Tuesday, January 18, 2011

1/9/10 Email

Dearest family,
I love you! This week was a little stressful, not going to lie. But there were still plenty of miracles to be had. Sister Peterson is amazing, she is contacting by herself now and if they are talking for a while I will go and help. She's a magnet for prepared souls, it's really fantastic :) But this week was also interesting in that a lot of investigators disappeared. One is a very interesting situation. Haha, it's really not funny at all but I can't help laughing at how weird of a situation it is. But, we had this one investigator that we found from old records and started meeting with her a week ago. She obviously has some sort of problem, maybe ADD or something, but we still think that she knows enough to make decisions and she wants to keep commandments, was willing to start keeping the word of wisdom, etc... Then, after we met her on Tuesday night we got a phone call from her on wednesday morning and she was really upset talking really fast and couldn't really understand her at all. But then it got a little quiet and I could hear people in the background saying, this is the police, this is the hospital, we are here to help you. And then the phone went off and it hasn't come back on since then. Yeah.... I'm not really sure what to think about it, but it was a great experience for my little new companion and I hope that Sister Hu is getting the help she needs and later we can help her progress in the gospel.
Another miracle! We had this investigator, Ru miao, and her daughters. They love church and love meeting with us. Was so willing to learn and keep meeting. But right before Sister Lai left she didn't show up to her appointment and didn't answer our phones after that. I was really sad about that. She was a slowly progressing investigator but was willing and progressing. Then she just disappeared and there was nothing we could do about it. But Sunday, heading back to the church from an appointment I saw her on the side of the road buying things(yes, yes, yesterday was Sunday, we have not taught sabbath yet). We stopped and talked with her and I told how we were worried and Sister Lai had moved but had really wanted to see her before she moved. And, she actually asked us to pick up a picture scripture book for her daughters that I told her we had. Evidently she went to Gaoxiong and left her phone there! She gave us her daughter's cell-phone number and set up for Sat. Wow. I know I'm not in the big city of Taizhong, but Jiayi is no small town. That is no accident we saw her yesterday. I'll tell you how it goes.
I have to tell you about yu ting, she is the most golden investigator you ever did meet. She invites her own peikes. When we set up times with her she invites other members to come with us :) And haha, she actually knows more about the gospel than some of our new members. Well, she has been an investigator for over 6 months now, she is waiting to turn 20. She came to stake conference yesterday and it was the most amazing thing to see her going through the rows of members and talking with everyone. The ward members love her and she is such good friends with the Bishop and his family, and all the other single members of the ward. Her and the other single women in the ward have been such a good support system for our new member jing yi. It is so much easier and you don't worry when you have wards like this. The members will take care of people. I don't know how to say how much I love the Bishop and his family. They are the most sacrificing, humble, and dilligent people I have ever met. So willing to take new members to church, attend baptisms, schedule interviews, welcome members. They are so humble, very humble, but so willing to give everything in service of the church. They are a beautiful example to me. There is more and more I am learning on my mission about how to be a better member and better diciple of Christ. I love the members here and want to be more like them.
And, yesterday I had another really great experience. I don't know how to say how much I love teaching lessons. Our purpose is to be teachers. Yes, we need to have activities that help us find in order to teach, but teaching is my favorite thing. Lessons are what helps people feel the spirit and know what they need to do to follow Christ and what commitments they need to make. When we don't have lessons scheduled we go find people to teach. It's all about helping other people come unto Christ. One person we have been visiting about once a week is an inactive member who has a beautiful testimony of Christ and the gospel but has a lot of resentment against Heavenly Father because of some of the trials she has been through. She even has told us that she wanted to develop her testimony more. We are starting small, little by little to help her do the things that will bring her closer to Christ. Last April Conference, Elder Scott gave a talk about how we can develop a testimony of the Atonement: of course, the small things are the most important: prayer, scripture study, and temple attendance. We are helping her do these things. And yesterday was able to talk to her some more about what she can do to help her testimony and help her get back to the point she was 3 years ago. It was a really spiritual lesson and we shared different scriptures. I'm not sure how to describe the feeling there, but the spirit was there and with the testimony of the scriptures and testimony of a loving Heavenly Father stopped her for a minute. She was silent for a bit and then looked directly at me and said, "Sister Ko, I know why Heavenly Father sent you to Jiayi at this time." I know that we as missionaries are weak little people who don't know much but I do know that each of us are sent to the areas and the people that need us. We have a work to perform and miracles to be seen. We don't know much be we know enough, we know the gospel is true, and we have the opportunity to help others become reconciled to Christ. I know this is God's work and I am so proud to be a part of it.
I love you all and hope you have fantastic weeks!
-sister ko

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