"Things are going well."

January 11, 2010

Hello from Murray Bridge!
Kevin was baptized yesterday! It was a good service. I said the opening prayer. We got a brother in the branch to baptize him. He was baptized in Mt Barker. There is no baptismal font here in Murray Bridge. And it’s too hot for comfort to go outside to be baptized in the river. It was 46 degrees Celsius yesterday. That is close to 115 Fahrenheit. People think we are crazy to go out and work and wear long pants. I tell them it is just like home. Perhaps that’s why I have never really been home sick. Its hot back home just like here in Australia. But I absolutely love serving here in Murray Bridge. I would never want to move my future family here. But as a missionary I am enjoying it.
We got Bart and Lily and June to come to church as well as to the baptism. Bart said the closing prayer at the baptism. It was a great prayer. Bart was training to become a pastor, and then he went to jail. I think he is very close to committing to baptism. As he was praying he was happy for Kevin, who “was in darkness but has found thy light”. We will try and commit Bart to Baptism this week.
Lily and June will be baptized after their trip to China. It is Chinese custom to ask your parents any big decisions you are about to make. Her mom does not care, she is atheist. So was her dad. But unfortunately her dad died of stomach cancer 6 years ago. So she will go to China in February to ask her dad, at his grave, whether she will be baptized. It is a big decision to be the first person in her family to become a Christian. So she will probably be baptized later in a couple months, I just hope she doesn’t loose her fire, or her faith she has now. We were hoping she would be baptized before her holiday to China, so her family could see something different in her; she would have the Holy Spirit with her at that time. I probably will not stay in Murray Bridge long enough to see the day when she and her daughter are baptized. But I pray that when she gets back to Australia she will continue to progress and be baptized. I am going to give her a blessing tonight. I do not know whether I am staying or I am leaving Murray Bridge, I will find out late tonight. She has asked me, in case I leave, to give her a blessing tonight to protect her on her trip to China, and that she may have safety. I will add many things to her blessing.
It is good to hear from everyone. Things are going well. I cannot believe I have been out 6 months. I am ¼ done with my mission. Someone needs to pull the E-brake.
Got to go. Love ya heaps.

-Elder Montgomery