My Last General Conference on the Mission!

What!? Yup you heard it. That was my last general conference on the mission. It was suuper cool. i watched it in English. i dont know why, but i just wanted to. things are going good here in Caico. It’s a little bit (a lot a bit hot) sometimes i feel like i’m burning up here. My companion uses an umbrella. I understand why she uses it, but I don’t want to get hit in the head or look like Jehova´s witness anymore. But I’ll get over it. That is something you’ve got to learn on the mission. You’ve got to learn to live with the differences of other people. 

   I am really grateful and really blessed to be teaching a beautiful family. They are wonderful. They need to get married but I think that they are progressing a lot. This is such a blessing to me to teach mom, dad and kids. This gospel will bless their lives forever. I think its just a matter of time. 

   My district here is suuuper cool. I freaking love the Elders and Sisters that i am working with. They help me everyday and they support me and help me and I am true friends with every one of them. I love it. 

    So i really liked conference and the new 3 apostles are amazing. They are a good choice. It’s strange not to see the apostles that passed away sitting on the stand but I’m sure that we will grow to love and support these next three with the same love and support that we showed to the other three. Conference helped me a lot. I learned that I need to be a little bit better, but that for God I’m good enough as I am. Man its hard to be perfect. ha ha. I want to be a bit better but it’s nice to know that God is proud of the work I have done so far on my mission. 

  Well that is all I’ve got right now. I love you all.   Have a wonderful week and be safe and happy. Thank you for your prayers and support.

I love you all!

love, sister j. baker

Momma Note:  Sister Baker had to write an essay as part of applying to BYU. The essay is "What is one of the most difficult things you have ever experienced or done?  What made it difficult and what did you learn?"   She sent a rough draft to us.   It was so touching and shares her testimony so well I wanted to include it on her blog. I have so much love in my heart for this sweet Sister missionary. ~Momma Baker

 Here it is:

Imagine, if you will, a dry desert.  The sun is hitting you in the face, burning your skin, burning your eyes, burning your brain!  You leave your house and start to walk on the dry dirt streets.  Within a couple seconds your feet, your ankles, and up to your shins are a shade or two darker with dust.  Your throat starts to dry up.  You would ask for a cup of water, but you're scared of the condition of the water you will receive.  Sometimes you ask yourself, "What am I doing here?  When can I go home?"  But then you arrive at a house and they welcome you in.  You sit down, and  try to express in a language that is not your own, the love you have for your Savior.  Tears are in their eyes as they receive a message so important and so special that it will change their lives forever.  And after a year you realize that the hot sun beating on your face, the lack of water and the dirty feet isn't what make this mission difficult.  What makes it difficult is the thousands of people who refuse to accept the beautiful message that is so dear to your heart.  That's the hardest part.  And you learn that the sacrifice you have made is minimal compared to the sacrifice of He who this message is about, Jesus Christ.  For every drop of sweat that drops from your brow, He sweat a million drops of blood.  No sacrifice that we make can pay Him for the beautiful sacrifice He made for each one of us, even for those who don't accept Him.  This is what I have learned serving my full time mission in Brazil, Natal.