For Christmas this year, I got the best present ever. I got to see Tatay David be baptized. He was baptized on Christmas Eve, what a memorable day. You might be thinking, how is this any different from all the other baptisms that I've written about. Of course, each baptism is important, unique, and very special to me. But this one is a bit different, not just because it was December 24th.
One thing that made it so special is the change that I've had the opportunity to witness. Tatay David initially started listening to us because his daughter, who is a member, wanted him to listen. He had listened several times before, always at her request, and had always turned away the missionaries. At our first lesson he told us that he wasn't willing to believe anything that we taught if it wasn't specifically in the Bible. While we do believe in, teach from, and love the Bible, we also believe in the Book of Mormon; Another Testament of Jesus Christ and modern day revelation through living prophets. Tatay David had no desire or interest in accepting these things. At the request of his daughter, and because he said he was willing to listen, we did our best to help him open his heart.
For the most part, we expressed our love and care for David. We let him know that we wanted to teach him if he wanted to learn, and not just because his daughter wanted it. We bore testimony and shared how we had come to know and accept the things that we were teaching. I don't think that I will ever forget the day when he looked at us after a lesson and said, "I want to be baptized. At first, I wanted it because they wanted it, but now I want it. I want it because it's right." A few weeks later, as we finished a lesson, he looked at me to say thank you, apologizing for being difficult at first and expressing deep gratitude for giving him the chance to be baptized.
He started as someone who did not want to listen, and now he wants us to visit every day. He didn't want to believe; now he knows it's true. Best Christmas Ever!
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