- Elder Baird's #BLESSED Mission: WEEK 36 RICHMOND: The Most Goated Mom

Ya you know what time it is!

It's momma time!

Shoutout to me moother...

Most epic, lit, awesome sauce, fuego, flippin dope, amazing, chilly, bombastic, tuff, goated mom ever .

And to Kappy and Grandma, also beautiful blessed mothers, who've done the world and more for me.

Then to every other mother. 谢谢! Much thanks to everything all mothers do. Because y'all are actually so amazing. Moms are epic, that's fo sho.

Super grateful that mothers exist. Yk? It's pretty neat how that works out.

Know what else is as goated as my mom?

Ya,

Not this week...

Only because my mom's just the most goated ever, nothing out goats her .

But this week was amazing.

We ball out sometimes in the mornings, so that's a fun Richmond thing. But Wednesday was another amazing lesson with Li. It's gotten to the point where members in the ward already think he's a member. Bro is just so amazing. Ran into an inactive member, and into a family traveling from Cali who are members. So kinda cool how God puts us in places we need to be. Had a lesson with 范弟兄, who's so awesome. Our member Vivi is actually just the goat. Perfect example of love, share, and invite. I love converts who just love the gospel so much. Sometimes makes me remember how lucky I am that I grew up in it. Finished the night with mango smoothies, and finding some epic people.

Thursday morning we went to Jiang and Coco's. They're so fun to hangout with. We made bag ice cream with them. My hands were shaking, my hands were wet and salty, my hands were frozen cold. But they flippin' loved it. Brought me back to scout era. They also made us some fire food.

Had a super epic moment at English class. Elder Wengert dropped a fire scripture at the very end, then all 4 of us missionaries just ended up teaching all of the students all around. All teaching different things, and the spirit just filled the room. Pretty epic.

Had a super cool lesson with our new friend Linda, then went to a member's house for meal. We're trying to help her son get on a mission. He's 25 and has a desire to serve. Mad respect from me.

Had lunch with our new member on Friday. I told her that I liked spicy. So she prepared two meals. One for Elder Barnes which was "little spice". Then mine... holy spice!!! It was good. But def a test. Don't worry y'all, I finished... most of it. Took home the rest Then we came back and had a lesson with Tian. Bro is super philosophical, and his brain is wired like that. So it was a very, very... very, very, very interesting lesson. But, we might've got bro locked. We'll see if we can help him understand 'simple' doctrine . He's great though. Had a goated lesson with Uncle and Han. So fire!!

Saturday we had our weekly cheeky early morning lesson with James. Brotha needs to get work off so he can go to church. Then had interviews with Prezy. Got on the bus to try and go to McDonalds, but ended up riding like 30 min with our friend. Then had to turn straight around for our lesson with Li. Bro bought us dope rings. He's just dope. Then finished up the evening with Ping Pong, and an amazing lesson with Robbie. It was actually so good. Bro is finally starting to open up more and more. It was a lesson of just us three testifying the whole time. 充满了聖靈

Sunday was me motha's day. So we visited Chen妈妈, had a goated Sunday service. Made a new friend. Then had a mother's day lunch with the branch. So good, so good. Went to a Chinese market and ran into the two people God needed us to talk to. Love the spirit. Then I, of course, talked to my mom. Cus like, she's just so amazing like that.

Monday was chill. Did math. And planned. And planned.. And planned... huhhhhh, so much planning.....

Finna be a fire week though. Trust.

Then today. Locked in on some ping pong, spikeball, and soccer. In the sun. Getting tan!

ohh wait

There's no such thing as getting tan on the mission

rip

Finished up with a fire English class. But broooo. Linda's going back to China. She is so elect. No worries though, I'll be here when she gets back ;)

So ya, goated week.

And again

Love you Mom!

This week's quick spirit drop is finna be long, so do with that as you will.

But in PMG there's a 'lil suggested study thing. And it is just write a social media post about what the Restored Gospel means to you.

So I did that. Is it cringy? Ya. Probably. But what can ya do?

Enjoy--

The Restoration of Joy: My Foundation of Faith

When I look at my life, I am incredibly grateful. I've always had a stable family, amazing friends, good schools, plenty of food, lots of trips, played a very costly sport, had multiple great jobs, a perfect place to live, and amazing support for everything I did. I really never had any reason to complain (except 'teenage me' who still found reason to do so) ((sorry mom)) But life was good. Not even that, it was great.

Now I'm sitting in a chair, at "my" desk, in a different country. And I'm here for 2 years. Left that perfect life and doing what some consider, the hardest two years of said life. I wake up way too early every morning for the one purpose of loving others. Serving others. With one message I'm trying to spread, and that is this...

Jesus is the Christ, Our Savior and Redeemer.

Why would I perform this "labour of love"? Because a 14-year-old boy had a question, and kneeled down in a grove. Desiring two things, truth and joy. A message of hope was delivered, and a church was established. Built upon the greatest truth I know. I am a child of a loving Heavenly Father, who knows me perfectly. Through Jesus Christ and His atonement, I can go home.

The Restoration. But not just any Restoration, a Restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. His Church. The Church of Joy. The Church of New Beginnings. The Church where no one sits alone, and no one walks alone. The true Church of Christ.

It's where I've come to know of the blessings of God. That younger version of myself received so much of The Joy of living His gospel is why I sit here. To give others this message of the Restoration. To give others this message of hope because of His Great Plan Happiness. To know that through a book, all truth can be attained. A book that is plain and precious, even the most true book ever written. That through the Book of Mormon, and a humble heart, a foundation of faith is built. And a faith of Jesus Christ, He who is mighty to save.

It's a message of Joy that I do my very best to spread. A joy I will forever be grateful for. He is my light. He is my best friend. He is Jesus Christ.

In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.