6/30/13

Jiating!

This week has been great. I think one of my favorite miracles was a man that self-contacted us. I know that he's in good hands since we gave him to the elders, I just hope he'll meet with them. We were very up front with him that male missionaries would be the ones calling and working with him so I think that avoided some confusion that seems to come sometimes handing referrals around for the missionaries of the same gender. But I'm getting ahead of myself. It was really cool. It was one of my last firsts in TuCheng since I've never really been self-contacted and it happened on Saturday, after I'd already been told I was moving. We'd just taught a lesson to a mom who seemed interested but is really busy. Well, we were about to walk some direction and this man just walked up to us and asked where we're from. Then asked if our church had anything to do with "Mormonjiao" so we had to explain that was a nickname other people call us by because of the Book of Mormon. I don't remember much of what went on in that lesson, but I remember teaching him prayer, then having this prompting to ask if he'd like to have a chance to read the Book of Mormon, the reason people call us Mormonjiao. He was overjoyed that we were just going to give him this book. He even seemed to have a lot of interest in reading it. I really do hope he does and that it works out. He seemed to have a ton of interest and he seemed so golden! I truly think he will get baptized. He'll be their Annie. Annie self-contacted Elder Forbes and it has been a miracle as I've been able to work with her and watch her progress. She and I have also actually become really good friends. I'm sad I'll miss her baptism but I know she'll be a great addition to the church and has a ton of potential to keep progressing. It has been miracle this last week to work with her one more time, to see her prepare for her interview and pass her first one though she has to have another, which is scheduled for today. I will miss her and I hope the self-contact for the elders really does become like her and I think he will.

In many ways, this move is also a miracle, hard as it is. To be looking back and see the work I've been able to contribute to this area. When you feel like you haven't been effective, often you're just not looking hard enough. To sit in sacrament and such yesterday and be able to know many of those members as well as their struggles, to remember times I've met with them, times I've laughed with them, times I've cried over their pains, the opportunities I've had to strengthen and encourage them. That was a blessing. And that's where the work begins, with our members. I have yet to have had an opportunity to watch the broadcast but from what I've heard it's a lot about members and missionaries working together, and that really is where the work begins. That's how Annie started coming to sacrament: a member invited her. That's how we've had 2 baptisms this month, members invited them to meet with us, then invited us to call them and set up a time. Members are truly how this work progresses and where everything starts. It's incredible. Please remember this. You may not be paying to be on a full-time mission yourself. You may not be set apart. You may not know how to open your mouth and share this work. But you are still full-time missionaries. And if you want the opportunity and truly seek them, you can bless this work and people's lives so much.

Now for the part I've already mentioned. I got the call last Friday from the assistants, which came from President. That is truly terrifying, to have your companion tell you that the assistants want you to call them back. Your first reaction is oh no, something's wrong. I've done something wrong or something, I knew something was up. And it was, I'm moving areas. I move this Friday, don't know where I'm going or anything about it besides that it's happening and Sister Brown is getting a duanchuan. A duanchuan is a member that will come be a missionary for a short period of time, sometimes as long as a transfer from what I hear, and sometimes just for a week or so like the one Sister Brown will be getting. It's been hard to say my goodbyes, especially to Annie. I've been the one to meet with her every week as we've had to work separately due to having more than one appointment at the same time usually. It's hard to know she'll be getting baptized, probably this weekend, and I wont be there. But she knows I love her. I've done good work here. My time in TuCheng is up. I'm ready for a new start, hard as it is to leave this place that feels like my home, these people that feel like my family. I'm ready to stop hearing how much my Chinese has progressed, ready to have the motivation to make it progress even farther because people wont know how much it's progressed to be telling me. There are many ups and downs to this. I'm trying to focus on the ups.

Anyway, I hope this e-mail will find you all in good health. I love and miss you all. I also wish you all the best. Jiayou!

Wo feichang ai ni-o!

Tang Mei Xing Jiemei/Sister Kim Thomsen