Joe's Baptism

Joe is a pretty rough looking character but he is really just a softy. He started working on ships when he was just 15 years old and has done that all of his life. Most of the members in the ward thought he was just a homeless person coming to church to stay out of the weather. Well, he has been coming for about 3 months and has come to the investigators class each time and is always eager to jump into the conversation. He likes to show off his "English" even when we teach him but we usually have to explain in Dutch what we are studying before he can understand it. I don't think he liked having to give up his 3 cigars a day but he told us it was not that tough because he "did not inhale" Sure.....

Good old Joe. He finally took the big step. It was fun to see him so excited. He always tells us that he is shy so he asked that we have a small intimate baptismal service with him being the only one being baptized. We asked Bro. Ver Heyen our patriarch to baptize him. He was confirmed at the same time because he said he did not want to go to the front of the chapel next week and have everyone there. O.K. Joe, what ever you want. The Elders are planning on taking him along with them when they teach some of the investigators this week. He is trilled to have some "buddies" to run around with and talk to. He is such a lonely man, he really needs to find some friends in the ward. When ever we go and visit with him he will do anything to get us to stay there a little longer, then he will walk us out to the car and smile and wave until we are out of sight. I hope he got baptized for the right reasons and that he will not cool off when the Elders leave. That is what happens here a lot. The investigators fall in love with the Missionaries and when they leave the new member stays away. At that point the Bishop sends out the Senior Couple to find out what happened and usually it means that they were not converted in the first place but only trying to please the Elders. We keep praying that Joe will remain faithful.