January 28, 2009

Hello chewi,
That's some Dominican creole speak for you. Chewi means darling. I've been picking up phrases here and there. Mostly I ask people to teach me, and that's what I learn.
O man, Yesterday I was sweating bullets. It was Birdies Baptismal date. We set up the time 3 P.M. Not too early right. She was worried about it being too cold. Anyways, at 2:20 ish the Bruners went down to her house to pick her up. Her house looked abandoned. So Elder Haag calls Birdie up on her cell phone, and she had just gone to the hospital to pick up some medication for her neighbor and was reaching her work right at that moment. She feeds the dogs and does house cleaning in Mourne Julas. At the end of the call she says, "It's too cold." And then the phone broke up, and she wasn't answering when we tried calling back. Sweating Bullets, Right? The Bruners continued to wait until 4!!! Still no sign. So we asked them to drive up by Mourne Julas and see if they couldnt spot her. And that's where things started brightening up. They saw her on the road walking back down towards her house. She told them it was too cold, but the Bruners weren't going to take that excuse. They had towels and all kinds of things to keep her warm. So she loaded up in the car. Most of the members we had invited had left already, so it was just us missionaries, the Bruners, Birdie, and Pres. Roy. The service was simple but powerful. I hate to admit it but I had to do the baptism twice. You would think after two years of this I would have it down. Nope. As I was saying the prayer all was well, but Birdie, being so familiar with scriptures and stuff began saying and of the son and of the holy spirit, before I ever got that far. So I somehow just followed exactly how she said it, "Holy Spirit" instead of Holy ghost. I'm not sure still if that mistake would have made the baptism unvalid, but the witnesses wanted it done over. So there's no question about it. Birdie was BAPTIZED!!! I can see know that God heard and answered your prayers as well as mine.
Next week I'll have email on Monday, so that will be the last one. Its funny, the last two months basically the only emails I have received were from you. Grandma Lois sent me two, and Tyler sent me one, other than that the rest of the family has been silent. I'll see them soon though to put them in their places. ;)
See you soon,
Elder Osterloh
PS I still don't know the topic for my discourse so if you could tell me before Monday, that could help me a little bit.