taryn 10.11.10

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE GREATEST DAD IN THE WORLD!!!! i know the number says that you are getting older, but really, i think that you are going backwards- younger and younger. look at your leadville time:) I hope that your day is amazing. you've been the perfect dad for me. thank you for your great example and for everything you have done and are. also happy birthday to steve, sky, grandma, and others! (im sorry, my memory isnt good!) i miss you and cant wait to see you!
We had an awesome baptism yesterday! It was a little stressful because it was between conference sessions, but what an amazing spirit that conference brought to it. i wish i could have captured ma nois face as she came out of the water, pa pong standing on the side waiting for her, and us trying to peer around the corner of the font to see it waiting with towels, and her face just shined. the biggest, happiest smile. i love moments like that. another moment that makes every single hard trial in the mission field and also before the mission worth it. all just for even that one second. after the baptism she said, "so now i can tell everyone im a mormon! i can share the gospel and tell them that i am part of it." what a great example for me, for all the times that people asked if i was mormon, or snickered when i told them im from utah. we need to be proud! we have the truth! yes, we live life a little differently, but it is the way to true and eternally lasting life. life in the church is actually much easier. all the commandments and standards just protect us from sorrow later on. What an awesome day to be baptized, the day of getting filled up with words of God. Conference was amazing! i loved it. It made me thing back to a year and a half ago when i was sitting on the couch in the front room watching a session with the family and talking about how i would be in Thailand the next session. i remember wondering where i would be, what it would look like, if i would understand anything.. ill tell you, that first one i didnt understand much! its crazy to me now that i couldnt understand it. i try to listen with foreign ears but it just doesnt work, it sounds too familiar now.
chair (the girl that changed her work and lives far so that she can go to church) interview last night and passed with flying colors. she is an obedient, faith-filled, and Christ-like person. she has been one of the goldens! i love her. she just has to interview specially with president, hopefully that can be soon. (she was forced to have an abortion by her ex-husband who was cruel and abusive.) ive learned so much from these people. i know that i am supposed to be teaching them, but i take away so much from knowing them. Tum and nok will also interview when he comes! i hope that he can come soon so that i can see them get baptized before i go..
We had an amazing lesson with Tum on wednesday. we first had to talk to her about the 4th baptismal question and find out the details which is never fun. we then talked about repentance and the atonement and watched "to this end was i born" it was amazing. the spirit was so strong, she was crying through the last 10 minutes. she said the closing prayer as we were all kneeling down and she cried heavily through it. after we gave her a hug and talked about her feelings. she said how she wants to share this with everyone. she wants everyone to know and to feel it too. that is what a testimony of the atonement does- makes you want to share it with everyone! how lucky am i that i get to go around and share this incredibly happy and glorious message with everyone!
i love you so much. stay safe. stay happy
love, sister young