Spiritual Goldmine

5/30/17

Monday we had an epic preparation day, Tuesday and Thursday we had exchanges, and Saturday we had the baptism of an investigator I had found, taught, and passed off to the Sister missionaries and then a mission conference with five general authorities. Recipe for a spiritual goldmine. There is so much I want to share about last week that I will probably have to do it in a shot-gun manner without the doilies and the lace.

     After skyping my family for mother's day last week (which was super awesome!!), we went on a hike about an hour's bike ride from our apartment. We took an investigator with us, and our goal was to get to the top. It was a hot, sunny day, and we were all drenched in sweat. About halfway to the top, we ran out of time. What's more, HUGE thunderheads started rolling in. Within minutes, it started raining buckets of freezing cold water--the exact opposite of what it had been just half an hour previous. Everything we had got soaked to the bone and then to the marrow. We started heading back, but had to stop in the pouring rain and eat guava as fast as we could so we could stuff all electronics in a Tupperware container to avoid the rain. Elder Puzey's planner didn't make it, but we did.

     Two exchanges: one with Elder Boyle and one with Elder Holloway. With Elder Boyle, we talked about just making friends with everyone in town, so you could say hi to your friends as you were finding. Makes things a lot more fun. Saw two HUGE miracles. At night, we had 10 minutes left and I turned to Elder Boyle and said, "I know there is just one more person out here for us to find tonight!" I then saw a side street with a park, pointed to it, we crossed the road, and the second person we talked to had the same name as me and gave us his phone number. Second miracle. The next day we went to find less actives, and the first one we knocked wasn't home. We knocked their next door neighbor, who talked with us for five minutes, invited us in his home, and we shared pretty much the whole first lesson. It just so happened that he chose to take a Wednesday off of work instead of the weekend this week. The other exchange, us four missionaries and a member pounded a cua bing (shaved ice) meant to serve 30 people. Though my stomach still hurts, objective achieved.

     The baptism on Saturday was amazing. Her name is Huang Ying黃瀅, and I was able to perform the confirmation on Sunday. Super hard in Chinese, but it worked out. At the mission conference was Elder Cook of the Twelve, Bishop Waddel in the Presiding Bishopric, Elder Funk of the Asia Area Presidency, Elder Murs also of the Asia Area Presidency, Elder Suarez of the Seventy, and of course President Jergensen. Wow. To say I was intimidated is a gross understatement. Here are some of the principles they taught: the Lord gives a pattern in all things, investigators should begin with the end in mind (the temple), the Spirit establishes trust with someone you've just met, without faith there is no repentance, repentance without faith is just a change of behavior rather than a change of heart, provide invitations so that others can start the path to conversion, learn to access the Spirit, when you feel incapable remember that at least you can bear firm witness of Christ. Elder Cook bore testimony of Jesus Christ that shook my heart and the hearts of everyone there to the core. What an incredible experience!

     This email is getting long, but here is the rest of the things I learned this week: Joseph Smith got an answer to his prayer not out of curiosity but because he was trying to draw closer to God through repentance and didn't know how (the actor who played Joseph Smith in the new 6 minute First Vision is in our mission); 喜歡 (like) and 愛 (love) are pretty different in Chinese--like means you want something in return and love means you only want to give, interesting to think about with respect to fellow man or even God; could you write "Another Testament of Jesus Christ" on your journal?; how to learn how to give a priesthood blessing--read the Book of Mormon to see how God blesses his children; if someone feels understood they are a lot more likely to listen; "one progresses only as fast as he gains knowledge" (Joseph Smith); and knowledge is taught by the Holy Ghost, "line upon line, precept upon precept" (2 Nephi 28:30). I had a wonderful week, and I hope you had one too!