Floods in Findlay!

I don't have much time to write, Findlay is supposed to get 17.5 feet of water from the River. In 2007 it was 18.5 (says a member) and really hurt Findlay. The church was on the ball and helped the city out a lot. People still remember the missionaries and members in their yellow "helping hands" shirts cleaning the city. We have to run to walmart right now to buy water and supplies just in case. Crazy!

This week we had a wonderful baptism with Mandy and Caite being baptized by their husband/father Aaron. There was definitley some opposition a day or so before the baptism, but the testimonies of the family kept them strong and they were able to enter the waters of baptism! What a wonderful ordinance baptism is - the first saving ordinance required for us to return to live with Heavenly Father. Baptism is different in our church than others, as the proper Priesthood authority has been restored to the earth through the Prophet Joseph Smith, thus The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints being the only church on the earth having the proper keys and authority to baptize. I'll talk more about it next week!

Next week our investigator Brad will be baptized and we are so excited for him! He's such a great guy and wants so badly to do what's right!

This morning we got a call during our studies from a member who owns a laser tag place that we go to occassionally on P-Days. He said that he needed our help moving all the stuff out, so we quickly changed and drove over to help. His building is right by the river that was rapidly getting wider/taller. We had to move EVERYTHING, taking about 3 or 4 hours - but we were glad to help. Here is a church article about the flood in '07: http://www.ldschurchnews.com/articles/51011/Relentless-rain-in-Midwest.html - Bishop Jones is my Findlay Ward Bishop and President Peterson is no longer the Mission President. Hopefully this doesn't happen again, but if it does we will be ready. I can't write much more, we HAVE to go now! Flooding like CRAZY! Keep Findlay in your prayers!

I love my mission so much. I have changed so much in these past 5 months (wow, it's hard to realize that 5 months have gone by!) and can already tell that these changes will affect my eternal life. I am so humbled and grateful to be here in Ohio to be serving God's children. The Book of Mormon is the ONLY way that people can know that this church is true; one must read it, ponder it, and pray about it. We are promised by a prophet of old that if we pray about it that God WILL answer us! And if the Book of Mormon is indeed true, then Joseph Smith IS the prophet of the restoration, Jesus IS the Christ, and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints IS Christ's church restored to the earth today. I have read the Book of Mormon. I have prayed about it. I have received my answer. And as the gospel has blessed my life, I in turn am out here to help people experience the unconditional love and joy I feel on a daily basis. My purpose is to invite others to come unto Christ. I know that God lives, I know that Jesus is the Christ, and I know that this church is true.

Love, Elder David Dransfield

My first baptism

This is a great family!

The Anual Findlay Ward Chili Cook-off ... we were the judges. We had to taste test 28 chilis. I almost died.