I love you all!!!!!!!!!!! Bethy is going to Moscow! The Russian one! And is going to be a missionary! And I get to see her before she goes!! I am so happy, I could probably burst! You are going to be an amazing missionary, Bethy. I am so proud of you. There will be nothing harder/more rewarding/happier/sadder/
Well, I'm floored. But there's a lot to report this week, so I'd better get back up again and tell you.
So, as the title of this email may suggest, thing have been really difficult and full of blessings this week. The best way I can think of to explain this is to just kinda list the facts from this week:
So, Sister Lin decided to go home again. She is leaving this Wednesday. Yup. She, in the end, was only able to convince herself to stay for about 3 days before the doubts came back again. She's been telling herself these things her whole mission, so it's no wonder that these problems came back. I tried my best to help her stay, but there's only so much I can do. She really couldn't stick to her decision to stay, and I think it will be better in the end, honestly, for her to be able to go home and work on a lot of personal things there. She has a lot of issues that she needs to work on, so I can see why this is necessary. It's sad, because she is missing out on blessings that are waiting for her here (she's seen so many miracles here!), but you can only lead a horse to water, right?
Well, despite that really sad note, there is a ray of hope. Namely, that new fire is coming to this area....in the form of a new missionary! I am training again! Starting on Thursday! President Hawks said he didn't want to burden me too much, but it felt right. So there we have it. And you know what, I think this is going to be a huge blessing to help me finish my mission on a hard working/good note. I am excited, though I know I can only do this with the Lord's help.
More good news: On Sunday, guess who got baptized! Bessie in Yuen Long! And Wun Ying and her younger sister in Kwai Fong got baptized too! Yeah! What miracles! I am so happy for them. guess who else got baptized!!!! Sandy and Haley Ho, the sisters from Mainland China whom we taught about 3 weeks ago! It was a tender mercy to hear about that. On Friday, after a particularly difficult and patience-trying day of working with Sister Lin, we got a text from the Mandarin missionaries saying that these sisters had just gotten baptized that day! Their mother even came down to attend the baptism! It was such a blessing to get to teach them, and it was a blessing to get this news on that particular day.
AAAaaaaaaaaaand, it gets better. Guess who else is going on a mission? Well, here's the background story: This week we went to Wan Chai for Sister Lin to visit the psychologist, and guess who happens to work there as a secretary? The bishop's wife in Tsing Yi. Well, we said hello, and then she told me that Penny just got her mission call!!!!!!!! No one even knew that she was applying except for the bishop! She is going to London and leaves on Feb 28th! She got baptized on Feb 19th last year, I'll have you all remember. She's only 20, so this new age limit change has directly affected her. I am so excited for her. She is leaving on her mission before I even finish mine. I am so so so grateful that I got to have the privilege of teaching her. She is one of those noble and great spirits, truly. I am going to write her on her mission a lot :)
And, another huge blessing: my back feels better!!! Yeah! What a miracle! I can truly feel your prayers for me, and it is a down-right miracle that it just stopped hurting the day after I sent that email. I fasted and prayed about it the Sunday before I wrote you all, too, and it really has not hurt since the Tuesday after. I am so grateful for the Lord's direct answers to prayers. He really loves us, did you know?
And I have really needed to feel that love because this week has been hard. I'll be honest and say that working with Sister Lin has required a lot of patience and charity, but that's just what the Lord knows I need to develop. Perhaps because she's an only child whose parents never really spent much time with her and who only encouraged her to study, her coping skills are really not there. But I really do love her and wish the best for her. I just pray that she can finish her mission on a high note. She only has two days left here, and I'm worried that she's not going to end them well. Your prayers are greatly welcomed. Thank you.
The funny thing is that last week, she said that she had the distinct impression that she was supposed to stay this long on her mission so that she could meet me. That was overwhelming to hear. I really hope that I can help her in some way in her life. Of course, she has to be willing to accept that help first. I am praying hard, and I am trying to do my best.
Hey here's a miracle to end with: So, about two months ago, Sister Lin was taking an escalator and felt like she should turn around and talk with the person behind her. So she did. And he was interested to learn the gospel! His name is Franky, and he's a 40 something year old man who is kinda shy, but very kind and smart. He's been thinking about switching churches. Well, after months of not being able to really contact him, I gave him a call randomly because I found his record in our books. Well, he was willing to see us and has seen us twice last week, came to church on Sunday (it happened to be a stake conference in which a member of the 70 spoke. Not bad), and will see us tomorrow again! He's really prepared. He's just a little dubious about praying on his own. I think he feels uncomfortable doing that just yet. But it was a tender mercy to get to meet and teach him this week.
Well, that's been this week! Quite a week, right? On Wednesday I'll be going with the Mission President and his wife to drop off Sister Lin at the airport, and I'll stay at the mission home that night. On Thursday I get my new companion! I'll probably see her before we get assigned because we will both be at the mission home. I am excited :) I just hope Sister Lin can end on a high note, which is not the trend that is going on now.
I just want to let you all know that I know that this work is true. I know beyond a shadow of doubt that the Lord loves us and watches over us. He is ever willing to bless us. I just wish we would all be more willing to accept these blessings.
Love you all! Thank you for your love and support.
Love,
Sister Nielsen
P.S. Oh, I wanted to give a shout-out to the Other Nielsens: Thank you for the wonderful Christmas package! You are such sweet people! I can put all those little lovely presents under our Christmas tree in our apartment. Thank you for your love and support.
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