Jacob Dyer Missionary Blog: February 29, 2016

Wonderful week! We got to attend the temple which was awesome. Then we got to go to Cafe Rio! (the temple's out of the mission, so every time we go, we get our Cafe Rio on the way home).

The highlight was the baptismal service we had on Sunday. I got to attend the baptism of the Quinonez family, who I taught in my last ward. Their story is amazing, and the whole family got baptized. The seven year old son, who turns eight on the fourth, will get baptized by his father in two weeks.

The whole teaching process started with my Bishop getting a call from a member outside of the mission, saying there was a family that was very interested in the church. We went over and met the amazing Quinonez family of two parents and four kids ranging from five to 14 years old. Long story short, after attending church and loving it, they finally got baptized on Sunday. The father had an aunt in Brazil that got baptized a while back who he had not spoken to in a few years. The Thursday before the baptism, she decides to message him on Facebook, telling him she felt like she needed to share her testimony about the church. He goes on to tell her that he and his family were about to be baptized that weekend. Tender mercies.

Claudia [name changed to protect the innocent], the five year old is adorable. When her family was getting baptized, each time one of them entered the water, she said "that's my dad," "that's my mom," "that's my older sister," "that's my other older sister." It was an experience that I will never forget for my entire life. They have started along a path full of so much joy and happiness! I love that family so much!

I got to return to my old area on exchanges in Riverside on the University of California Riverside campus. Lots of fun talking to all the college students and catching the Chinese ones off guard when I speak Chinese to them.

I got passport pictures taken, and it was a struggle. The lady said I COULDN'T smile in it, or at least, show my teeth, which was crazy because I'm smiling in my last passport picture. I complied and it took me a couple of tries because I felt so weird doing it. Is that a real thing or was she just messing with me?!

I think I specialize in getting fruit from people that reject me at the door. This past week we met a wonderful Taiwanese woman (we were following up on a referral) and she gave me this weird mix between an orange, grapefruit, and pomelo. It was good!