Just for that Thank you...

So this week started out awful. We couldn’t find anyone in their house. It seemed like we just walked around the city for hours and didn’t get anything done. We have been working with Francielly and Elvis for about 2 months now but they went on vacation and when they got back they were super worried about moving and everything and they were all stressed out and they didn’t want to be baptised but then we decided that they needed to be baptised this week and we would do everything to help them out. So we started to pray and we started to do everything possible. We called the elders to come and help us out with the move and they all came. (i love elders.) It took about 2 and a half hours (and 50 reais) but we were able to get them moved into another house.   After that we went to their house and talked about the church and how they felt about baptism and they said they were still unsure but they were going to think about it. So we let them think about it for a day. They read the book of mormon and prayed and everything and we went back the next day. When we got there they weren’t at their house. and then we started to get worried. We called them and they couldn’t meet with us that day (this was on Thursday and their baptism would be on Saturday) so we started to get worried because it started to be really rushed. But we returned the next day on Friday and they told us the bad news. They decided not to get baptised on Saturday. We talked to them for about an hour and a half. we told them that they are ready and everything (they read the book of mormon every single night together and then she studies the book that we are studying in relief society and teaches the lessons to him and then he reads the book for priesthood quorum and teaches the lessons to her. They are suuuuper ready. I never had anyone more ready) We bore our testimonies. We told them experiences. We did everything we could and then we invited them to be baptised again. They still said no that they wanted more time. Then we invited them to pray that night and ask with their whole heart if they need to get baptised on Saturday and to not get off their knees until they received an answer.  We said a prayer and left. That night we received a call from them saying that they received and answer and that they would be baptised on Saturday!!!!!!! Wahoooooo!!!!!!!  It was a beautiful baptism. After the baptism Francielly met us outside of the bathroom and held our hands and looked us in the eye and said "Thank you. Thank you for all you two did for us. Thank you for bringing this to us." I would serve a year and a half all over again just for that thank you. I love the mission and i will return to see them sealed in the temple in a year. 

I love you all. Thank you for your love and support. 

love, sister j baker 

Here is a letter in response to my letter.  I was worried about some of the things I was telling her were making her be concerned about home and I really want her to be able to focus and love the last part of her mission.  ~Momma Baker:

It sounds like you had a real spiritual week. Don’t worry about the things you say i am really focused mom. Everyone comments on how focused i am. Missionaries who are dying (Mom note: ending their mission)usually don’t work like we are working, so don’t worry about it. The phases that i am passing are normal. Everyone passes these phases on the mission. It’s normal. Just be happy don’t worry. 

I love my brothers and sister. They are soo cute. I am excited to give them a great big hug. It’s going to be good to get home, but man am i NOT excited to leave the mission. 

I love the scriptures. They have been such a blessing in my life. I love to read and receive answers to my prayers and questions. I am so grateful for personal revelation. Thank you for sharing you experiences. I love you sooo much

I hope you have a great week. Keep up the good work

love, sister  j baker

January 4, 2016

LOOK what we received from the mission office!  Sister Baker's Flight plans!

Your trip Booking ref: 7WVQ63 Check My Trip

.

Traveler Jocelyn Baker Agency CHURCH TRAVEL CWT

.

Thursday 10 March 2016

.

Tam Linhas Aereas JJ 3708

Departure 10 March 01:41 PM Natal, (International) (+)

Arrival 10 March 05:05 PM Sao Paulo, (Guarulhos Intl) (+) Terminal: 2

Duration 03:24 (Non stop)

Booking status Confirmed

Class Economy (Y)

Equipment AIRBUS INDUSTRIE A321

Meal Snack or brunch

Thursday 10 March 2016

.

Delta Air Lines DL 104

Departure 10 March 09:40 PM Sao Paulo, (Guarulhos Intl) (+) Terminal: 2

Arrival 11 March 05:30 AM Atlanta, (Hartsfield-Jackson Int) (+) Terminal: I

Duration 09:50 (Non stop)

Booking status Confirmed

Class Economy (V)

Baggage allowance 2PC

Seat 35H confirmed for Jocelyn Baker

Equipment AIRBUS INDUSTRIE A330-300

Meal Dinner

Friday 11 March 2016

Also we learned from the Bishop that Sister Baker will be reporting her mission on March 13 at 11:00 at our Stake Center on 300 West in Salem.

Most of her letter was personal answering questions about what we need to do to help her so she is set when SHE GETS HOME!  She is excited to see everyone but doesn't want to leave the mission.

She feels that time is going too fast!  ~Momma Baker

It's New Years, Let's vacate the City!

So this year we finished 2015. that year was one of the best year of my life. And it will be the only year that i spent serving the Lord on a mission for the whole year. Man 2015 will go down in history for being one of the best years of my life. 

    But man i started 2016 off right. We got to eat lunch at Kleber and Lourdes's house and it was the best lunch of my life. Let me tell you why... so they had a problem smoking. They got better and then they got worse again and then they got better and then they got worse again. In the beginning they were smoking about 20 cigarettes a day but then they stopped and almost stopped smoking but they couldn’t take it and now they are smoking 2 a day. But then a couple of weeks ago, just before Christmas we made a plan with them. We gave a suuper spiritual lesson about Jesus Christ and how he suffered for us in the Garden of Gethsemane. Most people don’t even know about that. They just know about the cross. But we explained about the atonement and how it works and how Jesus suffered for every single sin and every time they smoke they are making Him suffer more. Then we gave them a challege, we said that we will stop drinking coke (maybe i like it, dont judge me) if they stop smoking. We will do it together so that we can support eachother and help eachother out. And so they agreed. when we got to lunch they brought out a huge gallon of coke and we said "you know that we cant drink this! are you trying to temp us!!!?" and they were like "no we have something to tell you!" So they stopped smoking. They just decided and stopped. They started to pray and ask God to make it hurt when they were smoking and make them want to stop.  Guess what happened they started to have pains and get sick and their backs were hurting and their hearts were hurting and they realized that God was doing that and so they decided to stop. And they haven’t smoked since!!!!!! When they told us that i jumped and gave a "woot woot!!!" I was sooo excited. Man i have been praying for them and i am sooo happy that they understood the importance. I am grateful for the atonement that makes it possible for all of us to repent and CHANGE. Change is the biggest thing. I love that we have the chance to change and you know that you have repented when you see a change. 

   Other than that this week was suuuuper hard because everyone left the city. Literally. There was no one in the street. We just walked up and down the streets thinking "where the heck did everyone go? It’s like a zombie apocolipse. It was weird. But i love you guys. Thanks for everything. Keep praying for me! I love you!

love sister j baker