S7 E3: Families ARE Forever

 (Elder Cummings)

I'm gonna spend my entire email talking about one day, but it was by far the best day:

So Saturday morning Elder Richards and I are doubling up and doing exchanges with the Elders in Natchitoches(Nack-uh-dish). Elder Richards is with Elder Jeppesen(Son of Jep) and I'm with Elder Hutchings(Ol' Hutch). The reason we both came up to be with them in the same area is because that afternoon they were having 3 of their friends being baptized. All 3 of which Elder Richards and I had met and taught a little on previous exchanges. So anyway, I'm kind of rambling, but we knew these people that were being baptized on Saturday. We get it all set up and we learn that there is an Area Seventy coming and he will join the service...wow. That got the bishop real real nervous lol.

So there were so many different things that made the service so amazing. First of which were the 3 people being baptized. Brother and Sister Covher are a young couple with 2 kids. They were introduced to the gospel by a friend in the ward. I had the pleasure of interviewing Brother Covher and turns out that he has had dreams of this day and has no doubt of the choice he has now made. Also turns out he grew up in Mohamet, IL where I lived for a couple years. Kind of in the middle of nowhere. Anyway. Brother and Sister Covher, now baptized are actively preparing to enter the temple and be sealed as an eternal family with their two(and possibly more!) kids next year.

Casey was the other legend that got baptized. He was a marine, and is just this massive man, but so soft spoken. I didn't get to know him as well but his whole family were members except for him. His son was able to baptize him a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. They two are now actively preparing to be sealed as a family for all time and eternity.

There was not a dry eye in the room. So many people came we had to do it in the chapel too. In the words of Brother Westergard, "the Spirit was so strong you could cut it with a knife". At the end of the service we sang "Families Can Be Together Forever" and we all cried tears of joy. It was 100%, without a doubt, the best and most powerful baptismal service I've ever got to attend. And don't just take my word for it. Take the word of Area Seventy Elder Millington who said the same exact thing ;)

I now know and trust that families are eternal. There is no joyful answer to life than to know that we can live with our loved ones, as our loved ones, after we die. God desires our happiness, and families are how He gets it done.

Elder Cummings

Pics:

1. The Elderen selfie

2. I sweat like 5 seperate times through my shirt the other day and it like just degraded my belt and it stained my white shirt. Very nice.

3. Selfie with Elder King on another exchange. We got to support someone we are teaching as he performed in Aristocats Kids! It was no joke insanely impressive