Jessica's Baptism

Manti may not be on a formal traditional mission, but he DOES act like one in a lot of ways. The following account will depict a very non-traditional mission story:

Manti used to work with some girl named Nikky. Nikky has a friend that has a daughter, and the two had moved from Alabama to Georgia and were staying with her while their house was being readied for them to move into. The daughter (Jessica) knew no one and her mom and Nikky both wanted to help her find some friends that were good influences. Nikky told Stephanie (the mom) about Manti, saying he was the straightest lace she ever met. So Nikky calls Manti and tells him about this family and says the daughter is shy, so would he mind texting her on the cell phone to break the ice and then meet and see if they can be friends.

Do you know Manti?

So the two started talking through text messages (thank goodness for unlimited texting!) and trying to figure out who the person on the other side of the line really was. The next day, Manti wanted to find some rocks to work with, and thought he would walk down the road and see what was laying along the sides. As he walked, he was also texting.... and a car drove by, slowed down, pulled over, and a woman jumped out. Next thing you know, Manti has met Jessica via Nikky and Manti has invited Jessica to go to a scout dinner with our family as well as a YSA family home evening. She said yes,... and its been a whirlwind ever since!

Short story shortened more, Jessica and Manti are "in love" and dating. It seemed to me that everything the two did together was church related! I don't know how that happened, but it did. There was one other scout meeting she went to with him, and she went on a "test hike" with me and Manti and Mesa, but other than that, every activity HAS been a church activity.

One night, at a FHE for the young singles, Jessica asked Manti what the Holy Spirit felt like. Manti lit up and ran to get the missionaries. He told her to ask them. She did, and the first discussion commenced. She committed to baptism that night. Since then, she has attended every single family home evening at our house, and the missionaries have been to most of them too. I assign her jobs for the meeting each time too, and the one time I didn't assign her anything, she was disappointed! She sits next to me in Relief Society on Sundays, and she's talked her boss into letting her have Sundays off. She asked me to be her teacher and show her how to do things... like cooking, beading, native stories and other things pertaining to our culture. She eats whatever cook, even if she doesn't want to, and she helps me clean up after dinner without fail. She takes the scraps out to the dog for me, even. She helps me with the boys when they get unruly and has opened up and told deep dark secrets she really never had to.

So the baptism was scheduled for Saturday, September 18th. Manti baptized her, and one of the missionaries confirmed her the next day. Her mother couldn't be there, so I helped her with getting baptismal clothes and getting changed and ready to rejoin the baptism meeting, and I took a few pictures too. I just unloaded my camera and thought I'd share this with you.

BEFORE

AFTER

I have to admit, I was all smiles seeing these 2 kids do something so special, but then reality hit me that this is my baby who is baptizing this girl, and I had to cry a little.