Luis's Baptism! Hooray!

Hey Everyone,

        

             It's been bittersweet this week, but I'd say it's the happiest I've been on the mission so far! I found out last Monday that Elder Walker would be training this transfer, so I knew I would be leaving. It was hard to leave all my investigators especially Luis just a couple days before his baptism, but it know it was an inspired decision. So now I've been transferred from Hollywood to Crenshaw aka "The Jungle!" It’s about 20 minutes directly south of Hollywood, but it's totally different. My area is densely populated with African Americas, and we live in an area densely compacted with apartment buildings. Apparently, the story of my area is that in the 70s or 80s, some construction company wanted to extend Baldwin Hills (really nice subdivision) with a huge neighborhood jam-packed with gated off apartment complexes. At one point the company couldn't fund the project anymore and the government had to finish it. There's several apartments here provided by government welfare now, but its really well kept and maintained. Compared to Silver Lake, it’s really hard to do tracting and contacting because of all the gated apartments, but my new companion Elder Reeves from Ogden, Utah has worked the area really well and we hope to baptize this transfer!

          BUT THAT'S NOT THE BEST PART! LUIS FINALLY GOT BAPTIZED ON SUNDAY!!!!! And I had the privilege to come back and baptize him. It was at 2:00, but my church in my new ward had sacrament a 1:00 so it was crazy getting there on time. We got all my previous companions, Elder Blackham and Elder Rodriguez, rides so they could see it too. I had to borrow baptismal clothing from Elder Rodriguez, because honestly I never thought was going to personally be baptizing, but it was awesome that Luis wanted me to do it. Elder Walker did a great job organizing the program and having awesome members to speak. But the best part was that his whole family got to come and see, Mom, Dad, Sisters, Sisters boyfriend, and his grandparents. They all loved it, and his mom and grandmother cried when he got up to bear his testimony, and it was by far the best testimony I've ever heard in my life, because the Spirit was so strong. I'm very excited for him as he has plans to work with Elder Walker and his trainee to go to lessons and teach with them. He said he would serve a mission, but he was an obligation to go to college if he wants to get his visa. I hope, he will have the chance. I was able to write him a letter and give him a copy of Our Search for Happiness by Elder Ballard. I can't explain in words the blessing it is to help someone come to know that Christ is our savior and that he has restored His gospel once again through a modern day prophet. Luis has a lot of great things ahead of him and I hope he is able to help his family attend church and listen to the missionaries too!

         I've been reading in Moroni 6 this week and it talks about the great blessing it is to be baptized in the Church of Christ and how we all will be remembered and be kept in the right way. That is my prayer for every member, missionary and investigator to learn the gospel that they may feel of the blessings of conversion and peace within the gospel!

Os amo tanto

Elder Marrott  

PS I hope you enjoy the pictures of the baptism and my adventure last week killing the mice in our apartment