This week has been full of ups and downs. We're getting to that point where we've been here almost 4 weeks (!?!?!) and I have the language decently enough that I can get by. BUT! I've got to keep working and being diligent. Thus, I am. Thanks everyone for your letters! Sharon, that is such an awesome story! I'm so glad that you're still helping bring people unto Christ far beyond your mission. Dad and Alicia, thanks so much for the packages! I love getting them (: and the peaches were prime! We may or may not have slept in on sunday because we forgot to set our alarms the night before so we didn't have time for breakfast, so we just fasted haha. Then today, we were going to eat breakfast in the temple but no! they don't serve breakfast on mondays! So us girls were super glad to have the peaches for breakfast (: Dad, I'm glad to hear everything is going good (: Also, I talked to brother Seow and he said dad's talks were great! I wouldn't expect anything less. Also, Pres and Sis Woodfield came up to me and said they met grandma and grandpa Sumner at stake conference so that was cool! They're going to check in every now and then to see how I'm doing when I'm in Taiwan. It's nice to have all the connections at the MTC, especially right in my branch presidency. Pres Woodfield with gma and gpa, Pres Seow with dad, and Pres Averett and seeing him in the temple.
Mom, I'm definitely sending home all my cotton shirts after hearing about your experience! Haha I just hope you think of me every time you're drenched in a skirt, or possible riding your bike in the pouring rain (:
All the missionaries that got reassigned are leaving or will leave by wednesday. They've gone to Utah, Idaho, Nebraska, and California. So who knows! I could go anywhere if we'll need to be reassigned! They're all happy about though, so that was fun to watch everyone open their 'mission calls' again.
This week's lessons were pretty insane. We taught Liang Jiemei twice (our inactive) and we tried to talk about temple marriages and stuff since she's gettting married soon. Bu Hao. (not good). We're stilll trying to find that outlet that we can relate to her. Wang Lao Shi (our teacher who acts as liang JM) gave us an awesome pep talk though! She worked with liang JM on her mission for like 8 months, and she finally connected with her and now she's still active to this day! So we're praying to better understand her needs and get through to her. Our other investigator, he jiemei, (the same person as our teacher, ke lao shi) is GOLDEN. she wants her kids to grow up with good morals, and she's accepted all our commitments so far. So we're just moving right along with her!
We still go to choir every week, and man I just love it. The choir teacher, brother Eggett always has a story to go along with the song and it's just so sweet. I still don't know if we'll be able to sing for gen conf, but apparently tomorrow for the devotional he said that it will be broadcast to all the MTCs in the world! So this time there HAS TO BE AN APOSTLE!! I'm pretty stoked! We also get to see the temple dedication this sunday so that will be sweet! We already bought our little handkerchiefs so we're good to go!
Study time has been great this week. I've been reading about Christ's ministry on the earth in 3 nephi and it's amazing! I hope I can develop even a sliver of Christ's attributes. He paid attention to every person individually and cared about them on a personal level. His teachings are so awesome, and could you not get baptized when you read about them??? So, did I really just write about understanding the scriptures? The mission works miracles, let me tell ya. We also found this awesome study place on campus! They call it the Garden of Eden, and it's so peaceful and beautiful, because it's back by the elder's dorms away from the rest of the mtc, there's hardly anyone that walks by. Me and Bao Jiemei (sis bowman) had the best discussion about faith, enduring to the end, the plan of salvation..,. pretty much everything haha. I'm so glad we found that spot though! I also love in district meetings after devotionals when we just get to talk as a district about gospel topics. It's really the only time when we're not focusing on the language, and I just get such cool insights on things I've never even thought of. Our district is super tight too, so it's always nice to have a spiritual bond as well.
Hey! We got a notice last week that we get to host on wednesday! I'm finally not a newbie! Haha i don't know why, but I've always wanted to host.
TRC this week was pretty good! We taught wang lao shi's MTC companion so that was cool! We also taught a guy from ke lao shi's MTC district, who brought along a non member! Strike! My first experience as a missionary with a non member! So we talked about prayer and asked her to pray and read a chapter from the BOM. Prime.
So I say this every week, but sundays are seriously the best. We always get to see music and the spoken word in the morning before relief society, and I love that! I really miss hearing that beautiful music. I always look for Kristen Gerdy, but I haven't seen her yet. I'll keep my eye out during general conference (: As a district on sunday, we were talking about repentance and forgiveness, and Brother Davis, our branch secretary shared an analogy (dad you're gonna like this!). He talked about how he and his neighbor started gardens, and one tilled and took care of it, and one just planted stuff with rocks and weeds in the way. He likened it to sins. When we till our garden and get all the rocks (sins) out, we can bloom so much easier and quicker without any trouble. He explained it way better, but I just loved the analogy, and of course I couldn't help but to think of dad when I heard it. Brother Davis also did interviews this week, and he told me to fill in all the cracks of my time. I usually have a few minutes here and a few there, so it's important that I use those minutes wisely by going through my flash cards or whatever. So I'm definitely going to work on that this week.
I occasionally slip in a few spanish words on accident when I don't know the word in zhongwen, but I really am improving every week. I hope I don't forget my spanish, but for now, it would definitely be easier if I could just forget it for 18 months. I'm so glad I have Sis Bowman to help me though, or our lessons would crash and burn haha
This week I learned the importance of diligence and using every moment to it's greatest potential. It's so important that we use our time the most efficient way possible, because our time is so limited here on earth! Thanks for all your love and support, and I really can feel your prayers. I love you guys so much!
Sister Facer
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