Taryn Barnes, baptized!
Well, the past 6 months have shot by pretty quick, EH?! I'd say they have. I didn't realize it was my 6 month mark tomorrow until dad reminded me in the email this morning. I'm lost in the great and amazing service. There is no more compelling or rewarding work than this in all the world. How blessed I am to be a part of it.
I have a lot to write this week. I'm not sure I will be able to get it all down.
To start off, I had my first baptism last night. The magnitude of strong feelings of love brought by the spirit make it impossible to give justice to the service by writing to you all through an email. Sorry, but you had to be there.
Taryn Barnes was baptized last night. I was blessed with the honor by her to be the one to perform the ordinance. It was the most special, sacred experience I've ever had. The spirit was so strong. The service started out with the hymn "There is sunshine in my soul today". When we found Taryn, it was a very cold, wet, foggy rainy day. We had the same weather last night and the day of the baptism as well. The spirit instantly came into the room with the hymn and the support and love of many ward members, missionaries across the city, and friends and loved ones of Taryn. We had some excellent talks on Baptism, and on the Holy Ghost by a senior missionary, and a good friend who is a ward member. There was a fantastic musical number by a family who has 4 girls. They sang beautifully, and it invited the spirit even more. Then I was able to baptize Taryn. It was a special moment for the two of us. I was able to find her, teach her, and finish opening the gate to salvation with performing her baptism. What a special experience. Words can't describe what all happened-but it was very special for the both of us. After we were changed, Taryn stood and bore her testimony and conversion story that she had written the day previous. She was so sincere. She understands the gospel and the spirit and what it can do to change lives. It brings such peace, happiness, love, and a culture of gentleness into your heart that nothing can compare with. It truly is true. Her testimony was so powerful. The room was on fire and every single person could feel it. In fact, the leaders of the ward are so impressed with her, that she will be speaking in sacrament meeting next week, and she will be speaking at the next stake conference. She's that good. She is a TRUE KINGDOM BUILDER. I was able to fulfill my purpose as a missionary by helping her progress towards the waters of baptism. The last 6 months of walking through waist deep snow in -25F degree weather, sharing the gospel despite a constant bruised heart and constant rejection, the feelings of missing family and loved ones, and always striving to "elevate the standard" have finally paid off. I feel like I don't deserve the blessing I've seen in the past 5 weeks while serving in Brampton
When people keep commitments, progress towards baptism, and decide to actually make that commitment, they change. They change forever. There isn't much more I can actually write to explain the amazing experience. Words simply can't describe. Seeing the change in somebody, and realizing it is such a REAL thing strengthens your testimony so much. I'm grateful to have been blessed with this unforgettable journey and experience with Taryn.
Now regarding earlier that day! There was a TON of small opposition just before the baptism. It’s honestly a miracle we made it and had it happen yesterday. Taryn was totally ready and prepared, but a few things went a little crazy yesterday.
Taryn has a really bad back. She requested that we fill the font extra full, all the way to the overflow drain so we could actually baptize her, because otherwise she didn't think it would be physically possible. So we give the font 4.5 hours to fill, rather than the regularly required 3. We come to the church to start setting up for the baptism an hour and a half early, we check the font.....and the water in only 6 inches deep. The drain was messed up and had been draining the whole time. Not good. So we get lots of people in the stake center and we start filling up the gray garbage cans with water from sinks, and bathroom, and any faucet we can find. We are all going crazy filling the font with buckets and everything! It is pretty funny now, but we were all stressed out of our minds. 
We realize 20 minutes before the baptism starts that I don't have any of my baptismal clothes, because we got stuck at the church filling the font. It is a 15 minute drive from the church to our apartment. So we get in the car and drive really fast to the apartment. We grab my stuff, and we start driving back. There was a bunch of traffic, so we parked the car and started running. So we're running through the streets and mud in baptismal clothes, with bare feet, rushing to our baptism. Pretty funny. We got to the church, and there were a bunch of Sikh guys (Indian religion-they all wear turbans) right outside the temple and church gates. So obviously, our job is to share the gospel-we talk to them and invite 5 or 6 of these non English speaking Indian men wearing turbans into the church for the baptism.
They stayed and watched respectfully the whole time, and you could tell they felt the spirit. Pretty funny-they took up a whole row in the Relief Society room. The TV wasn't working either, but we got it working 30 seconds before the baptism started.
We realize 20 minutes before the baptism starts that I don't have any of my baptismal clothes, because we got stuck at the church filling the font. It is a 15 minute drive from the church to our apartment. So we get in the car and drive really fast to the apartment. We grab my stuff, and we start driving back. There was a bunch of traffic, so we parked the car and started running. So we're running through the streets and mud in baptismal clothes, with bare feet, rushing to our baptism. Pretty funny. We got to the church, and there were a bunch of Sikh guys (Indian religion-they all wear turbans) right outside the temple and church gates. So obviously, our job is to share the gospel-we talk to them and invite 5 or 6 of these non English speaking Indian men wearing turbans into the church for the baptism.
They stayed and watched respectfully the whole time, and you could tell they felt the spirit. Pretty funny-they took up a whole row in the Relief Society room. The TV wasn't working either, but we got it working 30 seconds before the baptism started. So it was the most crazy, dramatic, stressful scramble of my life, but it turned out to be the most spiritual, peaceful, edifying, memorable experience I've ever been a part of. Such a blessing.
Almost out of time. LOVE YOU ALL
Keep striving to do more and do better. The spirit will guide you to make right choices!
E. PORTER
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