First baptism-- Jian Wang

Elder Alex Boone, Taylor Jensen (ward member), Jian Wang (new convert), and Elder Garrett Kilgore

Hello all!!

It's great to see and hear how the Lord is hastening His work!  As I'm out here, I've come to realize just how important this is.  We are not just in the business of helping others draw closer to Christ, but we, as the full-time Missionaries, are literally standing shoulder to shoulder with Jesus Christ in His work and glory to save our brothers and sisters. 

Yes, transfers were this last week, and my new companion is Elder James Beck from West Valley, Utah(r).  He's our new District Leader (making me District Mom yet again...) and he's been great.  He's been out 20 months, and the way things look, he'll be here until the end of his tenure on a Mission.  President Packard did say something somewhat comforting at Transfer Meeting, though-he said that he'd like to try to keep Missionaries in one ward for "6, 7, 9 months" to build the relationship that he envisions and would like.  With the new influxes of Missionaries, he hasn't yet been able to do that, but if Elder Beck and I stay together until his last day here, I'll be guaranteed another 5-6 months here in Cambridge 1st, and I'd be fine with that!! 

The work in this ward is really starting to pick up.  We have a system where the Ward Mission collects old Ensigns, Friends, and New Era magazines to put on an "information table" along with pass-along cards, copies of the Book of Mormon, and other Church literature.  Yesterday, we had four non-members at Church, three of whom received a Book of Mormon.  As we continue to work with the members of our ward, we are seeing the windows of heaven open and things are going well.  Except that we have no actual investigators right now...

But that's because we baptized him!!!!!  In the attached picture, (from left to right) is me, Taylor Jensen (the member who baptized Jian), Jian, and Elder Kilgore.  Jian's baptism was on Friday night, just before Elder Ballard's address to the Missionaries of the Boston Massachusetts and Manchester New Hampshire Missions. 

We did get the opportunity to shake Elder Ballard's hand, but no personal meetings, because he had another meeting with the Stake and Ward leaders of the greater Boston area shortly after ours.  But he gave us great insights and we had many prayers answered for our ward and what we can do better to continue unlocking the potential that is in this ward.  We were lucky enough to receive an Apostalic blessing, which included his blessing us that all the righteous desires of our hearts would be fulfilled; now's the time to work!! 

As if all of this wasn't already spiritual enough, we had Jian's confirmation on Sunday, and I got to stand in on the circle while Derik Smith confirmed Jian a member and gave him a blessing of strength and continued faithfulness in the Church.  Then in Elder's Quorum, the presidency agreed to have a Missionary Moment before class each week, and we had several people relate their experiences, ranging from giving out a Book of Mormon to putting little Missionary plushies in a claw machine at their office building.  Then, one of my favorite members of EQ here in Cambrige, Rich, gave us a lesson based on part of the book "The Great Divorce" by C.S. Lewis.  In its pages is an account of a spirit with a red lizard on its shoulder, and how a fiery spirit helps the spirit with the lizard get rid of foresaid lizard.  C.S. Lewis puts it much better than I ever could, and I'd recommend looking it up, because it's amazing!  There are so many angles that can be taken and so much that can be drawn from this parable!  

Elder Beck and I then got to go Home Teaching with our Ward Mission Leader, Julio.  We had the opportunity after that to go and read scriptures with Roberta, one of the few permanent fixtures in the ward.  However, between my throbbing ribs and an oncoming migraine, I had to go home and crash for the rest of the night.  The Devil knows this work is about to go crazy in Cambridge 1st and he also knows that I'm the only one who knows the area.  I take it as a compliment that all of that happened, because that means our work is going to bear fruit and change lives forever.  Here's to working hard and working smart to help bring others to a knowledge of the truth!!

Love you all!!

-Elda Alexander Jacob Boone

And yes, I got your package.  Thanks :)  The brace does help somewhat while we're walking.  But as far as my ribs go, they're still hurting a lot.  I keep rolling over onto them or elbowing them in the middle of the night, so sleep hasn't come easy or in any large chunks.  Even with a migraine, I didn't get the sleep I would have liked.  But I'm blessed that I haven't had 5 or 6 migraines, considering the lack of sleep over the past few weeks.  Life is good, though!!!