Our Own "17 Miracles"

The family of an 8-year old girl from the ex-pat branch in Amman asked to have her baptism in Al Husn because they don't have a font in Amman.  Ella didn't want to get baptized in the Jordan river because she was afraid the water was too cold.

Getting ready for the baptism was a series of 17 miracles:

Miracle #1.  We found a place to rent a water  pump to get the dirty water out of the font.  We had no idea where to go, but then remembered going past a shop in town that had jackhammers and equipment in front.  We couldn't read the sign and there was no one to ask, but we found it!

Miracle #2.  The shop owner was able to understand what we wanted and let us rent a pump.  

Miracle #3.  The pump worked perfectly and most of the water was out in 14 minutes.  No bailing.

Miracle #4.  Sister Tolley went barefoot in January.  She took off her shoes, rolled up her pants and went down into the dirty water in January.  This has never happened before--and probably won't happen ever again.

Miracle #5.  The water didn't feel cold. 

Miracle #6.  The font was cleaned and ready.  Two old people like us were able to do it--with only a few sore muscles, aches and pains.

Miracle #7, 8, 9.   The font was filled.  Water to fill the font was delivered to the right place at the right time by two guys who don't speak English but understood what we wanted.

Miracle #10.  The weather was good.  On the day of the baptism the sun was shining and it was the warmest day in the week.   

Miracle #11.  The water in the font got warm.  This is the system that heats the water.  It took 5 hours and two bottles of propane to get it warm.

Miracle #12.  The wall heaters worked.  The boiler to heat the chapel went out and everyone was freezing cold for Sacrament Meeting, but later we were able to get it warm by using two wall heaters that hadn't worked all winter.  

Miracle #13.  We didn't burn the church down.  The chord for a portable heater in the chapel caught fire, but Lynn just happened to walk into the room and saw the flames.  He was able to prevent any major damage.

Miracle #14.  There were no injuries.  A disaster was avoided when the kids from Amman were running wild and broke a florescent light bulb on the front stairway.  They cleaned it up.  The children were banished from going up on the roof. 

Miracle #15.  All the little kids managed to "get reverent" and settle down for the baptism.

Miracle #16.  After making sure a floating bug was out of the water, and after some fearful screaming Ella managed to get up the the courage to go into the water and get baptized.

Putting the lid back on.

Miracle #17  Elder and Sister Tolley survived.  Maybe we should produce our own "17 Miracles" movie!

"...My beloved brethren, have miracles ceased?  Behold I say unto you, Nay; neither have angels ceased to minister unto the children of men."     Moroni 7:29