Having dedicated the vast majority of last week’s blog post to preparation for baptism we were excited to hear that on Saturday Dahana was baptised and on Sunday she received the gift of the Holy Ghost.

There was still a significant amount of teaching this week in preparation for the baptism. Thursday- weekly planning then a lesson with Dahana and her mum joined us; it was a good lesson about the 10 Commandments and it was a great sign for us that her mum was willingly engaged and happy.

Friday- we printed the baptismal programmes for Dahana. Saturday- a salad for lunch whilst I did my makeup (only for baptisms and Sundays!!) before a swing by for Dahana. The baptismal service was beautiful and all of the members love her; you can really tell that she is being welcomed with open arms into this branch.

Although this was the highlight of the week for Soeurs Holt and Atkins there were lots of other positive experiences, and one piece of wonderful news- they would be staying together in Guyane for at least another six weeks; We were both ecstatic!!!

Soeur Holt mentioned that in her studies there was a running theme of prayer. I loved reading the account of Jesus Christ’s ministry amongst the Nephites. A message I found throughout is the importance of prayer…

3 Nephi 17.3: meditate on the things I tell you and ask God if it is true;

3 Nephi 17.15 Jesus Christ prays to the Father;

3 Nephi 18.20-21 pray for that which is righteous and your families will be blessed;

3 Nephi 19.9 the apostles pray for the most precious gift of the Holy Ghost

3 Nephi 19.25-26,30 just don’t stop praying!!

We were particularly touched by the conclusion to her studies about prayer: prayer is a personal key to the powers of heaven and I often forget the power and the ability that I have to communicate with the Supreme Being who is the Father of my spirit!

Pday last week was a wash out; We had the weekly shop where we bought our cool Guyane caps!!

Before cleaning Bruce and heading to laser tag with the Elders that ended up being closed so we bought Mcflurries (on that note the dairy free diet is getting more and more flexible and tends to change with my mood or general will power!!) and went and walked around the tropical rainforest a little bit and found some ugly caterpillars!!

The sisters continue with the tradition of ‘heart attacking’ members’ homes. That evening we contacted and took breaks to go and do heart attacks- first for Soeur Bienvenue where we stuck them on her front gate on our hands and knees because she was in the garden; then Soeur Virginie, and then Dahana!!

Soeurs Holt and Atkins continue to teach lots of other people too, including meeting a man who is an evangelical preacher- he was cool and was so interested in reading the Book of Mormon that he installed the gospel library app right then and there and said he would read it!! We met a cool English Guyanese rapper who raps about the Bible- he wanted a Book of Mormon so we gave him one. Maybe the next step is Book of Mormon raps! We walked some more to the university where we had an appointment with the religion professor there, Monsieur  Lima; he was really interested in using us to speak to his students from the angle that our church is a newish Christian church with roots in the Americas; I have to be honest when I say that I may have name dropped one Doctor James D. Holt in the discussion [editor’s note: not sure it will do much good, my fame as a religion ‘professor’ or lecturer won’t have spread that far!]

They met with the young man who is preparing for baptism who was sick in bed; we sang for him then prayed- obviously our singing didn’t work as he went into the hospital the next day. They did teach his friend as well this week- we offered kneeling prayers and shared some scriptures like Mosiah 18 and 3 Nephi 30- she accepted a baptismal date for the 25 November!! She told us that she needs this in her life and that she has been searching for a church like ours; as we spoke afterwards we discussed the importance of converting her to the Restored Gospel, not to ‘us’ and her respect for us as young women. On Sunday we had a lesson with her again- we read 1 Nephi 16 and she told us that she wants to be like Nephi. He was such a faithful disciple of the Saviour Jesus Christ.

We also had a lesson with Trinity and Charland- we read Moroni’s promise and then prayed together kneeling- the spirit was so powerful and we took some time afterwards to meditate.

We continue to be so grateful to the members in Guyane who are welcoming the Sisters into their homes, who are teaching with them and feeding them. Soeur Holt is loving her mission and all the wonderful people she is meeting. As we read her emails and see her smiling face we are thrilled that she is so happy.

We do have a favour to ask. Soeur Holt will be in Guyane for her 20th birthday on November 10th. If you feel able to would you mind sending her a birthday card (it can take up to 3 weeks to get there)- or just a note wishing her a happy birthday? Thanks so much:)

Her address is:

Soeur Eleanor Holt
La residence les jardins du mahury.
Bat F appt 43
Route de Rémire,
Rémire-Montjoly
97354
Guyane-Française
FRANCE