1/29/13

Wo de jiating! Things at the MTC are crazy! The new generations we're getting are MASSIVE! Not to mention, it's really different since before they'd have to wait 6 weeks before getting a new generation for Mandarin. I don't think they fully know how to handle this, but this is the Lord's work and I know He's watching over and guiding it. I have felt this over and over again this last week. My companion and I have struggled greatly, though we're getting along great now but it's taken a lot of long talks and many, many tears. I think we've both hit rock bottom so now we're having to rely on each other to be built up, which is the best thing for us. But I've also been so blessed this last week. The gift of tongues is real! In every lesson the last couple weeks, I have prepared as best I could but I get into the lesson and I never feel prepared but I've been able to be a conduit for Heavenly Father and the Spirit. It's incredible. To have the opportunity to do this work is amazing. It's like Elder Holland said in his talk a couple weeks ago, this is the greatest time to be a missionary. We must've done something really incredible in the pre-mortal existence to have the opportunity to live now, but even more to SERVE now! I don't know why I've been so blessed, but my teacher even pointed out after our lesson last Thursday that the gift of tongues is real. He said he could understand me better than before, I didn't stutter, I said things clearly and matter-of-factly, and it was exactly what he needed to hear when I said it, and this was just me bearing my testimony. This gift is so real and so incredible! I felt it again last night as I was again teaching , because he paired my companion with one of our tri-panionship and asked me to try to commit him to baptism and I could feel the Spirit so strong and I would struggle for a word and it would suddenly be there. It's true that the work here is incredible. The people here are incredible. I am mystified by our younger generations and their commitments to this mission and to their languages. They're only 2-4 weeks in and have already committed to SYL and the newest generation even did "Silent Sunday" this past Sunday. I just learned about it but basically it's a complete English fast, you don't speak any language but the one you're called to serve. They are incredible and I am in awe of the people I get to work with here, the Elders and Sisters in my district, my companion, my roommates, the others in my generation, and especially these younger generations. They have 9 weeks to learn this language and many of them are not wasting a single second of it. It's incredible what they do and I just hope I can learn from them and be able to be more like the people I'm surrounded with daily. I don't know why I've been so blessed to have this gospel or why I get to have this opportunity but I'm tired of wasting it. I also got Kelby and Penny's letters about Kelby and Erron's missions. I'm so excited for them, they will make incredible missionaries. This is truly a great time to be a missionary. And even though the MTC is a pressure cooker, we just have to make it through and find ways to focus outside ourselves because once we're in the field, we'll be too busy focusing on our investigators to even try to focus on ourselves. The work Heavenly Father is doing to help his work along is also incredible, if you don't believe me, just ask Riley. The stories he's shared with me as he's prepared for his mission remind me of many of my amazing stories as I was preparing to come here. Heavenly Father's hand is in this work! I even got a letter from a friend this week! It was amazing to get it and feel her love! I'm constantly amazed by the love and support I receive here, from those around me and those I've left at home! I have no words for the gratitude and love I feel. I know people are praying for me, people I know, and people who are hoping that I will be able to touch the hearts of their families, even though they don't know it's me. I'm so grateful to my Heavenly Father for his love and strength. I'm so grateful for the Atonement in my life. It's real! He has strengthened me so much just this last week alone. There were seriously moments I considered just throwing in the towel and coming home but this is where I'm supposed to be, I felt that on Sunday. This work is incredible, the scriptures are incredible! There is no greater work on this earth than Heavenly Father's work. I'm so grateful to be a part of it, to feel it and have a hand in this work. It's amazing how it is progressing! We got around 30 new people in the youngest generation on Wednesday, my generation has 18 people, thats about 1.5 more! This work is progressing, the stone cut out of the mountain is gaining so much momentum and there's so much power that Heavenly Father is trusting this very important work to 19 year olds. There truly is strength and power in simplicity and weakness, that's why he sends missionaries so young because we have more power when we are weak, which we really are. We aren't much better than Joseph Smith but that's why there's power, because the Holy Ghost is better able to work through us. I'm so grateful for this gospel in my life, for the chance I have to share it with the people of Taiwan, and for the amazing examples and strengths I have in my life. I have no words for it, my heart has been brimming over with love and gratitude these last few days for my Heavenly Father. It's truly incredible! Anywho, I should go... Until next Tuesday... Wo ai nimen! Sister Thomsen Tang Jiemei