Wed 5/21/08 3:38 AM

Dear Family,
Well we had a real miracle on sunday the 18 May 2008 in Celje with the baptism of Sister Dusica Stampe. Yes she is a member now after years of setting a baptismal date and then cancelling it. At General Conference Broadcast I felt the need to meet with her between sessions. This was also suggested by Sister Militka and Sister Bolster that work with her now. I took President Albin Lotric in with me to do transalation as she does not speak english and I do not speak Slovene. During the interview I told her that I wanted to baptize her before Sister Weight and I leave our mission. I bore witness to her that she needed to do it so she could go to the temple when her son Elder Uros Stampe finishes his mission to Frankfurt Germany Mission. She agreed to think about it and set a date. I could tell that she was touched by the spirit in this meeting. I had a prompting some days after this interview to change my schedule to be in Celje on 18 May for church. Well she met with the Sister Missionaries and set her date of baptism for 18 May. I found out about this that night that she met with the Sisters. I told them how I had a prompting to be in Celje on that sunday and so my calendar was already set to be there. Sister Stampe picked this date because it is Elder Uros Stampe's birthday. Amazing how the spirit knows. She later got nervous and said she was not going through with it. I met the Sisters in Celje on 6 May and Sister Bolster and Sister Milika told me of the problem of her backing out again. Sister Bolster said after we talked for a while that she still thought it was possible for Dusica to be baptized on the 18 May. I said to her if you really believe it can happen. And I thanked her for her faith. Then I counseled them to go back to her and have her read a chapter in the Book of Mormon and tell her that they would call in a couple of days to have her tell them what she learned. I told the Sisters that I felt they needed to give prayerful thought into what they have her read. And to pick something that would really get to her. Also I pointed out how this would help her feel the spirit again as she kept this commitment to read and discuss it with them. It worked. The counsel to do all of this came to me by a prompting as I met with the Sisters. Well the Sisters followed counsel and Sister Dusica said after accepting the assignment to read "Why not call me tomorrow". She started to waver alittle a few days later but I told the Sisters to just tell her that I am coming on the 18 May and the font will be filled and I expect her to be baptized. I told them to plan the baptism and just help her invite who she wants to be there. Her other son and a cousin came to the baptism. Her other son is not a member but he really felt the spirit. I told him after the baptism that he was next and that he needed to prepare for the missionaries in Ljubljana to teach him the lessons. He is a fine young man with a good job and he is a college graduate. He will make a great member also. It was such a great experience to baptize her and see her as a member of the church after so many years of meeting with every set of Sister Missionaries that served in Celje. Many have helped bring this about. She gave her testimony at the baptism and she thanked so many missionaries. What a great sunday. We held sacrament meeting first and then instead of having sunday school we held the baptismal service. They only have few members in this branch so they only hold a two hour block. They alternate each week with sunday school and Priesthood / Relief Society. Yesterday the movers came and picked up our belongings to ship them home. I guess we really do have to leave soon. It will be a big challenge to me I know to not be on a mission any more. I have really enjoyed this challenging but rewarding experience. We have four new Slovene Elders coming tomorrow. It will be the last missionaries that we get to welcome except for President and Sister Hill. Time is going too fast. Have a great week.
Love Dad (Doug)