THIS WEEK WAS PERFECT

At the Beach on P-Day

As for this week...THIS WAS SO INCREDIBLE. I feel like I got a new start, as a successful, confident, happy missionary and person. I don't know exactly why, but I do know that it was ALL Heavenly Father's help. 

I decided to turn to Him in prayer and even though I have been doing so all along, I think I really have been focusing more energy and sincerity into my prayers. I can't adequately describe all the changes I have seen and felt this week. I have felt more confident and God has helped me see and feel my strengths and experiences bless others. 

I think that is the beauty of coming to this little YuLi area...it first makes you see ALL the things you need to improve on and maybe makes you get down on yourself at first, but then you learn what "Fully rely on God" means and if you apply it, you see miracles, which is what I experienced this week. I feel like I kind of have my old, happy self back, which I felt like I lost for a long time. I REALLY hope that I can continue in this upward pattern for the rest of my mission and rest of my life. I feel like my confidence, positivity, sensitivity to the Spirit, and testimony were all increased this week. 

I honestly feel like it has to do a big deal with my companion. We get along so well and she likes to talk and to laugh and work hard. We saw SO many miracles as well, that's the amazing thing, it wasn't just in myself, but it was also manifest in the miracles we saw in people this week. 

We met with Zhu JM this week and we realized just HOW MUCH we still had to teach her in order for her to make her date. We went to review the baptismal interview questions and planned to review the commandments that she didn't remember from the past time missionaries taught her. Turns out she remembered most of them, was willing to follow ALL of them, and expressed confidence even when we said she would have to have 2 interviews! She is still struggling not chewing binlang or drinking, more drinking is the problem. But she wants to quit by the time she has her first interview, so we are excited!! Her change has been amazing!!! Seeing her change has filled me with such indescribable joy. 

We also set a baptismal date with 黃軍越 this week, someone we found almost 2 months ago, who finally had time to meet!!! We also re-set a baptismal date with 羅Jiemei, who has had a baptismal date on and off for a year or more I think!! She has to have heart surgery at the end of this month and has to recover for a long time, so her date is scheduled for October 10th! Another highlight of the week includes two adorable little Taiwanese boys following us around all night while we were proselyting. 3 and 5 years old, a bit sad because their parents didn't care at all, but they followed us around for at least an hour while we taught the gospel to people...hopefully they will remember this experience when they grow up and go on missions;)

We met with a 蔡Jiemei， who has been investigating for 7 months. She had recently been avoiding the missionaries so we didn't go see her for a long time, but we felt prompted to go visit her and...miracle! She told us, without us asking or reviewing anything, that her goal is to go to the celestial kingdom and to do that, she has to get baptized, and to get baptized, she has to read the Book of Mormon and quit smoking. So all we did was say "Can we make a plan with you to help you stop smoking?" and she said YES!!! Wow...I never thought I would be helping so many people stop these bad habits!!

At the Tropic of Cancer!

FUNNIEST MOMENT OF THE WEEK: We went to visit our Indonesian investigator at her fruit stand, and she had a customer wanting to buy something that she had to go into the back to get. He looks at us, politely says "Ni Hao" and then proceeds to say "KISS ME" in perfect, no-accent English, then moves about his business like it never even happened. The funniest thing is that he OBVIOUSLY had no idea what he had just said!!!! Someone probably taught him that it meant "How are you?" or something else polite. We looked at each other and could hardly control our laughter or believe that had just happened!!! Yah pretty typical 

We were also able to help one of our recent converts learn how to better apply the Atonement in her life and use it to not just cleanse sin, but overcome weakness. She actually has a super similar problem as I have had, so I was really praying that I would be able to adequately express what I wanted to tell her, even though it was a bit advanced. Yes, we still have to pray for the gift of tongues every day! I experienced the gift of tongues in expressing not only what I wanted to say, but what she needed to hear:)

The only thing about this week that was not perfect is that my precious little 仁傑 moved away:( My entire heart is fully invested in this family, they are so dear to my heart. I am grateful that 仁平and仁和 are still here so hopefully I can still see them often!!!

So many other amazing things happened this week, I can't begin to describe them all. If you're really interested, read my journal ;) I am just so eternally grateful that Heavenly Father has provided prayer and His Son Jesus Christ as ways for us to seek His help and improve ourselves. Like it says in Helman 6:36 and Alma 41:8, He will bless us as long as we are willing. He has already prepared the blessings He desperately wants to give us. I have been a firsthand witness of that. I love being a missionary with every single fiber of my being. Nothing that I sacrificed to serve a mission matters because THIS is the only work of eternal significance and lasting import.

I know with every part of my heart and soul that this is true. Heavenly Father lives and loves us. Jesus Christ sacrificed His life for our sins and so that we all have an opportunity to return and live with Them again. I know that we have to strive our hardest and work for it. Like Nephi in Helaman 10:4, The Lord will bless us for our unwearyingness to declare the word, to resist against temptation, and to endure through the trials of life to the end. I love you all!!!!

last time with our old Yuli district