Edinburg, 1/28/19

The baptism of Bethaisda, daughter of Brother and Sister Pecina, two recently-reactivated members.

Betsy and the ministering brother who baptized her. 

No email this week. Just a few fun tidbits from her chat with the family:

• They had another baptism this week. Bethaisda is her name, but she goes by Betsy. She is 11, and she is the daughter of a mother and father that they worked to reactivate. Rachelle just loves her. The ministering brother baptized the little girl, and the father gave the baptism talk. At first, the father refused because he felt too inadequate with words, but then he came around, and Rachelle says it was the sweetest talk and that the spirit was there.

• Rachelle says that she and her companion took time this week to write thank you notes to all the ward members who have helped them with the work because there are so many people who have done so much from going on visits with them to helping arrange baptisms to fellowshipping investigators to helping strengthen the new converts. In her words:

We took an hour or so a while ago and we sat and wrote and mailed a bunch of thank you notes to all the members of the ward who have done anything to help us out

And it was such a good investment!

It meant so much to all the members

And we have been taking the relief society President out to do visits with us

She is such a cute Lamanite woman a concert

Convert

Getting those good ward relationships 😁

I never knew the power of thank you notes!!!

Now I have a testimony of it. Haha

• She said the ward is working to keep track of all the recent converts by planning and organizing a temple trip for all the recent converts and reactivated members. The nearest temple is three hours away in San Antonio, so this is very big undertaking. This little ward sounds so wonderful.

• Jessica and her family are still coming to church. Jessica is sharing the Gospel with her mom and aunt. Jessica told her aunt about the Word of Wisdom, and the aunt started living it before the Sister Missionaries even taught her! Rachelle just loves Jessica! She says that they are "best friends" and that Jessica WILL come to her wedding! :-) The sisters are very hopeful for this sweet little family. They are trying to work with Jose, the father, so that the entire family can be baptized. Jose is a little more reluctant with the message, so pray that his heart will be softened. The sisters were teaching Jose, Jessica, and her family the Proclamation on the Family this week, and Jose was not really "feeling" it. Rachelle recounts what happened next:

And [Jessica] said, with just this FIRE in her eyes, "Miss Clarke, I have made the decision that before you go home to Utah, I am GOING to get baptized. And Jose, I want you to come with me, but if you don't want to do this, and for our family, this is where we are going, with or without you!

• Rachelle says she loves the work, and she seems very happy. 

Write to Rachelle at rachelle.clarke@myldsmail.net