book of Mormon she gave Linda planted a seed in her heart and that she is getting baptized. Well, the first person I thought to ask is Brother Paschall who I got to know really well when I was in the Deep Creek Ward. So I sent him a message on Facebook to ask him if there is a Brother Henderson in the ward or if there was one about 30 years ago. Well this morning I saw that he messaged me back. He told us that Brother Lenville Henderson passed away in 2002 but he is Brother Paschall's step father! It was his mother that Brother Henderson went home during lunch to help her with her medicine when she had cancer. It is so incredible that I am here to Lake City and end up teaching her and she used to live and work in Lake City and was first introduced to get the church by this Brother Henderson. And then I just happen to message Brother Paschall and he is a stepson of Brother Henderson! It was divine. This past week we "coincidentally" we're in Lake City for Zone Conference. And with permission we were able to visit Brother Paschall and tell him the story. He was so touched and said he would come to Linda's baptism. He came and we kept it a surprise for Linda. Her baptism was absolutely incredible. So many people came, the Relief Society room was packed and even some of her friends and family were there to support her. It was the best baptism that I have ever been to or participated in. Gods hand is definitely in My life and in Linda's life. I am so grateful to be a missionary. SO GRATEFUL. And I know that I'm supposed to be here in Gainesville. And that I was meant to be in Lake City when I was there. God is so Good.

Also this week we had Zone Conference in Lake City. It was amazing. We talked about becoming a preach my gospel missionary, the enabling power of the atonement, how to give talks, finding new investigators, and having spiritually grounding experiences to make us more effective missionaries and human beings in general. My favorite training was Sister Craig's on the enabling power of the atonement. She referenced Elder Bednar's talk from the April 2012 general conference. She talked about how she has seen missionaries come out and then go home transformed. She talked about seeds and how a tiny little seed can grow into a beautiful flower or tree because it gets transformed. She talked about how we are transformed spiritually through the atonement of Jesus Christ. This life is he time we have to change from bad to good and good to better. Wow. It was so neat to think about how we can repent of our sins and change from bad to good. And we can also use the enabling power of the atonement to change from good to better. I have definitely seen in my life that the Lord has given me strength to overcome and become. And sometimes it is so hard to change be then it feels SO GOOD. We don't need to be perfect but we can always be better. Overall, it was a wonderful conference.

Well, is week should be wonderful as well! We will be having a mission conference with Elder Zwick! I am so excited! I am grateful that I was able to have him here at the beginning and the end of my mission! AND I get to see all the beautiful sisters that I love so much. I am so blessed :)

Always,
Sister Kasteler