New Year Baptism!

Hello!

How is everyone? Has everyone made their new years resolutions? I have made a couple but am still thinking of some more! I want to be able to, memorize more scriptures and to know the bible a little bit better! I still don't know it very well but I will work on that! Also I want to make sure that I don't speak badly about anyone. There is a really big problem with gossip that I think is in a lot of countries. So I want to look at the good in everyone and never focus on the bad, no matter how much I may or may not like them! 

So we had a solid week! We were able to teach some really good lessons to our investigators! Vamsi was baptized! It was a really good service and the spirit was very strong! His uncle Sai was able to do the baptism and it was great! I was happy that our other investigators were able to see and feel what a baptism looks and feels like! I think that is so important! I was grateful for our Branch Mission Leader in making sure it was well organized also! Really good! So we started teaching the cousins of one of our members. The Mulaparthi Family! They are awesome! I mentioned them last week also! We taught them and the spirit was really strong! they told that they would think about being baptized. So last night we taught them again and this time we showed the Restoration DVD! The spirit was really strong again in that lesson! They told us that if they felt like it was right then they would be baptized. They told they would read and pray this week. So when Heavenly Father answers their prayers then we will set a baptism date with them also! Also MLC was this last week in Bangalore! It was really good. Our mission has been struggling as a whole for a while and we discussed ways to bring it back up. In our Zone Training meeting we talked with everyone about what we were doing and how we needed to change. It ended up being really good and everyone committed to change and work harder, teach more effectively, and the be exactly obedient. Our Zone is already seeing the blessings of that commitment! Good Stuff!

So with going to the Philippines, They won't tell me which mission I will be assigned to until I get there so it will just be a big surprise! I do know that it will at least be on the main island of Manila. Or at least I am pretty sure. The only thing I have been told is that I am flying out of India on January 27th... I am pumped for another 10 hour flight.... Just kidding. Those are rough. I am a little excited to get real beef though.. They have beef here and its nasty. Lots of people try to make us beef curry because they think Americans all love beef. Which for me is true.. but not this stuff. Also its sketchy to eat. Lots of elders get sick from beef. Anyway. Life is good. I will home a box in the next couple of weeks with stuff that I can't keep carrying around because it weighs too much. Getting charged out the yin yang for overweight fees on flights. Well love ya! 

Elder Checketts