100 Baptisms!!!

    HELLO EVERYONE!  Today is the best day of my life.  My soul is filled with a joy that I can't explain!  I have never felt such love and power from God! 
     Two years ago this month, Elder Yoshiko Kikuchi of the Seventy visited our mission. He stood and promised in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that our mission would baptize 100 people in a month. That month our mission baptized 86 people! The most the Washington Seattle Mission has ever baptized. It was a great and glorious month although we fell short of our 100. President Larkin told our mission that the day would come soon! He told us that when our mission baptized 100 souls he would climb Mount Si and post an ensign to the Nations that God was with us and Zion would begin to unfurl in our mission. Every single month, for two years our mission has labored, and literally ran with all of our might to fulfill the Lords command to bring 100 souls unto Him.  It has become the most diligent and faithful mission in all of the world!  Each month we have fallen short.
     Many times the Lord has asked us to lighten our loads to cleanse and purify our lives that God might grant us this blessing. He first asked us November of 2010 to lighten our loads! To rid our apartments of the world, and to begin only listening to hymns to keep our lives inline with the Spirit. Slowly but surely, each and every missionary became more pure and holy, qualifying for God's hand. Since the first day of my mission, we have sacrificed everything for our Lord and Savior. We have shortened our lunches and dinners and done all we could to find the 100! It's been an emotional and a deep fight to accomplish the Lord's will. 
     As July came to an end last month, we realized that September was a five weekend month! President Larkin kneeled before the Lord and fasted and prayed much. The Lord revealed to Him that September would be the month that our mission climbed Mount Si, and bring 100 souls unto our Father in Heaven! We began the month looking like we were going to make it. Slowly but surely the people that were on date for baptism began to fall off date.  We as a mission united in this great cause, knowing the Lord was with us. 
     Two weeks ago we held a conference call with the Zone Leaders. President Larkin spoke to us and promised us that if we would seek to ask the Lord the things we needed to change in our lives, and if we would become true disciples of Christ, the Lord would grant unto us this blessing. A change began to sweep our mission. The power of the Lord filled our mission as I have never seen or felt before in all of my life. The miracles that happened in our mission were truly life changing. God was with us, as I had never before experienced in all of my life! We have fasted and prayed endlessly that God would lead us to 100 of our Brothers and Sisters to bring home unto Him. 
     Well it came to this weekend and we had only baptized 67 people. We still needed 33. Our mission had never even baptized more than 25 people in a single weekend. We have never prayed so hard in all of our lives. Well Sunday night at 7:25 our mission baptized its 100^thperson. Our mission baptized 101 for souls this month!!!! More than have ever been baptized in a single month in our mission's history. My heart is so full. I will never forget the month of September as long as I love. Many tears were shed, many miles run, and many miracles that have changed our lives forever. God lives! He is guiding this work in a way that I could never have imagined. This truly is the work of miracles, and the work is spreading the whole earth in a marvelous and a miraculous way. 
     I have learned this month in a way that I could never have imagined that I am nothing. God is perfecting each of us, and shaping us into the goodness we are capable of. In this life we are tried, tested, and perfected to prepare to meet God! If we will but endure well, God will lead us forever and ever! For the rest of my life I will look to God for guidance and help in all things. This truly is the work of miracles.

President and Sister Larkin!

     Monday at 12 noon we embarked on the four mile hike to the top of Mount Si with our beloved Mission President and his wife. It was the most amazing climb. President carried with him a staff with flags attached to the top of it. Each Zone made a flag representing their Zone's dedication to baptize 100 people in the month of September.  Today at 3 pm we stood at the top of Mount Si and posted our ensign to the nations! It was the greatest feeling I have ever felt in all of my life. I will never forget looking across the valleys of our mission, and seeing the mass expanse of people, longing to teach them all the gospel! This work truly is rolling forth!! 

     GOD IS WITH US FOREVER AND EVER!  I love this work! THIS HAS BEEN THE GREATEST MOMENT OF MY ENTIRE MISSION‼‼‼‼‼ HURRAH HURRAH FOR ISRAEL‼ TO MOUNT SI‼ I love you all. Know that God will never leave your side though he will test and try you! Even for two years but the promises do come! They may not come when you feel they should, but they will come in the Lord's time when He has prepared you for the great blessings He has in store! OH THE GOODNESS OF GOD! I love this work. I love you all! Have a great week!

Elder Aiken