Hello Lovely Family Dear!
Hi! I love you all! You're all amazing!
So, this week has been an interesting one, full of the good and the not-as-good. I've been happy and well, and my companion has too (she's a powerhouse by the way. Just amazing. Plus she plays the piano something purty, I tell you). Our investigators, though, have been running into some good honest Opposition. The thing is, when you start teaching a person, you know that they're going to run into some trial or opposition at some point in their conversion process. They always do, and I think it's because Heavenly Father wants to help them learn and grow before they make this big commitment.
So, while we have moved up Vina's baptismal date to next week (she's the happy 14 yr old, New Year's Miracle one), we might have to postpone Wun Ying's baptismal date. You see, she's only 16 and she has to have permission to be baptized first. She's come a long ways and very much wants (and is ready) to be baptized, and her date was for this Sunday, the 18th. But, though she's been fasting and praying to be able to get permission to be baptized, her mom has suddenly put the brakes on things. I understand - her mother wants to make sure her daughter is making a good decision. This means that her mom made her go to another church last Sunday (Wun Ying still made it to sacrament meeting) and then suddenly wouldn't let Wun Ying come to see us for a lesson :( This is a new development. We know that Wun Ying is very unhappy but we haven't gotten a chance to really talk with her yet since her mom has been discouraging it. Sigh. But I know that no matter Heavenly Father's plan, it will be right for Wun Ying. Extra prayers on her behalf would be appreciated, of course.
On the day that Wun Ying suddenly couldn't come to the lesson, my companion and I read Alma 20 together, about King Lamoni's father. The main problem for him was just not really knowing Ammon's motivations and mistrusting him. Once he understood that Ammon was motivated by charity for Lamoni, really understood that, he was completely changed and converted. I mean, he went from trying to kill Ammon to taking lessons from him. So, though Wun Ying's mother is not at all that extreme, we know that she has to understand what we missionaries are doing and that they actually care about Wun Ying, before she'll be willing to change her mind. We have faith that miracles can happen for Wun Ying, but we all need to keep praying and working hard for now. Yup.
I think that running into that opposition, though, has helped me appreciate the blessings we do have, though. Just like facing a whole lot of rejection during street contacting will make you all the more grateful to see your investigators, even if they're struggling.
Well, speaking of some good things that came from the opposition of this week, we have two new investigators in Tsuen Wan! We've been languishing a bit in that ward. One of them, Iris, is in her twenties, is very friendly and is very prepared to hear this message. She was a contact from some other elders, and she herself explained that when she met with them, she just felt focused, comfortable and peaceful. We then happily explained that that was the Spirit. I mean, these people jsut have to realize that they've already been getting answers to their prayers and have already been feeling the Spirit! And we have to recognize the same thing for ourselves, too. Anyway, Iris is amazing.
Speaking of being prepared by the Lord to hear this message and getting promptings without knowing it, this week Vina told her story of how she met the elders the first time. She was going out to buy a snack when she ran into the elders who asked her help interpreting something for someone else. Then she went on her way. As she bought her snack and was returning home, she saw them again, but they were across the street. She was already at the bus stop...but she had this strange feeling that she really wanted to go take a picture with them. She tried to talk herself out of it, thinking that it was silly and she was lazy, but she just felt like she had to go get a picture with them. So she crossed the street and asked if she could take a picture with them. They did. And then they gave her a Book of Mormon. And the rest is history. She's going to be baptized next week, permission pending (but we've already been invited to eat at her house and meet her parents so we're hopeful. Blessings!)
A good reminder to me to always act on promptings and to recognized the promptings that I've received in the past. I'm realizing more and more already that I've gotten to participate in some miracles just because I was there, ready to act. Most of the time we don't even know what we're doing. I encourage you to also look for times that the Lord has guided you, even when you didn't know it.
Another good and happy thing from this week is that we got to go to the temple this morning. Every time we go I always feel enlightened and uplifted. I am so grateful that Heavenly Father has given us this place to learn, covenant, and feel His Spirit. Let's all go to the temple as often as we can!
Well, that's all the major news from this week. We did some other stuff, went finding, taught lessons, met people, encouraged people, etc. But as there isn't time to tell it all, I will just tell you that I'm happy and grateful to be able to serve this mission. It's already passing by so quickly. I know that this is the most important work I could be doing right now.
Well, I love you all and I am so grateful for your support.
Love you!
Love,
Sister Nielsen
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