YES !!!

The service for Kim and Ashlynn was very nice. 

Satan has been working overtime to prevent this from occurring.  The latest:
Thursday I got a call from Kim -- again sobbing.  I could not understand what she was saying, so drove up to Ventura and sat in her van with her and mostly just listened as she explained her current situation.  She is trying to go forward in faith -- she just is having a hard time understanding that as she is doing right things why bad things keep happening to her.  Wednesday Kim lost her wallet. Her IDs and her money. Gone. I am praying for a miracle that it will turn up somewhere. Her situation is so complicated and unbelievable that I just am not going to try to write it all down.  --  She lost her cool at the Belisle's, packed up her kids, and left.  She was repentant of the things she said and called and apologized; however, she did not want to return.  She and her three kids spent a cold Thursday night in her van in the church parking lot.  This is not the first time they have spent the night in this fashion. 

Have I explained about the Belisles?  Both Chase and April are recovering (or I would say recovered, if you ever get to that point) drug addicts.  They have progressed a long, long way.  They had four (I think) children taken from them; three were adopted out and one is in a foster home (I think).  Since their recovery, they had another little girl, Peiper.  Peiper has problems.  She is out of control.  She screams and throws tantrums and pretty much gets her way.  She is disruptive.  I do not know exactly her problems nor how Chase and April deal with her, but I know Peiper has therapy and they have a behavior counselor working with them.

I'm not sure if it was Wednesday or Thursday that Peiper was abusive first to Kim, and then to Ashlynn.  When she slapped Ashlynn in the face, that's when Kim lost it and blew up and left. 

Friday Kim and family were back at the Belisles.  Chase and April are understanding and forgiving, and Kim humbly made amends.  It is a tough situation for everyone.  I certainly could not live there, and I told Kim Thursday when I spoke with her that she had lasted longer there than I could have.  And I'm not trying to be mean about the Belisles.  It's just really tough!  And Kim really has no options.  She can stay with them till Monday, then she does not know what she will do.  She says things are in order to get into the Kingdom Center, but with her wallet gone, that has created problems there too. 

At the baptism, Peiper was horrible!  She was right up front, sitting by Ashlynn (I did not think that was a good idea at all!)  As I was giving a talk about baptism, Peiper was acting up terribly.  It was SO distracting, and I was trying super hard to have the Holy Ghost help me, and I had prayed for it to be present for everyone, especially Kim and Ashlynn.  It was interesting, to say the least. 

Elder Mecham gave a wonderful talk on the Holy Ghost.  At that point, I had Audrina by the back door of the room, but for the most part she was really good.  A 14-month-old behaving so much better than an almost-6-year-old!

After Kim's baptism, Elder Mecham and I picked up Shawntele, who was without transportation, and took her to the Mission Office where she had her baptismal interview with President Castro. She will be baptized next Saturday, the 19th.  She is so excited!  And so are we!