Number one, I got to accidentally see Bethy this week!! On Thursday! It was a Christmas miracle, I tell you. I love that girl. We were just coming back from gym and she was randomly going up to the temple and there we both were! We had to embrace and gasp for air and then remember how to talk (not so successful on my part) and then grin for the rest of the day. It was really a blessing for me because that was a really exhausting day for me (one of the first big coordinating sister days). But, I knew that Heavenly Father was watching out for us and wanted to keep us happy and well. Again, it was a miracle. Lots of those seem to be happening.
Did I tell you that we currently have three investigators scheduled for baptism? Yep. It's crazy. In fact, one of them, Soren's, is this week. We're learning, among other things, how to try to help investigators really develop their own testimony and desire to stay in the gospel even when we only have a few lessons in which to help them prepare. This is going to be good practice, I just can tell. Because it is hard. But also happy.
Anyway, next item: Guess what! We have a new district! There are ten of them which seems like a lot. The 3 new sisters live with us and it's really been nice. I can tell it's been a whirlwind for them but I've concluded at least 2 helpful things for me. #1, we've come a lot farther than I had thought. #2 these new missionaries are learning so much so fast. The Lord is definitely helping them.
In fact, I can tell He wants me to learn this language as fast as I can because He's been helping me too. I need to hit the ground running in Hong Kong! Heavenly Father is definitely going to help me if I put the work in. I mean, logically speaking, I should not be able to remember words after just seeing them once. But all of us have been able to, now and again. By the way, praying very specifically has really helped me learn more. On Sunday night, I prayed for help remembering the word for "especially" which was escaping my mind again and again. Next morning in our investigator's lesson, he used that word at least 4 times and I used it once. And I recognized it each time he used it. Crazy fast answers to prayers. Faith can go a long ways.
Which is good because I'm going to Hong Kong in less than 4 weeks! This has already been flying by so quickly! I'm realizing more that I need to really keep my very soon upcoming investigators in Hong Kong in my sights. I have to get ready for them, so I am feelig the need to get going even more. Isn't this so exciting? You know, if I had told my 3rd grade-old self that I would be serving a mission in China, speaking Cantonese, I think I would have been disbelieving and terrified. But life prepares you for the next thing, you know?
Well, I love you all more than tongue can tell! You're all amazing people.
Love,
Sister Nielsen
P.S. I've had a cold for the past week or so (yes, I already went to the MTC doctor), so please just add one more prayer to help me finally kick this cold. Thanks. I love you.
P.P.S. Speaking Cantonese is quite a work out. It's like singing all day. Also, it's the first language I've ever learned where you're NOT supposed to move your mouth much. The tongue does more of the work. Kinda strange. The result is that you will look like you don't know how to speak if you're moving your mouth too much. Funny huh? Anyway, I'm having a good time.
No comments:
Post a Comment