February 20, 2012

Dear Family,

Another miracle week! This week we baptized the really old mom of a recent convert. I don’t remember if I told you guys the story, but what happened was that when we were in a lesson with her daughter a month ago, the mom suddenly burst out, "I want to get baptized." We were all pretty unsure if she would be able to do it. First, she is in a wheelchair because half of her body is paralyzed and she’s 77. Second, she doesn’t remember almost anything, so we didn’t think she’d be accountable, or able to pass the baptismal interview. We always taught her with pictures to help her understand, but really, she didn’t capture much of what we tried teaching her. The day of the interview came and we explained everything to the missionary who would do the baptismal interview and he, upon doing the interview, would determine if she was apt to be baptized. He started the interview and she just was totally lost. She didn’t remember a thing we had taught. The missionary who was doing the interview in that moment said a silent prayer asking the Lord to show him if that woman needed to get baptized or not.

Immediately, a miracle occurred. He asked her what a prophet did and she responded that a prophet restores the truth. We had never even mentioned to her that word because we thought it might be too big for her to understand. Nonetheless, the Spirit spoke to her and taught her a very correct, concise definition of a prophet. The missionary showed her a picture of Joseph Smith and she told him "That’s Joseph Smith; he’s a prophet and he restored the truth." The rest of the interview went wonderfully and this Saturday she got baptized. It took two of us, me and her son-in-law, to be able to sustain her and baptize her. We tried putting a chair in the water, but that didn’t work. Then we just took it out and between the two of us we dunked her. It was a really special moment because I knew very clearly that it was the Lord’s will that this woman, despite her current condition, should be baptized.

The church is true! I love you!

-Elder Spencer