Sep. 5 the week we had a baptism by water AND fire

This is all true. I’m not even kidding.

This week Talita Ramirez got baptized. She has been antiguo for like 5 months and she finally decided to be baptized. Well, we had the baptism on Wednesday and all was eerily well. There is ALWAYS opposition Before the baptism and we were confused. So we got to the chapel and Talita was 30 min late because she was with her friends doing something. So we thought “oh, this was the opposition, yay it was tiny”. So then she got baptised and everything was great. So we were sitting in the chapel waiting for Talita to get dressed and I randomly decide to get up and go to this corner and check out whats up. I go and everything is fine and I walk away and i get the impression “turn around”. I turn around just in time to see the light explode ….. and see the roof catch fire. UM. YEAH.

So then everyone starts FREAKING out (and I was ridiculously calm, it was weird. I apparently can keep calm under anything now. like a boss) and my comp is trying to find the fire extinguisher and I’m trying to get the kids AWAY from this area. So then Maximiliano, our AWESOME investigator grabs the thing, hops on the table and kills the fire. Niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice.

So then everyone is freaking out and we´re like “ok, lets end with a prayer!!” And so we had a prayer and all was well …. oh. That wasn’t the end ….. So after the prayer everyone goes outside and we stayed inside to talk to our investigators who came, and we hear yelling coming from outside. So we were confused and it was weird. then the branch prez comes in grabbing a member man who is trying to change his life since he got out of PRISON and hes like “YOU CAN’T DO THAT AT CHURCH OR ANYWHERE, WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?” And his mom is having an asthma attack and we were SO confused.

So then Maxi was outside when it all happened and he was like “Hermanas, let me explain the craziness that happened”. Um. A FIGHT broke out. Between this guy and a 14 (!!!) year old. This guy is like 27 or something. Oh geeze. So then they fought and now the 14 year old, Franco, who is a recent convert, he isn’t allowed to come to church anymore. Great. He passed the sacrament every Sunday. Ooooh man. This is why we have to baptize Maxi. He literally saved the church! And he totally is getting dunked, the 17th. I’m really excited for him. So this week was crazy. I loved it.

We had change calls. I’m staying here with Hermana Kirkham. Which is nice because we get to see Maxi baptized. Castillos, here we go! I love you all. And FELIZ CUMPLEAÑOS MAMI!!!!!!!!!!

-Xiomara

P.S. Learn how to use a fire extinguisher. NO JOKE. *awkward laugh*