The Pianist For The Methodist Church Gets Baptized

One of the part-member families we visited shortly after we arrived here were a husband and wife living in the neighboring city. The husband was the member who was introduced to the gospel while serving in the military. He was less active, however much of that was because of health issues. He had an interesting conversation story and told of an accident that occurred to him while serving in the military, and how the Book of Mormon saved his life. The husband was not able to work because of health issues. The wife was a nonmember and was serving as the pianist for two Methodist Churches in neighboring towns. They were living on very limited income and the wife received some compensation for her piano playing in the Methodist Churches. When Sister Anderson and I first visited them, we asked if they would be open to having the missionary discussions and they said they would. We taught them a discussion and then taught them a second with the missionaries. There were times they couldn’t meet because the husband was not feeling well. We turned this couple over to the young Elders because they lived in the same town and because of the husband’s weak immune system, we felt it would be better if fewer people were there for the discussions. 

Time went by and then several months ago they decided to move out to her parent’s farm and live in a trailer home. We helped them with the move. The husband was able to get on disability and this enabled the wife to give notice to the Methodist church that she was resigning from the position. Even though she has had a testimony of the truthfulness of the restored gospel for some time, and had even played the piano for two previous baptisms, she was not able to join our Church because she had not met the requirement of attending our Church meetings twice. Once she resigned her piano playing at the Methodist Church, she was able to attend our meetings. This current set of Elders and particularly Elder Anderson, the younger, really did a great job of serving this couple and basically loving them into the Church.  She was baptized last Saturday, but not without a fair amount of opposition from members of her family. Her parents still attend the Methodist church that she played for and an older sister out in California was giving her a pretty hard time. Her parents owned a Christian bookstore in California for years and her sister who is still out there is very involved in her church. Even though the family opposed the baptism, the parents came and her sister sent refreshments for the baptism. Sister Anderson and I had met the parents before and had visited them in their home, so we were able to visit with them and hopefully made them more comfortable with the baptism and their daughter's decision. All in all, it was a very special baptismal service and I hope the parents felt the spirit in attendance on that occasion.

Assisting With A Move

When we first came out on the mission, we met a member of the branch who is not able to come out to Church much because of health reasons. He is married to a non-member lady who plays the organ for two Methodist churches in neighboring towns. These two churches share a pastor.  She has played the piano in our branch for the last two baptisms. We met with them and taught them several discussions with the Elders. However their finances were very limited at the time and the wife received some income for playing the piano at the Methodist Church. They felt they needed this income to support themselves. The Methodist Church meetings were the same time as ours and so the wife was not able to attend our Church which is a requirement for baptism. The wife’s parents own a large farm and are getting up there in age and experiencing some health issues. A decision was made for this couple to move to a trailer home on her parents’ farm. We helped them with the move this past Saturday. This will enable them to live on their limited income. The wife has decided to give notice to the Methodist Church that she will only be able to play for them for another month. Her plan is to then be baptized in June. On Sunday, the husband bore his testimony, and talked about how much he loved his wife and wanted to go to the temple with her to be sealed. It was a very touching testimony.

Nonmember plays the piano for the most recent baptism

We had a baptism in the branch on Saturday. The person baptized was a 13 year old daughter of a less active family. Hopefully this family will become active. The pianist for the Methodist Church played for the baptism. In fact this is the second baptism in the branch she has played for. We are hopeful that she will soon decide to be baptized. She has been taught the lessons but she and her husband live on a meager income and she receives some payment for playing at the Methodist Church. 

Teaching the Methodist Church Pianist

One of the individuals that agreed to hear the discussions is in a part member family. The nonmember plays the piano on Sunday’s for the Methodist church. The husband is less active, much of the cause is health related. He shared with us how he came to join the church, it is an interesting story, but lengthy, so maybe another time when I don’t have anything else to share I will record it. They have very limited income and rely on the income from the job as church pianist.

 

This nonmember has been involved with numerous Christian churches over her lifetime and had good knowledge of the Bible. She has a fun engaging personality. We taught her the first discussion with the young elders. I thought the discussion went well.