Baptisms Day

We had a busy day.  First we drove to Bradenton for a baptismal service in the Palmetto Ward.  The Marriner family was baptized .  This family has been investigating the Church for a long time.  They are friends with many members, and that finally resulted in their being baptized.  The person who really got things started was their older teenaged daughter who has attended seminary, girls' camp, and EFT for the past two years.

One of the Elders who taught the family for several months, Elder Spach, returned to perform the baptism of the parents.  All of his family also came.  He was well-liked in the ward, so the ward members were pleased to see him and had good things to tell his parents.

The Marriner family with Elder Lake and Elder (now Bro.) Spach

Elder (now Bro.) Spach and Elder Lake

In addition to the Marriners, another young brother was baptized.  The turnout for the baptismal service was so large that it was held in the chapel.  There wasn't enough room in the baptismal font area for everyone to fit to observe the actual baptisms.

Elders Lake and Bowden and Bro. Andre

We then drove to Sarastoa for another baptismal service.  This brother had been taught by Elders Davis and Colburn and then by Sisters Torres and McGee.  He has several LDS friends, one of who drove from Jacksonville to perform the baptism.

Bro. Tierney and Sisters Torres and McGee

Following that service, we drove to Lakeland (about an hour) to meet the other senior missionaries for dinner.  One of the senior couple, the Severinsons, are returning home in another week.  Their assignment here has included serving in the Orlando Temple twice a week.  They have learned to love the temple.  On their way home, they will stop at 13 temples and take three weeks for the drive.

Dinner at Olive Garden

Our senior missionary district dinner.