Exchanges, Scriptures, and Baptism

It sounds like you guys have had a very eventful week! Yes, skyping you guys was so much fun!! It is nuts how fast the time goes by! Yes it is the best when we get to meet members! It’s not like Utah! Members don’t just give us money all the time and buy us food so when it happens it is amazing!! (Mom’s Note: Last month when attending the St. George Temple I went to the Visitors Center and took pictures of the missionaries to send to their parents. I met a sister that was from Ireland and grew up in the Finglas Ward where Mikey is currently serving. It was so fun to hear about it and that we have mutual friends. I sent her picture to her mom and we messaged back and forth. Her family now lives in Waterford but the dad works in Dublin. Fast forward a month later and I received a picture from Sister Condemi and her family with Mikey. They found him in Dublin. They wanted to take them to lunch but they had just ate so she insisted on buying the missionaries ice cream/Gelato. We have continued to message and they would love it if Mikey serves in Waterford.)

This week was a very good week! We did so many exchanges! First I went on exchanges with Elder Keim on Wednesday and that was so fun! He is such a good missionary and just a very fun guy! I for sure hope we can chill together when I get home! Then the next day Elder Spencer was sick so I went on exchanges with him so Elder Carter could go out and find! So it was a long day! I put in some work with the scriptures! Right now I have started to read the New Testament I was at the start of Matthew and by the end of the day I was in the middle of Mark! Then for the Book of Mormon, I was in the middle of 1 Nephi and I finished in the middle of 2 Nephi! So it was very fun! But yeah then the next day Thursday, we went on exchanges with the Zone Leader's and I was able to go with my boy Clancy! (Elder Christiansen) It was so cool. I was first with him in the MTC almost a year ago and it was just so amazing that I was able to be with him again! He is a very good missionary! He is fore sure going be an AP one day! It was amazing being able to learn more from him!

We had a baptism! So Erik got baptized this week and we were so excited for him! He was really just so golden and so sweet!!! I really do love him!! He will be such a great member!! This Sunday I also taught Gospel Principles! It was like I was back home again.

I love you guys! This week I watched a movie that the church made about the Book of Mormon! It tells stories of 2 people. The first was is of Parley P. Pratt and the other one was a guy from Italy. So the guy from Italy was a pastor for his church and was very young. One day he walking in the street and sees this book that is covered in muck. But he feels something about it so he takes it home and cleans it!!! The book (the Book of Mormon) had no title or anything showing what it was. But the man starts to read it and finishes’ it and prays about the book and knows it is true. So he starts to preach at his church from the Book of Mormon and the people who come starts to explode! He starts to have tons and tons of people attend. But his people were mad so he then gets kicked out of his church and then years later finds out what church the book is from! He tries so many times to get baptized but things come up and he isn’t. But towards the end of his life he finally found the church. Was baptized and went through the temple!!! The man changed his life because of this book and searched his whole life for the truth! How lucky are we to have the restored truth! God truly has blessed us! He loves us so much that he gave us His teachings and His plan to come back and live with him! I am so thankful for him! And for the love He gives to me!

Have a great week.

I love you,

Elder O’Connor