Saturday, April 3, 2010

Rae Yazzie's Baptism

A few months ago my husband and I were missing our missions quite a bit. So we started to pray for missionary experiences. A few days later my co-worker Rae Dean Yazzie started asking me questions about the gospel. Nothing really big but just little things here and there. But I was overwhelmingly happy that I could just "plant the seed". The next week we had the missionaries over for dinner and they challenged us to give the Book of Mormon to someone we know, Jesse and I immediately knew that it was Rae that needed it. Although I went on a mission, I still get a little nervous talking about the gospel with my friends. So Jesse and I prayed that I would be able to say the things I needed to say and that she would feel the spirit. So the next day was SUPER slow at work and there was a lot of down time and once again Rae brings up the gospel with more questions. Of course it was just that easy :) We talked for over two hours straight about bishops, prophets, Joseph Smith and the restoration of the gospel, and her favorite part was about the marriage how we can be sealed for time and all eternity. I got choked up a few times in the conversation and at the end of the evening we got on the subject of the Book of Mormon. She really sounded really excited about it and so I tell her oh well. . .I just so happen to have an extra one if you want it. (hahaha not telling her then that the extra one that I had already had her name on it ) She was so excited I told her I would bring it to her the next day I was at work. So I brought it with me the next day and I didn't have time to write in it the night before so I took it in with me and I was going to write in it on one of my breaks. So on my first break I started to write and this boy at work that I didn't know came up to me and asked what I was writing in and what the book was about, ( I get teary just thinking about how awesome prayer is, you just pray and ask, and Heavenly Father will help you) So I explained a little bit about the book and I invited him to go to church, and he accepted. Later he went and loved it and I directed him to Mormon.org, he has friends that he went to church with. Well to say the least I didn't get to write even a few sentences before my first break was finished so I would have to wait until the next break to finish. The next break came around and I guess I write super slow because I marked a few scriptures I liked and I was almost done writing my testimony and my second break was over. Unfortunately Rae got off work before I did so she would have to wait a few days to get her book because I didn't work the next day. So she had the amazing idea of giving it to our other friend, Melissa, to give to her the next day, because me and Melissa both ended at the same time. So by the end of the day I had finished writing in the book, marking a few of my favorite sections and asked Melissa if she would give it to Rae the next day. Melissa was super happy to do it and she even asked if she could take it home to read what I had written, and the sections I marked out. Of course I did not oppose. (once again prayer is amazing) Rae got the book and read the things I had marked for her and I asked her if she wanted to go to church. She said she did, but didn't want to go alone. I told her Jesse and I would GLADLY go with her. We went to church the next Sunday and I don't think she has missed a Sunday since. . . maybe once. When we got to church she immediately told the missionaries that she was an "investigator" (she thought the term was rather humorous) so the missionaries asked if they could go to her house and she accepted. Her mom had been baptized when she was in her youth but had been inactive for a very long time. After a few visits with the missionaries they challenged her to baptism, it seemed a little soon but she said she'd think about it. It wasn't on the date that they originally proposed but on February 14, 2010 my sweet friend was baptized. It was such a wonderful day, the best Valentines day I have ever had. Her parents and sister were able to make it to the baptism, traveling from New Mexico. We were all in tears the whole time and her mom told me after the baptism that she feels that she needs to start going back to church. The Spirit was so strong! It has been amazing to see her grow and her countenance change. She is happier. She looks different. Talking to her and to hear her testimony has made my testimony grow. I am soo grateful that I could have this experience, to know that my Father in heaven listens to my prayers and answers them. I love it. Although I miss my mission everyday of my life, I know that I have a different mission now and it can definitely have a lot of the same qualities, it just takes work and a lot of prayer.

3 comments:

  1. Such a beautiful story. You guys are the bestest. The Lord will use us if we are willing. So neet.

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  2. What a great post. You are an example Kendra. Love you.

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  3. This was so great! Thanks for sharing. You've motivated me...

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