21 July- She did it :)

When we showed up at the house to go to the baptismal interview with Isis and her grandparents, she said she wasn´t going. And her voice Boom it was convincing, I believed her. Once again, I really didn´t know what was best or how to help her. I knew she was scared of the interview, but I didn´t know how to reassure her. I just knew that if she let her fear win this time, she would feel that much weaker the next time something that scared her came her way.

Before saying anything else, Hermana Moran said, “Isis, we´re not gonna force you to do anything. Thisis your choice.” Then she started talking to and reassuring her and building her up. We even went to Farmacia Guadalajara, bought another bottle, and did the egg experiment again. Even though Elder Rodriguez was waiting to give the interview. After an hour, Hermana Moran said “Alright, I think we´re ready, let´s go do this thing.”

This is the step I don´t think I ever would have thought of doing. But sometimes we all need that push from someone else. I think of all the things I have done in my life that scared me, and how often I had people there to give me that final push. If the people around me would have said, “Are you suuuuure?”, maybe I wouldn´t have done it, but instead it´s (literally, if it´s when we´re cliff-jumping) “1-2-3, Go!”

Seeing Isis´ face after the interview was something you can´t put a price on. If she wouldn´t have gone to the that interview, the little self-esteem she has would have plummeted. And I don´t know when she would ever have gotten baptized. It´s so much harder to start over after a failed attempt; she really would not have believed in herself or her abilities. Looking back now, I can´t believe I doubted about pushing her to go to the interview! She needed this, and God helped her, as simple as that. Satan was working on her like he always will, but God gave Isis the strength the face her fears, and He gave her Hermana Moran to help her. The joy I saw in Isis after that interview—it taught me that when I´m a mom and a foster mom, I can never doubt or give up. The joy of my children is dependent on whether or not they overcome their hurdles, and at times that will depend 99.9% on my faith in the Lord, my belief in my kid, and my ability to help them see who they really are—a child of God.

The week ended with the first baptism I´ve been a part of in the mission. She was sooo happy.