Happy Birthday Elder Farnworth

Well hello my family!

Whoa. Today is my birthday. Holy moly I can't believe it's already here! We started celebrating this morning by having breakfast at this placed called Andy's, and now we're all here emailing. We still have no idea what we're doing for the rest of the day... but I'm one lucky Elder to be able to have my birthday be on a P-day! Thanks for the all the birthday wishes though, makes me feel like I'm still close to home. Thanks for all the pictures of Erika's wedding too! I wish I could've been there, but it looked like everyone had a good time. Congratulations Erika and Daniel!

This past weekend had to be the best days of my mission so far. Elder Monroe and I had our first baptism together, and it couldn't have gone any better. President and Sister Hill were in Chisinau for district conference, so they were able to come and see the baptism. Lots of members and investigators were there to support, and everything went exactly as it was planned. She looked like the happiest person alive! Saturday night I looked back in my journals to see where this all started, and I found myself on February 26th. It's fun to look back and track the progress someone makes toward baptism, and to also see the miracles that happen along the way. We're excited to have her be a part of the Church (family) of Jesus Christ, and she is already an amazing member! She's a great example to me of faith, and optimism.

This week was filled with a lot of preparation for the baptism, and saying goodbye to two amazing missionaries: Elder Groberg, and Sister Cook. They both bore their testimonies in district meeting and something that Sister Cook said really stuck out to me, "My testimony hasn't grown, it has been deepened." I agree 100%. A missionary should already have a testimony of the gospel before they go on their mission. But out here we learn to deepen that testimony, and make it stronger. Elder Groberg also said his goodbyes yesterday. He was one of my favorite companions and he taught me a lot. He'll be home this week, so today he gave me a call from Romania to wish me a happy birthday. These missionaries will be missed! They helped the Chisinau missionary work move along so well, and I know the lives they lead in the future will bless the lives of many.

To end this email I would like to leave all of you with my NEW MISSION SCRIPTURE. Phillipians 1:3,4,7,17,20,21,24

"I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy. Because I have you in my heart, I am set for the defence of the gospel, in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you."

Love you!

-Elder Farnworth

P.S. One more quote.... "I received nothing that I wanted, but God gave me everything that I needed." - District conference