FIRST BAPTISM!

What a great week!

This week was amazing! Monday through Wednesday, we prepared Esther for her baptism! On Wednesday, we had to go to Zwolle for interviews with the mission president. This was so great. President Robinson and Sister Robinson are so amazing. We had great talks and President just told me he is really proud of me and that he can tell that out of the group of 30 missionaries who came in, I was one of the most impressive! Of course it's not me at all. I didn't do anything to have this success! God prepared Esther and just used me as a tool in his hands. That was really great to hear! They are so great. Also, out investigator Lillian. I found her a few weeks back on the street on exchanges with the Zone Leader. I talked to her and realized that she only knew a tiny bit of dutch, and less english. She only speak Spanish! So sick. We took a member from our ward with us who is from mexico, to our lesson with Lillian. They became really good friends. We taught her through translating! The member had to translate what we were saying in Dutch, to Spanish. Lillian felt the spirit and said she would pray to know if it was true. On Sunday, during gospel principles, we had to teach Lillian a lesson because she came to church! We didnt know spanish, so we just put in a move '"The Restoration"" and made it in spanish. After the movie, Lillian said she Absolutely knows that Joseph was a prophet, and doesnt know how people could deny it. Then she asked if she could be baptized, and we said "How about November 16th?". She happily agreed and wants her 12 year old son to be baptized as well! That is so amazing! Such a great experience that we will be having this next transfer.

After Esthers baptismal interview on Wednesday, She asked me to baptize her! That was crazy because we thought that Elder Alston was going to. This was such a great experience for me. I was so happy. A little nervous, just because I have no muscle and shes a little bigger... but all went well! I'm so grateful for how blessed I have been this first transfer. I will work on Dutch this next transfer. I was blessed with the Gift of Tounges, but I think that was mis-interpreted. I think by gift of tounges, I was blessed with liking all of the food here.... Thats not good. I CAN NOT GO BACK TO THE OLD ELKINS. :) Anyway, what a great week. We did some look ups from old investigators and made some appointments. One guy that we looked up, answered the door in his boxers and eating a banana and asked if we could come back next week. That was interesting. We also got a referral! That will be great. Her name is Linda and I honestly got emotional when I heard her name. I miss my Grandma!!! She is with me though. I hope that goes well with her.

Transfer calls were last night. I thought that I was going to leave Enschede and go with a missionary who is also going on their second transfer, but they decided to wait one more transfer before putting us all together. Me and Elder Alston are staying for one more! Hengelo Elders got white washed though, so two new elder will take over Hengelo. Hengelo is giving us all of their Investigators that they had in Enschede, so now it will be back to normal. They have a lot of good Investigators too. This will be a great, great transfer. They had a baptismal date for Nov. 2nd with an investigator named Dhona. He is from Indonesida, and absolutely so sick. He has been investigating for over a year, and just needs someone to be bold with him. Weve got that. He loves us too! I'm really excited to work with him and the other potentials that we have. We have a man from jamaica that we found this week. He said back in Jamaica, he met with the missionaries for a year and was really really excited to see us. He freaked out because he didnt think missionaries were in Europe. He will be baptized too! I'm so excited. The lord has prepared people and I see that first hand. Esther was a prime example of that. She was singing songs about how god is good all day and was freaking out when she could take the sacrament after being baptized! It was really cool to see.

Well today and tomorrow, we will move into our new Enschede apartment. It is really nice! I will be there for at least the next 6 weeks, so if you want to send me letters, send them to this address!:)

Hofstraat 25

7511 HD Enschede

Netherlands

Please send me letters as well! I love hearing from you all. I hope you all had a great week. This week was amazing, and this next one will be even better probably! Its getting really really cold here though! I hope Utah is treating you all well. I miss it! I love you all. God is good. The Church is True.

Dooiiiiiii,

- Elder Elkins