Plan of Salvation

Dear Friends and Family:

This week was terrific for us here in Miami Shores Creole! We had six baptisms. In fact, we baptized in both the ward and the branch!

First, in the Ward, are Marie Deshommes and her daughter, Shirdie. They have been investigators for several months now, but Marie put off being baptized so that she could do it when Shirdie returned from vacation, to show a good example for her. So this Thursday, Marie was baptized; then on Sunday, she was confirmed, and then Shirdie was baptized.

Then we quickly left to get to the branch on time, and at the end of church our other four investigators who have been preparing to be baptized (China, and her children Daphney, Walkie, and Gregory) were baptized. It was a really great experience for all of them to be baptized together. We're going to keep working on China's husband, our goal is to completely baptize the family by the end of the month.

This week, I was reflecting on how much Haitians seem to hate the Plan of Salvation. Before my mission, I had assumed that we would be teaching it first most of the time. It has always seemed like the most important part of the restored gospel to me. But Haitians seem to think that when we go to the temple for baptisms for the dead, we are worshiping the dead, or something like that. I realized while I was thinking about that that the only reason anybody wouldn't like any part of the doctrine is if they don't fully understand it. We all have testimonies of the prophets, and we all believe that they receive revelation directly from God. Why would we have a problem with any of God's revealed word?

On another note, we've got plans to improve and do even better by the end of the month. One thing that we are planning on doing in order to make our missionary work more effective is to call both the ward mission leader and the branch mission leader every day, and report on each of our investigators. We'll just talk it through with them, and that way we'll be able to get the ward more involved in the missionary work. Our finding efforts right now are going to be focused on finding a family of 3 (or more) in the Ward boundaries, with a father who will lead the whole household to be baptized, take up callings, and then to be sealed.

I am still hoping that President Richardson will split our area, because both the ward are constantly feeling jipped because we don't do as much work in each of them as we could have if we only worked in the one ward.

Also, apparently, there are three more Haitian Creole missionaries coming in this next transfer, and at least two the transfer after that. This is really good, because these next three transfers will kill off about 40% of the Haitian Creole missionaries in the mission, and we need other missionaries to replace them! But it is scary to realize that so many of the missionaries that I came out with or who were here when I started are going home soon, or else they are already gone. I have been out on a mission for 10.5 months already. I wouldn't believe how fast the time has gone by.

Anyway, have a great week!

Thanks,

Elder Slade